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Airfield Seizure, The Modern 'Key To The Country'
by Major Gordon C. BonhamThis monograph examines the key determinants necessary for the successful forced entry seizure of an airfield. The importance of contingency operations is paramount to the United States military as it transitions from "forward defense" to "CONUS based." The ability to project power into an isolated objective area requires the rapid deployment and forced entry of a tailored force package. For many of our current OPLANS, the seizure of an airfield serves as a lodgment area for the introduction of combat power into the objective. The success of the entire contingency operation, in large part, depends upon the successful seizure of the airfield.The monograph analyzes three historical cases of airfield seizures using the Wass de Czege combat power model. Operation Mercury (Crete, 1941), Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada, 1983), and Operation Just Cause (Panama, 1989) are examples of operations that introduce combat power into the objective area. This analysis identifies the key determinants for the successful forced entry seizure of an airfield.This study concludes that an airfield seizure is fundamentally a deliberate attack to seize a terrain oriented objective. Success is achieved by the synchronization of maneuver, firepower, and protection by capable leadership. However, the unique nature of an airfield seizure requires special application of the four elements of combat power to ensure mission accomplishment.
Airfields & Airmen: Arras (Battleground Europe)
by Mike O'ConnorA historical/traveler&’s guide to the World War I aerial events around Arras, France, featuring ace pilots, airfields, and other local points of interest. The latest volume in the Airfields and Airmen series covers the Arras area. It includes a visit to the grave of Albert Ball VC and the graves of Waterfall and Bayly, the first British fliers killed in action. There is a visit to the aerodrome from which Alan McLeod took off from to earn his VC and to the grave of Viscount Glentworth, killed while flying with 32 Squadron. The German side is well covered with visits to their cemeteries and aerodromes. This well researched book relives the deadly thrills of war in the air over the battlefields of the Western Front.
Airfields & Airmen: Somme (Battleground Europe)
by Mike O'ConnorThe latest volume in the Airfields and Airmen series covers the Arras area. It includes a visit to the grave of Albert Ball VC and the graves of Waterfall and Bayly, the first British fliers killed in action. There is a visit to the aerodrome from which Alan McLeod took off from to earn his VC and to the grave of Viscount Glentworth, killed while flying with 32 Squadron. The German side is well covered with visits to their cemeteries and aerodromes. This well researched book relives the deadly thrills of war in the air over the battlefields of the Western Front.
Airfields and Airmen: Ypres (Battleground Europe)
by Michael O'ConnorThe Battleground Europe series has helped create a new audience for the story of the desperate battles of World War I, But up to now the series has largely been concerned with the ground war. Popular demand has inspired the editors to create a new series of guides to the air war 1914–1918. The first volume is devoted to the Ypres Salient, the northernmost sector of the Western Front. Here the Royal Flying Corps battled the German Imperial Air Service for supremacy over the battlefield, while the Royal Naval Air Service attempted to intercept Germany's Zeppelins and early long-range bombers before they could reach the skies over London.The airfields, battle and crash sites, and monuments associated with the air war in the Ypres sector are covered with all the then-and now detail expected by battleground Europe readers. The dramatic text is backed up with numerous maps, photographs and an extensive bibliography.
Airfields and Airmen: Cambrai (Battleground Europe)
by Mike O'ConnorAirfields and Airmen:Cambrai covers the earliest days of the RFC with the retreat from Mons. We visit the graves of Fokker Eindecker aces and the airfields where the first Jastas were formed. Also covered are airfields from which Allied aces such as Beauchamp and Proctor VC flew, and there is a visit to the American cemetery at Bony that contains a number of aviators.
Airfields and Airmen of the Channel Coast (Battleground Channel Coast)
by Mike O'Connor“Takes a seemingly mundane subject as airfields and turns it into a fresh understanding of air combat on the Western Front . . . recommended highly.” —Over the Front In this latest addition to the Airfields and Airmen Series, Mike O’Connor describes the dramatic air actions that took place along the Belgian and North France coastline during The Great War.In addition to the Royal Fighting Corps and RAF aspect this volume covers the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and Belgian Air Service (AMB) as well as the German Naval Air Service. “[This book] is well-illustrated with both recent and historic photos and exudes the author’s knowledge of, and delight in, his subject.” —Warships International“I have championed this series before as the perfect aeronautical travelling companion for journeys across to France from the UK, and this new addition does nothing to diminish my enthusiasm for them.” —Aviation News
Airfields of the D-Day Invasion Air Force: 2nd Tactical Air Force in South-East England in WWII (Aviation Heritage Trail)
by Peter JacobsAs part of the Aviation Heritage Trail series, the airfields and interest in this book are concentrated in a particular area—in this case Kent, Surrey, East Sussex, Essex and Greater London. The South east of England emerged from six years of war with a rich diversity of RAF bomber and fighter airfields used by the 2nd Tactical Air Force, both before and after the D-Day landings. Much of this proud legacy is now threatening to disappear. However, the tourist can combine visits to an abundance of disused and active airfields, country houses and museums with countless attractions, imaginative locations and broadland and coastal hideaways that have no equal.The airfields and other places of interest include Northolt, Manston, Sculthorp, Dunsfold, Swanton Morley, Hunsdon, Gravesend, Detling, Biggin Hill, Kenley, Redhill, Gatwick, Heston, Hornchurch, Chailey, Coolham, Horne, West Malling and Newchurch.This book looks at the history and personalities associated with each base, what remains today and explores the favourite local wartime haunts where aircrew and ground crew would have sought well-deserved entertainment and relaxation. Other museums and places that are relevant will also be described and general directions on how to get them included.
Airlines at War: British Civil Aviation, 1939–1944
by Air World BooksThis history of WWII aviation shines a light on the pilots and crew of the British civilian airlines who made significant contributions to the war effort.Shortly after the outbreak of war, the British Overseas Airways Corporation was formed through the amalgamation of Imperial Airways and British Airways. Directed by the Secretary of State for Air, BOAC began as the transport service for the Royal Air Force. The BOAC’s air routes crisscrossed the world, from the Arctic to South Africa, and from the Atlantic coast of America to the eastern coast of India. Over these routes—carrying mail, cargo, and personnel—the men and machines of BOAC kept wartime Britain connected with its colonies and the free world, often under enemy fire.This book explores BOAC’s wartime history between 1939 and 1944, detailing the lives and achievements of pilots and crew. It vividly chronicles their role in linking up with zones of combat that were otherwise cut off from the Home Front, and in transporting supplies through the new, dangerous, and often uncharted regions of the air.
Airman to the Rescue
by Heatherly BellShe's off-limits...and perfect for him! It was supposed to be easy. Sarah Mcallister was going to flip her late father's house and head back to Colorado for a fresh start. But when her shady contractor gets arrested, taking most of her budget with him, she's at risk of losing everything. Enter Matt Conner...sexy pilot, single dad, Sarah's brother's best friend...and far too good with his hands for her peace of mind. Moving into Sarah's spare bedroom is just asking for trouble, but Matt's trying to make amends with his troubled teen son, and a key step is finding a decent place to crash for as long as it takes. And the woman needs his help...
The Airman's Homecoming (The Tuttle Sisters of Coho Cove #2)
by Sabrina YorkForever a wanderer? From the moment Noah Crocker steps into Amy Tuttle Tolliver&’s bakery, the self-made baker&’s a confection he can&’t resist. The stunning entrepreneur needs help…and the pararescue medic is more than happy to share his hidden baking talent! When he realizes his unexpected link to the husband Amy lost in combat, the instant connection to her—and her two adorable sons—intensifies. Noah&’s always been searching for home. Could it be that he had to come all the way to tiny Coho Cove to find what he was looking for?From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.The Tuttle Sisters of Coho Cove Book 1: The Soldier's RefugeBook 2: The Airman's HomecomingBook 3: A Father's Redemption
The Airmen and the Headhunters: A True Story of Lost Soldiers, Heroic Tribesmen and the Unlikeliest Rescue of World War II
by Judith M. HeimannA true story of downed B-24s in Japanese-occupied Borneo and a native tribe that &“makes us—like the airmen—rethink our definitions of civilized and savage&” (Entertainment Weekly). November 1944: Their B-24 bomber shot down on what should have been an easy mission off the Borneo coast, a scattered crew of Army airmen cut themselves loose from their parachutes—only to be met by loincloth-wearing natives silently materializing out of the mountainous jungle. Would these Dayak tribesmen turn the starving airmen over to the hostile Japanese occupiers? Or would the Dayaks risk vicious reprisals to get the airmen safely home in a desperate game of hide-and-seek? A cinematic survival story featuring a bamboo airstrip built on a rice paddy, a mad British major, and a blowpipe-wielding army that helped destroy one of the last Japanese strongholds, The Airmen and the Headhunters is also a gripping tale of wartime heroism unlike any other you have read.
Airmen Behind the Medals
by Air Commodore Graham PitchforkOf the many human characteristics, few evoke greater admiration and respect than gallantry in the service of one's country. Here, Graham Pitchfork describes the outstanding bravery of twenty-one air men who served in the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. These accounts encompass most theaters of operation as well as a host of aircraft types and aircrew categories. Accounts of the gallantry of those who served on the ground in support of flying operations are also relayed in this substantial anthology. rnrnThe book explores the gallantry of airmen who fought in a variety of contexts, including that band of men who are so often forgotten, the Burma veterans. A gallant RAF sergeant and an RAF doctor who cared for and inspired fellow prisoners in Japanese camps are both included here, as are stories relating the extreme bravery of a Fleet Air Arm pilot, a Pathfinder pilot and a Typhoon wing leader.rnrnThe valorous acts of these airmen serve as inspirational examples to a new generation of flying men and women. Graham Pitchfork extracts the drama and poignancy of their tales, enlivening them to great effect in this riveting publication that is sure to appeal broadly to enthusiasts of the era.Links End Links Author End Author
Airmen of Arnhem
by Martin W. BowmanA history of the airborne portion of Operation Market-Garden during World War II, from the perspective of the airmen fighting the battle.Martin Bowman presents an unparalleled account of events as they unfolded in the skies above Holland during Operation Market-Garden in September 1944. Market-Garden was a heroic failure conducted at great cost; combined losses—both airborne and ground forces—in killed, wounded, and missing amounted to more than 17,000.“Market,” the airborne part of the operation, spanned ten Allied lifts in a calamitous nine days of operations, often in foul weather. Over the course of Operation “Market,” 4,050 aircraft saw employment; most of them towed the 1,205 Hamilcar and Horsa gliders and were confronted by an unknown number of Luftwaffe aircraft.This is narrative is punctuated with stories of individual heroism such as that of David Lord, a RAF Dakota pilot who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. There is no doubting the gallant and valorous contribution of the airmen of Arnhem—the RAF Dakota, Stirling, Halifax, Albemarle, Horsa, Hamilcar, and Glider Pilot Regiment crews together with those of the USAAF C-47 Troop Carrier Groups of the IX U.S. Troop Carrier Command, the Waco and Horsa gliders, and the B-24 Liberator resupply crews. All their incredible, illuminating, and often understated accounts of extraordinary courage, camaraderie, shared terror, and encounters with the enemy offer a more personalized view of “Market” and are complemented by the author’s background information that give an overall picture of each air operation.
Airmen of Arnhem
by Martin BowmanA history of the airborne portion of Operation Market-Garden during World War II, from the perspective of the airmen fighting the battle.Martin Bowman presents an unparalleled account of events as they unfolded in the skies above Holland during Operation Market-Garden in September 1944. Market-Garden was a heroic failure conducted at great cost; combined losses—both airborne and ground forces—in killed, wounded, and missing amounted to more than 17,000.“Market,” the airborne part of the operation, spanned ten Allied lifts in a calamitous nine days of operations, often in foul weather. Over the course of Operation “Market,” 4,050 aircraft saw employment; most of them towed the 1,205 Hamilcar and Horsa gliders and were confronted by an unknown number of Luftwaffe aircraft.This is narrative is punctuated with stories of individual heroism such as that of David Lord, a RAF Dakota pilot who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. There is no doubting the gallant and valorous contribution of the airmen of Arnhem—the RAF Dakota, Stirling, Halifax, Albemarle, Horsa, Hamilcar, and Glider Pilot Regiment crews together with those of the USAAF C-47 Troop Carrier Groups of the IX U.S. Troop Carrier Command, the Waco and Horsa gliders, and the B-24 Liberator resupply crews. All their incredible, illuminating, and often understated accounts of extraordinary courage, camaraderie, shared terror, and encounters with the enemy offer a more personalized view of “Market” and are complemented by the author’s background information that give an overall picture of each air operation.
Airmen's Incredible Escapes: Accounts of Survival in the Second World War
by Bryn EvansHarrowing true stories of WWII Allied airmen who were shot down and survived, with maps and photos included.Allied air power made a major, arguably decisive, contribution to victory in the Second World War both in the European and Pacific theaters. But the cost in men and machines was horrific, with Bomber Command suffering 50% aircrew casualties. While many perished, others—shot down over enemy territory or water—survived only after overcoming extraordinary danger and hardship. Their experiences often remained untold, not just for the duration of the war but for many years.In this book, Bryn Evans has gathered together a wealth of unpublished stories from airmen of many nationalities, be they British, Commonwealth, or American. Some involve avoiding or escaping from capture, others surviving against all the odds, braving extreme elements and dodging death from wounds, drowning, or starvation.Importantly, the accounts of those who survived the battle in the skies cheating the enemy and the grim reaper give us a chilling insight into the fate of the many thousands of brave young men who were not so fortunate. The result is an inspiring and gripping read which bears testimony to human courage and resilience.
Airpower: The Decisive Force in Korea
by Col. James T. Stewart“Without question, the decisive force in the Korean War was airpower. Through its unrelenting efforts in those dark days of the summer of 1950, U.S. and other U.N. ground forces were able to retain a foothold on the peninsula. During the three years of fighting that followed, defeat or victory often depended upon the successful accomplishment by the United States Far East Air Forces of the tasks laid upon them.“As yet completely unresolved are the roles land and sea forces must play and their relationship to airpower in the full exploitation of its destructive potential; but an understanding of those factors is vital to a proper assessment of the role of air forces in the Korean War.“Korea was a limited war in every sense of the word. There were economic restraints against the expenditures of precious resources which might weaken the U.S. worldwide stand against Communist aggression. There were political restraints against the use of certain weapons and forces. Fighting was limited to the confines of North Korea which precluded attacks upon the sources of enemy war-making materiels. Within North Korea itself: there were psychological restraints imposed upon the weapons used; moral restraints prohibited attacks for several years against lucrative target systems. In analyzing any aspect of Korea, it is important to remember that airpower was never charged with winning the war—nor were the ground forces after truce talks began.“This book is not intended as a comprehensive analysis of each facet of the air war. Neither is it an inclusive chronology of events. Its purpose certainly is not to question U.S. policy or to detract from the stature of any service which fought so valiantly in Korea. Rather, it examines certain individual facets of the air war to further a better understanding of airpower. It constitutes professional reading for military people and interesting reading for the layman.” (Col. James T. Stewart)
Airpower: Theory and Practice
by John GoochThe nine contributors to this volume study the rapid development of airpower during the twentieth century as well as the methodological problems involved in assessing such change.
Airpower And The 1972 Easter Offensive
by Lt.-Col Matthew C. BrandIn the spring of 1972, North Vietnam launched a massive, three-pronged attack into South Vietnam that was eventually repulsed by South Vietnamese forces, United States (US) advisors and massive amounts of American airpower. The problem is determining what factors were key to South Vietnam's successful defense. To that point, this thesis will address the overall effectiveness of US airpower in defeating North Vietnam's attack. This paper first examines the strategic and operational environment surrounding the 1972 offensive, including the role and influence that the leaders of the US, Saigon, Hanoi, China, and the Soviet Union had on the conflict. It then shifts to the three primary tactical battles, describing each in detail, from the initial communist successes to their ultimate defeat. Finally, the analysis focuses specifically on airpower's role, from the massive strategic deployment that doubled the available assets in theater in just over a month, to its operational success striking targets in North Vietnam, to its tactical successes on the various battlefields of South Vietnam. Ultimately, this analysis determines that US airpower, with US advisors playing a critical enabling role, was the decisive element in the defeat of North Vietnam's Easter Offensive.
Airpower And The 1972 Easter Offensive
by Lt.-Col Matthew C. BrandIn the spring of 1972, North Vietnam launched a massive, three-pronged attack into South Vietnam that was eventually repulsed by South Vietnamese forces, United States (US) advisors and massive amounts of American airpower. The problem is determining what factors were key to South Vietnam's successful defense. To that point, this thesis will address the overall effectiveness of US airpower in defeating North Vietnam's attack. This paper first examines the strategic and operational environment surrounding the 1972 offensive, including the role and influence that the leaders of the US, Saigon, Hanoi, China, and the Soviet Union had on the conflict. It then shifts to the three primary tactical battles, describing each in detail, from the initial communist successes to their ultimate defeat. Finally, the analysis focuses specifically on airpower's role, from the massive strategic deployment that doubled the available assets in theater in just over a month, to its operational success striking targets in North Vietnam, to its tactical successes on the various battlefields of South Vietnam. Ultimately, this analysis determines that US airpower, with US advisors playing a critical enabling role, was the decisive element in the defeat of North Vietnam's Easter Offensive.
Airpower And The 1972 Spring Invasion [Illustrated Edition] (USAF Southeast Asia Monograph Series #2)
by Major A. J. C. LavalleIllustrated with over 30 maps, diagrams and photosIn our continuing desire to bring to the reader an in-depth look at the use of airpower in Southeast Asia, we present. In this volume a truly monumental effort at recounting the myriad of widely separate but not unrelated events and operations that took place during the spring invasion of 1972.In this monograph, the authors from the Air War College present an illuminating story of the people and machines that fought so gallantly during this major enemy offensive. The authors' breadth of experience in and out of combat enables them to provide a penetrating account of how airpower was brought to bear upon the enemy.The "Vietnamization" program, begun in 1969, had by March of 1972 reduced U. S. manpower involvement in Vietnam from 500,000 to 95,000. U. S. airpower involvement, however, did not decrease proportionately. Although the South Vietnamese Air Force took up the "lion's share" of the effort, U. S. airmen were still very much involved. During the offensive, their skills, courage and professionalism were tested 24 hours a day, directly contributing to the eventual successful outcome.The reader should learn from this story that not only is airpower an essential element of any major operation, but that its employment is a team effort. More so, it involves men and women on the ground as well as in the air-one cannot function without the other.
Airpower And The Cult Of The Offensive
by Major John R. CarterThe belief that airpower is inherently offensive is a recurrent theme throughout airpower theory and doctrine. Before World War I, dogmatic belief in the dominance of the offense in land warfare affected the military decisions which resulted in the disaster of the trenches. Termed the "cult of the offensive" by scholars, faith in offense became so unshakable in pre-1914 Europe that military organizations dismissed as irrelevant the numerous indications of the waning power of the offense as technological developments strengthened the defense. With airpower's professed inclination for offense, could a cult of the offensive perniciously trap airpower doctrine and lead to similarly disastrous consequences?The study begins by establishing the theoretical background necessary for case study analysis. Airpower defense is defined as those operations conducted to deny another force's air operations in a designated airspace. Airpower offenses are those operations in the airspace defended by another, or operations conducted outside of one's actively defended airspace. The relationship between offense and defense is dissected to discover that airpower defense enjoys neither an advantage of position nor of time, so traditional Clausewitzian views relative to the power of the defense do not apply to airpower. Next, the study describes those factors which may inject, or reinforce, a preferential bias for offense into airpower strategy and doctrine. A cult of the offensive is defined as an organizational belief in the power of offense so compelling that the military organization no longer evaluates its offensive doctrine objectively. This leads to an examination of the ramifications postulated to result from offensive ideology.
Airpower and Russian Partisan Warfare
by General Der Flieger a. D. Karl DrumAirpower and Russian Partisan Warfare, written by General der Flieger a. D. Karl Drum and first published in 1962, is one of a series of historical studies written by, or based on information supplied by, former key officers of the German Air Force for the United States Air Force Historical Division.The overall purpose of the series is threefold: 1) To provide the United States Air Force with a comprehensive and, insofar as possible, authoritative history of a major air force which suffered defeat in World War II; 2) to provide a history of that air force as prepared by many of its principal and responsible leaders; 3) to provide a firsthand account of that air force’s unique combat in a major war with the forces of the Soviet Union. This series of studies therefore covers in large part virtually all phases of the Luftwaffe’s operations and organization, from its camouflaged origin in the Reichswehr, during the period of secret German rearmament following World War I, through its participation in the Spanish Civil War and its massive operations and final defeat in World War II.
Airpower and the Airlift Evacuation of Kham Duc [Illustrated Edition] (USAF Southeast Asia Monograph Series #5)
by Lt.-Col. Alan L. GropmanIllustrated with over 30 maps, diagrams and photosTHIS slender volume has value for both the general reader and the aviation specialist. For the latter there are lessons regarding command and control and combined-unit operations that need to be learned to achieve battlefield success. For the former there is a straightforward narrative about American aviators of all four services struggling in the most difficult of conditions to try to rescue more than 1,500 American and Vietnamese military and civilians. Not all the Americans moving through the events recounted in this monograph acted heroically, but most did, and it was their heroism that gave the evacuation the success it had.Airpower and the Airlift Evacuation of Kham Duc is fully documented so that readers wishing to look deeper into this incident may do so. Those who study the battle will see that it was something of a microcosm of the entire Vietnam War in the relationship of airpower to tactical ground efforts. Kham Duc sat at the bottom of a small green mountain bowl, and during most of 12 May 1968 the sky was full of helicopters, forward air controller aircraft, transports, and fighters, all striving to succeed and to avoid running into each other in what were most trying circumstances. In the end they carried the day, though by the narrowest of margins and with heavy losses.
Airpower Employment Of The Fifth Air Force In The World War II Southwest Pacific Theater
by Major James A. BarrThis research project studies the employment of airpower by the Fifth Air Force, under Gen George C. Kenney, in the Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II. The research began with two basic assumptions. First, it assumed that the strategic bombardment theory developed by the Air Corps Tactical School in the 1930s was the definitive doctrine of the Air Corps upon entry into World War II. Second, it assumed that General Kenney and his staff were required to develop a new doctrine for airpower employment since the situation in the Southwest Pacific did not lend itself to strategic bombardment of the Japanese industrial web. The research process proved both of these assumptions invalid.Study of historical records, personal accounts, and subsequent historical writings in several areas revealed that there was no clear and consistent doctrine for the employment of airpower...General Kenney assumed command of the Fifth Air Force with a clear vision of how to employ air forces to defeat the enemy. His diverse background gave him a balanced view of the roles airpower should play, and he was not convinced by the strategic bombardment theory that claimed invincibility for the bomber. His World War I experiences and teachings at the Air Corps Tactical School provided a strong belief in the importance of air superiority and attack aviation. He was innovative in modifying tactics and equipment, and in developing new roles for airpower as the situation dictated...This study surveys the development of airpower doctrine beginning with World War followed by major developments during the interwar period in several arenas. It then looks at the varied aspects of Gen George C. Kenney's career which prepared him to command the Fifth Air Force in the Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II. Finally, it considers General Kenney's employment of airpower in light of the pre-war doctrine development.
Airpower Reborn
by Edited by John Andreas OlsenAirpower Reborn offers a conceptual approach to warfare that emphasizes airpower’s unique capability to achieve strategic effects. Six world-leading theorists argue that a viable strategy must transcend the purely military sphere, view the adversary as a multi-dimensional system, and pursue systemic paralysis and strategic effects rather than military destruction or attrition. The book is divided into three parts. The first section presents a historical perspective on airpower theory and airpower strategy, tracing their evolution from the 1920s to the 1980s. The second section contains in-depth examinations of the strategic concepts that John R. Boyd and John A. Warden developed in the 1980s and 1990s, with an emphasis on their contemporary relevance. The final section provides further context on modern airpower theory and strategy. Theory, in this setting, serves as the basic paradigm, strategy represents its generic, mechanisms-centered application, and plans of campaign constitute the specific steps for any given situation. In short, the authors look beyond the land-centric, battlefield-oriented paradigm that has continued to dominate military theories and strategies long after airpower offered new options. The book acknowledges the essential role of advanced technology in improving airpower capabilities, but emphasizes that air services must cultivate and harness the intellectual acumen of airmen and encourage officers and men to think conceptually and strategically about the application of aerospace power. Modern airpower can offer political decision-makers more and better options--provided the underlying strategy coherently links the application of airpower directly to the end-state objectives rather than limiting it to "the battle. ” The book recommends that all countries should consider establishing a dynamic and vibrant environment for mastering aerospace history, theory, strategy, and doctrine; a milieu for cultivating broader knowledge of and insight into airpower; and a setting in which airpower experts have the opportunity to communicate their narrative to politicians, the media, and fellow officers, and to interact to mutual benefit with experts from all sectors of governance. This effort should emphasize the potentially unique contribution of airpower to political objectives and joint operations, and in turn connect to operational headquarters that do operational planning. Mastering such strategic thought lies at the heart of the military profession, but it requires in-depth knowledge and understanding of theory, strategy, and airpower, and transcends traditional metrics.