Robert W. Daly Lectures, 1959-1975 (approximate): Finding Aid

Biography of Robert W. Daly

Robert Welter Daly was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1916. Daly attended Loyola University Chicago where he received both his Master's degree (thesis: Diplomatic Relations of the United States with the Barbary Coast, 1790-1801, 1940) and PhD (dissertation: Manuel Ugarte and Hispanoamericanismo, 1949). During World War II, Daly served in the United States Coast Guard both at sea and as an instructor at the Coast Guard Academy.

Following his discharge from active duty with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, Daly joined the faculty of the Department of English, History, and Government at the United States Naval Academy in June 1946. Ultimately rising to the rank of full professor, Daly specialized initially in naval history and, later, Russian military and naval history. Recognized as an authority on the subject, Daly was asked by Secretary of the Navy John Warner to provide background briefings on the historical role of the Russian Navy in preparation for negotiations of the "Agreement Between the Government of The United States of America and the Government of The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas," signed by Warner and Soviet Admiral Sergei Gorshkov in 1972. At the time of his death on September 28, 1975, Daly was working to compile his notes from his "Russian Military and Naval Doctrine" class at the Naval Academy into a manuscript for publication.

Daly's other works include The United States and World Sea Power (contributor, 1955), How the Merrimac Won; the Strategic Story of the C.S.S. Virginia (author, 1957), The Soviet Navy (contributor, 1958), Aboard the USS Monitor: 1862; the Letters of Acting Paymaster William Frederick Keeler, U.S. Navy, to his Wife, Anna (editor, 1964), and Aboard the USS Florida, 1863-65; the Letters of Paymaster William Frederick Keeler, U.S. Navy, to his Wife, Anna (editor, 1968).

Description of Contents

The Robert W. Daly Lectures, comprising 0.42 linear feet of documentation, were produced for the United States Naval Academy History Department's class on Russian Military and Naval Doctrine, taught between 1959 and 1975.

Included with the lecture notes are several indexes and aids for Daly's students.

The Daly Lectures are arranged into two records series representing two separate compilations of Daly's lecture notes; one compiled by Daly and one compiled by the Naval Academy History Department following his death, the latter of which duplicates four lectures from the former. The lectures, which span from the time of the Scythians through World War I, deal with such topics as the reigns of Ivan IV, Peter the Great, Alexander I, Nicholas I, and Nicholas II; conflicts such as the Mongol raids on Russia, the Russo-Turkish Wars, the Russo-Swedish War, the Crimean War, and the Russo-Japanese War; and the structure and doctrines of Russian military forces throughout history.

Arrangement

The Robert W. Daly Lectures are organized into the following two series:

• Series 1: Russian Military and Naval Doctrine 700 B.C. - 1917, undated
• Subseries 1a: Volume I (700 BC-1801), undated
• Subseries 1b: Volume II, undated
• Series 2: Russian Military and Naval Forces Under Nicholas II (1894-1917), undated

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

The Robert W. Daly Lectures are the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Accession No. 363075 and unknown.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Additional material pertaining to Daly's writings may be found in the records of Activities of Faculty and Staff/Publications in the Naval Academy Archives, Nimitz Library.

Materials Cataloged Separately

Bound copies of Daly's lectures have been cataloged separately in the Nimitz Library general collection.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Robert W. Daly Lectures, MS 436

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David D'Onofrio in May 2016. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in May 2016.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Daly, Robert Welter, 1916-
• Russia -- History, Military
• Russia -- History, Naval
• United States Naval Academy -- Curricula
• United States Naval Academy. Department of History

Genre Terms

• Faculty papers
• Lectures
• Manuscripts