Seize the Trident re-creates the Anglo-German race to build the biggest, fastest, most luxurious passenger ships in the world. Sparked in 1889 by the kaiser's declaration that he would seize the trident from English shipping firms, this friendly rivalry soon became a clash of fierce national pride, personal ego, and global ambitions, including those of wealthy robber barons such as J. P. Morgan.
Douglas Burgess delivers a riveting account of the race's origins, how it both paralleled and influenced the naval rearmament of the same period, and the crowning irony of its outcome. In size and splendor, the Germans won hands-down, but German ships in U.S. ports were seized at the outbreak of World War I. Later, they would carry hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops to fight against Germany.
Seize the Trident is must reading for maritime enthusiasts, history buffs, and anyone impressed by the splendor of this bygone era.
