Roosevelt draws a preparedness argument from the War of 1812: disorganization invites losses, ships and crews require sustained preparation, and a fleet confined to passive defence cannot break an enemy blockade. He also treats American victories as a warning against British assumptions of invincibility. That chronology is challenged here on the grounds that the stronger British mythology of invincibility developed after the Napoleonic Wars. His claim that American naval successes made Britain willing to accept a draw also leaves out the demands of Britain's simultaneous European war. The dispute concerns how far individual victories can support a conclusion about the war as a whole.
Chapter · 33:35-37:48
Preparedness beyond the frigate victories
Roosevelt uses American naval victories to argue for readiness and offensive capability; the historical comparison raises questions about British priorities and the limits of those victories.