On 16 December 1907, the United States Battle Fleet began a journey that would conclude by circumnavigating the globe. While navies today travel throughout the world as part of their standard mission, such a feat had never been attempted in 1907.

Perhaps brashness on the part of the United States might have been attributed to its recent debut on the world stage as victor in the Spanish-American War, or perhaps, as his detractors claimed, President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt just wanted to demonstrate "Big Stick" diplomacy.

Regardless of purpose, the cruise of the Great White Fleet truly ushered in the "American Century."

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