Review: The War for all the Oceans

Most books covering the Napoleonic Wars focus on the land war; most books about European history ignore the war's effects on other parts of the world. This one fills in those blanks.

It starts with Napoleon's adventure in the Middle East, ends with his exile to St. Helena, and along the way includes every naval campaign of the period. To add a dimension of realism, it also contains short biographies of Lord Nelson (of course) and lesser known British heroes such as Thomas Cochrane and Sir Sidney Smith.

I liked the way the authors relied heavily on direct quotes from primary sources. The misery and pestilence that afflicted the British soldiers at Walcheren could not have been imagined without the excerpts from personal diaries.

I also enjoyed the breaks the authors took from the narrative to explain issues like the hot press (the Navy's version of the draft at the time), life on board a prison hulk, and the conflict with the U.S. that culminated in the War of 1812.

A couple things would have made this book better: first, more maps. My geography isn't bad, but when the authors explained the about actions in South America and the East Indies, I hahd a hard time undertanding the distances.

Second, I would have liked to read more about the Glorious First of June and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. Though Nelson's victories at Aboukir Bay and Trafalgar were "revolutionary," I don't think I can fully understand why without more details on what things were like before.

One of the things I appreciate about historical non-fiction is the way perennial truths make themselves evident. In this case, it's the way men live and are led.

Cochrane was such a successful commander because 1.) he knew his job; what he could do and what he couldn't; and 2.) he really was concerned about the safety of his men -- not that he refused to put them in harm's -- but that he took every precaution to reduce unnecessary risk.

The final lesson I got is that, as service members, we need to plan for the future. When the war ended, many men who had spent decades of their lives honing their skills as fighters, spending their money as soon as they'd gotten it, and living in the moment. Few gave any thought as to what they would do afterward, and so got stuck without a way to make a living.

The same is true today. It's a shame more people don't take advantage of the $4500 annual tuition assistance to get themselves a free degree, or the Rosetta Stone program to improve their language skills. I think it's something that I'll talk to my platoon about.