Norman Friedman describes the ships and the craft of the U.S. amphibious force, from its inception in the 1920s through World War II to the present. He explains how and why the United States successfully created an entirely new kind of fleet to fight and win such World War II battles as D-Day and the island landings in the Pacific.

Includes index.

pt. 1. Developing Amphibious Warfare. 1. Introduction. 2. Developing the Techniques. 3. Transports. 4. Landing Craft. 5. The British Connection -- pt. 2. World War II Developments. 6. Attack Transports and Conversions. 7. Increasing Demand for Landing Craft. 8. Fire Support. 9. Command and Control -- pt. 3. Postwar Developments. 10. Perfecting the Technique. 11. The Fast Submarine and the Fast Amphibious Force. 12. The Bomb and Vertical Envelopment. 13. New Landing Craft -- pt. 4. The Sixties and Beyond. 14. Fire Support Revisited. 15. A New-Generation Amphibious Flagship. 16. Over the Horizon Assault. 17. Preparing for the Future -- App. A. Maritime Prepositioning and Sealift -- App. B. Landing Craft/Ship Programs -- App. C. Amphibious Ships.