Traces the story (from 1905 to 2002) of the world's great navies and the crews that manned them. In a series of set pieces, Ronald Spector brings to life the battles that have defined the modern age; from giant battles such as Jutland and Midway to the routine terrors of the U-Boat wars. Also depicted are harrowing naval encounters such as the British evacuation of Crete or the American river war in Vietnam.