Naval history is sometimes criticised for concentrating on the technical side of operations at the expense of the human. The Face of Naval Battle breaks new ground in that for the first time the authors closely examine the individual and group experience of maritime warfare in the twentieth century. What is it that makes naval battle different from combat in the air or on the ground? What is the future of maritime warfare?Ranging from lively accounts of individual acts of heroism through to critical studies of the problems of command at sea, The Face of Naval Battle highlights the multi-dimensional nature of maritime warfare. Drawing on the latest research from around the world, many hitherto ignored aspects of war at sea are brought to light and placed in the context of the broader human experience of conflict.Illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of naval, military and strategic affairs, as well as to the general reader.