Visualizing Maritime Supremacy: The Role of Naval Picture Postcards in Early Twentieth-Century Geopolitics and Material Culture

This article explores the cultural, technological, and commemorative significance of warships as depicted on picture postcards during the early and mid-twentieth centuries. Against the backdrop of rapid naval innovation and geopolitical tension, warships emerged as both tools of military dominance and symbols of national identity. The study situates these vessels within the broader context of the history of technology, examining how they embodied societal values and industrial progress. It highlights the role of naval arms races in driving technological advancements, such as the transition from pre-dreadnought to dreadnought battleships and the advent of specialised vessels like aircraft carriers and destroyers. The article also investigates the public engagement fostered by the circulation of warship postcards. These mass-produced visual artefacts served as accessible records of technological achievement and propaganda tools, cultivating national pride and bridging the gap between industrial modernity and everyday life. The study further contextualises this phenomenon within the framework of international arms limitation efforts, such as the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, which imposed restrictions on warship construction. By juxtaposing the technological and cultural narratives of warships, this article argues that picture postcards played a vital role in shaping public perceptions of modernity, power, and memory, and play an important role in educating later generations.. Ultimately, it underscores the value of maritime history as a lens for understanding the complex interplay of technology, geopolitics, and public consciousness in the modern era.