Oceans Ventured: A Discussion with Former Navy Secretary John Lehman

In the midst of the Cold War, an aggressive demonstration of U.S. naval power played a significant role in convincing Soviet leaders that military force would not achieve their diplomatic or military objectives. As then-Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman was at the center of this maritime strategy that played a pivotal role in ending the Cold War.

In his recent book, Oceans Ventured: Winning the Cold War at Sea, Secretary Lehman shows how the robust use of American naval forces on the littoral flanks of the Soviet Union diverted attention from the European central front and allowed conventional forces to play an important role in strategic deterrence.

On September 27, Secretary Lehman joined Hudson Institute’s Seth Cropsey, senior fellow and director of the Center for American Seapower, to discuss his new book. The conversation considered the actions taken by the U.S. Navy under Lehman’s leadership and its application to today’s return of great power competition.

Secretary Lehman is the latest guest to participate in the Center’s Conversations on National Security and U.S. Naval Power, a speaker series that brings influential policymakers and opinion leaders to Hudson to foster constructive dialogue toward the shared goal of ensuring the U.S. Navy’s global preeminence.