Naval Power Theory: Lessons from Admiral Raoul Castex (legrandcontinent.eu)

• Castex reconciled French 'Jeune École' theories with Mahanian principles.
• The Great War invalidated the obsession with 'decisive fleet battles'.
• Castex's work is essential for modern European naval strategic thought.

"This article explores the evolution of Admiral Raoul Castex's maritime strategy, tracing his trajectory from a follower of Alfred Mahan's 'decisive battle' dogma to a proponent of a nuanced, synthetic approach. The failures of the Great War, characterized by sub-surface threats and the vulnerabilities of modern logistics, forced Castex to incorporate the ideas of Julian Corbett. By balancing the lessons of history with the realities of industrial warfare, Castex developed a comprehensive strategic framework that redefined the 'command of the sea' as the ability to secure transit and logistics, rather than just tactical dominance."