IntroductionMechanical artillery in the prehistoric era, classical antiquity and in theEarly Middle AgesNaval warfareThe Middle AgesEuropeNaval warfareThe 16th CenturyEuropeAfrica and AsiaNaval warfareThe 17th CenturyEuropeAsiaNaval warfareThe 18th CenturyEuropeAsiaAmericaNaval Warfare18001871EuropeNorth AmericaSouth AmericaAsiaNaval Warfare18711914EuropeLatin AmericaAsiaAfricaNaval WarfareThe First World WarThe Interwar YearsNaval WarfareThe Second World War19451990 The Cold War, Decolonization, and New ConflictsDevelopments since the 1990sConclusionSourcesLiteratureImage credits