The American Great White Fleet begins its circumnavigation of the world.
The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the group of United States Navy battleships which completed a journey around the globe from December 16, 1907 to February 22, 1909 by order of President Theodore Roosevelt. Its mission was to make friendly courtesy visits to numerous countries while displaying new U.S. naval power to the world. One goal was to deter a threatened war with Japan since tensions were high in 1907. It familiarized the 14,500 officers and men with the logistical and planning needs for extended fleet action far from home. Hulls were painted a stark white, giving the armada its nickname. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with various small escorts. Roosevelt sought to demonstrate growing American military power and blue-water navy capability. After long neglecting the Navy, Congress started generous appropriations in the late 1880s. Beginning with just 90 small ships, over one-third of them wooden and obsolete, the navy quickly added new steel fighting vessels. The fleet's capital ships were already obsolete compared to the British dreadnoughts in 1907. Nevertheless, it was by far the largest and most powerful fleet that had ever circled the globe. The mission was a success at home and in every country it visited, as well as Europe (which was visited only briefly).