人類自古以來，跟海洋的關係就是密不可分。從古代的維京海盜以至於地理大發現，人類對於海洋的利用更是與日並進。而以戰爭的觀點而言，人類第一場決定性的海戰「李班多會戰」，是西歐海上霸權興起的轉捩點，從此海權一直掌握在歐洲三百多年之久，是一場決定性會戰更是自此決定了人類歷史發展的方向。所以誰能夠掌握海洋，誰就能夠主導世界。 中國不但有遼闊的疆土，還有遼闊的海域與漫長的海岸線，中華民族與海洋的接觸，距今至少已有三千年以上的歷史，先民的海洋活動，史書已有許多的記載。翻閱近代中國的歷史，海洋的發展與我國運的興衰，實有密切的關連。但因為幾千年來中國人根深蒂固逐鹿中原、自我中心、萬方來朝的思想，壓根就不重視海洋，中國的傳統裏沒有海權的觀念，直到十九世紀英國的鐵甲軍艦開進中國的港口與江河後始發覺。 中日甲午海戰，是世界近代海戰史上非常重要一場戰役，東西方史學者都認為他在世界近代史海戰中佔了非常重要地位，但是錯誤的海權觀念致使海戰失敗決定了近代中日兩國截然不同的歷史命運。這場戰爭，也為世界近代海軍及其裝備的發展，提供了十分寶貴的實戰經驗。 無論從海權對歷史或歷史對海權的相互影響，都可以讓我們從古代到現代的歷史脈絡中，得到許多寶貴和慘痛的經驗與教訓。 Since ancient time, the relationship between the human being and the ocean was bound together. From the Vikings to the Age of Discovery, the use of ocean was getting more and more advanced. From the point of view of war, the first decisive naval battle “Battle of Lepanto” was the turning point of maritime supremacy in Western Europe. Since then, the direction of development in human history has been decided and sea power has been under control in Europe for up to three hundred years. In other words, the person who can master the ocean is enough to dominate the world. There is not only the vast sea but also a long coastline in China’s vast territory. Some history books have record that Chinese ancestors contacted with the ocean and engaged in maritime activities at least three thousand years. Read the history of modern China, the development of the ocean and the rise and fall fortune of the country are closely related. For thousand of years, the deep-rooted and self-centeredness thought caused the Chinese not to lay stress on the ocean. In traditional China, they didn’t have the concept of the sea power. They have become aware of the concept since the warships of the British pulled into the Chinese ports in 19th century. The Sino-Japanese War of 1894 is one of the most impartant warfares in the modern history of maritime power. Historians agree that it plays a crucial role in the following different national developments of both countries because of China''s suffering the serious defeat,which was caused by the false nation of China dynasty on sea power. The warfare also provides precious practical experience for the development of navy as well as its equipment. No matter what influence between the sea power and the history, people can get valuable and painful experience and lessons from the ancient to modern history.
