A steadfast misbelief in precision bombing evolved into the leading concept for US Army Air Force during the Second World War. This concept envisioned the destruction of the German industrial and economic system as the swiftest path to victory....
Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence, Historical Division
This narrative has been prepared as a contribution to the history of the Army Air Forces in World War Two. It details the genesis of an American tactical air force in the United Kingdom, establishment of the Ninth Air Force in Great Britain, the...
European airpower theorists of the 1920’s and 30’s envisioned the deliberate bombing of civilians in order to affect an enemy nation’s wartime production capabilities and national morale. However, American proponents of airpower were more...
The challenge is in deciding what to automate (effective use of technology) and what remains a human function. The 1999 US National Security Strategy emphasizes the importance of information technology. However, the decisive point of all future...
This monograph explores the validity of Colonel John A. Warden III's strategic airpower theory as various nations, including the U.S., enter a Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) based on the rapid advancements in information technologies, and the...
This study examines the development of US airpower theory and its major applications. The focus of the study is on offensive applications of airpower and on interdiction and strategic bombing in particular. The study reveals that a mature airpower...
Cursory study of war gaming quickly reveals that one of its central problems is the conflict between the requirement of realism in play and the need for rapid and simple assessment techniques. This thesis investigates war gaming methodologies with...
This book is concerned primarily with the combat (or tactical) groups that were active during the Second World War. Although such groups had numerous designations, nearly all fell within four major categories: bombardment, fighter, reconnaissance,...
"A faithful record of the life, service, and suffering, of the rank and file of the regiment, on the march, in camp, in battle, and in prison. Especially devoted to giving the reader a definite knowledge of the service of the common soldier. With...
General Laurence S. Kuter served as both an operational planner and commander during the Second World War. As a planner, he co-authored Air War Plans Division Plan 1 (AWPD-1); the basic strategy upon which the United States Army Air Forces waged...
This monograph addresses the concept that air power can win a war alone. It reviews key air power theorists who have had a significant impact on U.S. air power thought in order to understand the theoretical basis for the idea that air power can win...
The contemporary operating environment and recent increases in asymmetric tactics to counter the conventional military superiority of the U.S. presents significant operational challenges. Recovery forces are vulnerable conducting personnel recovery...
Discusses the history of the regiment (21st Infantry), starting with a brief account in the 1800s. The majority of the document concerns World War II history. Lists battle honors and activities beginning with Pearl Harbor and continuing throughout...
This monograph examines the nature of Allied strategic bombing on The Netherlands in the Second World War. It discusses the endless controversy on strategic bombing and classifies its discourse into six different narratives. It adds the policy of...
Avid readers of WWII air combat will find the Eighth AAF’s strategic bombing mission #84 (the Schweinfurt-Regensburg raid on August 17th, 1943) and mission #115 (the Schweinfurt raid on October 14th, 1943) to be tremendous setbacks to the...
Is American air power sliding toward irrelevancy in the security environment that the United States confronts as it moves into the twenty-first century? Attitudes of certain senior airmen about the application of air power in the new security...
The American people expect the military to win future engagements with greater efficiency to reduce costs. Our National Military Strategy, Joint Vision 2010, and other keystone joint publications seek to answer their expectation by espousing...
This monograph argues that tactical disruption is an operational concept which will lead to superior friendly combat power at the decisive point. This relative combat power is forged by the commander from the capabilities of his unit, and his...
This study examines factors influencing the development of theory and doctrine based on emerging and future technology. It uses the air power theory of Giulio Douhet and the unescorted daylight strategic bombing doctrine of the US Army Air Force to...