Free Sea

James Kraska is department chairman and Howard S. Levie Chair in the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the U.S. Naval War College. He has taught at Harvard Law School and Duke University, and retired as a commander in the U.S. Navy, where he was oceans law and policy adviser on the Joint Staff.Raul Pedrozo is a visiting fellow in the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the U.S. Naval War College, where he was professor of international law. He retired as a captain in the U.S. Navy, where he was the top legal adviser to Navy Special Warfare Command and U.S. Pacific Command.

The Free Sea provides an exceptionally valuable account of challenges to U.S. freedom of navigation from the late 19th century to the present day. Using case studies, Kraska and Pedrozo detail how the U.S. responded to these challenges and provide compelling analysis to demonstrate the importance of unimpeded use of the oceans to U.S. economic prosperity and security. The Free Sea will likely be an enduring textbook for students of maritime law and will also appeal to general readers with interest in maritime history." — Bonnie S. Glaser, Director, China Power Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies"Fundamentally, the United States is a maritime nation. We depend on freedom of the seas for our vital economy, our way of life. A keen understanding of freedom of navigation throughout the world’s waters is challenging but essential. Kraska and Pedrozo do a masterful job capturing the essential strategic elements of maritime operations. Theirs is an important contribution to this critical discussion." — Admiral Timothy J. Keating, USN (Ret.)"The Free Sea depicts a more realistic and accurate image of the United States as an assertive-but-equal, and sometimes vulnerable, maritime player…. The book is a well-researched, well-argued, and well-written book. Kraska and Pedrozo are to be commended for their effort." — The Strategy Bridge