opening of the book presents a thorough introduction to the theoretical study of war, underlining its complexities and challenges. Corbett discusses the common misconceptions surrounding military theory, arguing that while war is not easily reducible to scientific principles, understanding strategic theory enhances a leader’s decision-making capabilities. He stresses that military strategy must not only consider tactical operations but also the broader political objectives that give rise to armed conflict. With examples from history, he illustrates the necessity of a cohesive strategy that integrates both land and naval operations to achieve success in warfare, especially for nations reliant on maritime power. (This is an automatically generated summary.)