Terror Targeting. The Moale of the Story
Abstract
For this article, the study of the past involves primarily World War II, when US Army Air Forces leaders also faced tough choices as high aircrew morale corresponded to perceptions of success against the enemy , but low morale reflected excessive operations tempo and losses. The article explores morale theoretically as well as historically , linking it to leadership by analyzing how various military leaders approached morale and made it integral to operations. It presents a typology of positive and negative morale and analyzes the role of morale in past wars--in particular World War II area ("terror") bombing-to suggest that morale was, and still is, fundamentally one of the most difficult issues with which aerial strategists and aviators have had to deal. Finally, it argues that although morale is a fuzzy subject, it requires both pinpoint accuracy and understanding when it comes to targeting.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA529782
Entities
People
- Eric Ash
Organizations
- Air University