[Freelance Warrior]

I think I must apologise for a misleading post. The Mahan I've posted a link about was the father (Dennis Hart) of the Mahan that Headsonpikes meant: Alfred Thayer Mahan, an US naval theorist.

[headsonpikes]

I see that Project Gutenberg has Mahan's 'Sea Power" on-line.

Thank God that Al Gore invented the internet!

[Diggadave]

thanks for the clarification - I saw there was a bit of a dynasty but hadn't followed them all the way down!

In that case, I would suspect that A.T. Mahan demonstrates the rule of the open flank (i.e., there is always an open flank, if you can reach and attack it)?