Dr. James Holmes, U.S. Naval War College

James Holmes

James Holmes holds the J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College and served on the faculty of the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs. A former U.S. Navy surface-warfare officer, he was the last gunnery officer in history to fire a battleship’s big guns in anger, during the first Gulf War in 1991. He earned the Naval War College Foundation Award in 1994, signifying the top graduate in his class. His books include Red Star over the Pacific, an Atlantic Monthly Best Book of 2010 and a fixture on the Navy Professional Reading List. General James Mattis deems him “troublesome.”

B-21 Raider. Image Credit: U.S. Air Force.

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B-21 Raider Unveiling: A Message to China and Russia? You Bet It Is

Late last year, the U.S. Air Force rolled out its B-21 Raider stealth bomber for the first time, showing a select group of attendees...

James HolmesMay 8, 2023

USS Pennsylvania, which was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Image: Creative Commons.

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What If Japan Had Never Attacked Pearl Harbor During World War II?

Suppose Robert E. Lee had laid hands on a shipment of AK-47s in 1864. How would American history have unfolded? Differently than it did, one imagines....

James HolmesMay 1, 2023

A view of the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) from aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) as Normandy participates in a Tactical Force Exercise as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, Oct. 13, 2022. Ford is on its inaugural deployment conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Malachi Lakey)

Dr. James Holmes: The Naval Diplomat - 19FortyFive

One False Word Makes a Big Difference in Warfare

So Carl von Clausewitz, when properly understood, was right about how wars do or do not end. Even after a resounding triumph, it behooves...

James HolmesApril 29, 2023

Dr. James Holmes: The Naval Diplomat - 19FortyFive

How to Get Americans to Support a Bigger Navy

Sad to say, but rhetoric alone is not enough. It seems things must get worse in the commercial world before they get better for...

James HolmesApril 22, 2023

An F-35A Lightning II pilot turns his aircraft along the yellow taxi line on the 33rd Fighter Wing flightline at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr./Released)

Dr. James Holmes: The Naval Diplomat - 19FortyFive

Logistics Could Doom the Mighty F-35 In a War

F-35s could find themselves grounded for want of spare parts and kindred support. A supply shortage can knock a fighter jet out of the wild...

James HolmesApril 16, 2023

Lt. Nicholas Eppler, from Exeter, Calif., directs flight operations as an F-35C Lightning II assigned to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 launches from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Oct. 25, 2021. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Dr. James Holmes: The Naval Diplomat - 19FortyFive

Indo-Pacific Maritime Security: What Does the Future Look Like?

Dr. James Holmes, our Naval Diplomat, delivered the following remarks at a panel on “Indo-Pacific: Maritime Security,” Navy League Sea Air Space Expo, National...

James HolmesApril 8, 2023