Clash of Fleets

“On the whole, this book is an excellent addition to any naval enthusiast’s collection… a wealth of information in an easily readable format. An enjoyable, well written book, it should also be considered by anyone with just a simple interest in naval affairs.” – The Northern Mariner

"Clash of Fleets is a welcome addition to the field of naval history, which documents the naval battles of the First World War and provides an analysis of the development of tactics and strategy for each naval power.” —The Mariner's Mirror

“The book is a must-read for anyone interested in World War I, those wanting an exciting narrative, and general readers.” —Sea History

“The book will appeal to both those new to naval history who want a compendium of naval surface combat in the Great War as well as those with greater knowledge who need an accessible vademecum.” – Starshell

“Clash of Fleets should, after reading, find a berth on the bookshelves of naval history enthusiasts and general readers alike. It will provide an on-going ready reference for study or occasional dipping into as the mood arises and so is highly recommended.” – Australian Naval Institute

“Massive dreadnaughts belching fire and smoke in a line of battle. Battlecruisers racing at high speed. The German High Seas Fleet versus the British Grand Fleet. These are what most readers envision when they think of naval surface combat during the First World War. The battle of Jutland, the largest single concentration of combatants in such an engagement, has achieved near-mythic status in the annals of naval warfare. But, beyond a few other major battles (e.g., Dogger Bank and Heligoland Bight in the North Sea), the war at sea in 1914–18 is recalled as insignificant and indecisive compared to the many devastating land battles of the war. The authors of Clash of Fleets demonstrate that the war at sea was in fact critical to the ultimate outcome of the conflict.” —Michigan War Studies Review

 "Clash of Fleets is an excellent read for anyone with an interest in naval warfare, and particularly World War I at sea." —Strategy Page “This is a very good reference work…. Professionals will surely like it.” —Militärgeschichtlichen Zeitschrift

“This fresh work from an established naval historian reads almost like an encyclopedia of the subject, yet the clear writing weaves in an effective narrative of the battles, tactics, and technologies of the era. It is an engaging and well-written history…” – Military Heritage

 “O'Hara's book is a valuable corrective to the widespread idea that World War I surface actions were limited to three North Sea battles. He emphasizes other theaters of operations which many have neglected.” — Norman Friedman, author of Fighting the Great War at Sea: Strategy, Tactics and Technology and Naval Weapons of World War One: Guns, Torpedoes, Mines, and ASW Weapons of All Nations-An Illustrated Directory

“This encyclopedic work describes the naval surface engagements of World War I, from major fleet actions (the Battle of Jutland is neatly summarized) to minor skirmishes. For each calendar year, a concise strategic overview introduces vivid accounts of each action with, as appropriate, perceptive analysis of its strategic consequences and how its outcome depended on leadership, signals, tactics, gunnery, torpedoes and mines.” — John Brooks, author of The Battle of Jutland

“Clash of Fleets is an essential companion for anyone with an interest in First World War naval history. It is a highly readable masterpiece, a tour d’horizon of the naval war. An added pleasure is that the book’s basic premise of keeping the smaller, but still significant, actions on the radar, encourages the reader to go into further exploration. No doubt, I will be returning to the pages of Clash of Fleets for many years.” — Nicholas Jellicoe, author of Jutland: The Unfinished Battle

“Clash of Fleets is a master-class in how to present an extensive subject within the limitations of a single volume. Unlike the majority of works on the naval battles of the Great War, which tend to concentrate on the major battles between the British and German Navy, it reflects the global nature of the naval conflict. Clash of Fleets covers the majority of naval surface actions in sufficient detail to provide a real understanding of not only the actions themselves but the background of naval strategy, tactics, ships and equipment from which they developed. There is also clear analytical coverage of the evolution of the naval war and of the importance of the actions themselves. It is also a very good read and well removed from the dry prose that war histories often produce.” — John Roberts, author of British Warships of the Second World War: Detailed in the Original Builders’ Plan and British Battlecruisers, 1900-1920; and a former editor of Warship