Decisiveness and Air Force Independence
Abstract
The intellectual claim for an independent Air Force is that air power promised to be the decisive factor in modern warfare. This claim rests on the theories of early air power advocates such as Guilio Douhet and General Billy Mitchell. Influenced by World War I, air power theorists proclaimed that the skillfully wielded aerial weapon offered the way to strike directly at the heart of the enemy and bring victory without major contributions from surface forces. Embraced by generations of airmen, these theories have set the standard by which air power has been measured. But has the Air Force earned the right to exist as an independent service based on its decisiveness in modern war? This research paper examines this question by conducting a review of literature pertaining to the decisiveness of air power. Background on the theories of Douhet and Mitchell is included to understand how their theories affected subsequent airmen. The performance of the Air Force in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf wars is then examined for decisiveness. An examination of these wars indicates that the Air Force has failed to prove decisive in a way that matches the promises of Douhet and Mitchell, though the contributions to the war efforts by air power are unquestionably valuable. The unavoidable conclusion to be drawn from this research is that the Air Force has not earned its right to exist as an independent service by decisiveness alone, though other considerations for an independent Air Force may be more compelling in today's world.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA398318
Entities
People
- Michael A. Radford
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College