1. Airpower: End of WWI Through WWII1

2. Overview Background—The 1920s General Mitchell’s Crusade
The Air Corps Act of 1926
Air Corps Tactical School
Move To Autonomy in the 1930s
WWII Begins
The United States Prepares for War
The Army Air Forces

3. Overview (cont’d) The U.S. Enters the Second World War
America and its Allies Plan Strategy
The United States on the Offensive
U.S. Strategic Bombing Effort Against Germany
The Air War Against Japan
Tactical Airpower in the Pacific
Strategic Airpower in the Pacific
The End of the Second World War
Evolution of Airpower

4. The Interwar Years 1

5. Background to the Interwar Years
Following WWI, the United States returned to isolationism
Army Air Service reduced from 20,000 officers in 1918 to near 200 in late1919 (2000 total including reserve officers…only 200 regular officers)
Civilian aviation boomed; military budgets cut
Air service sought to develop an air doctrine
Period marked by organizational changes and personality clashes
Few saw the potential of the airplane 2

6. Brig Gen William “Billy” Mitchell
Deputy Chief of Air Service in 1919
Believed the airplane would change the defense establishment
Believed the air service was an offensive force equal to the Army and Navy
The Army and Navy strongly opposed these views
Americans wanted no part of a service that looked offensive in nature 3

7. Billy Mitchell (cont’d)
A visionary, fanatic, and prophet
Alienated many due to constant attacks and need for 100% support
Technology not capable of meeting his expectations—cost him credibility
Tried to work within the System
Dickman Board of 1919
Assigned aviation units to ground control
Identified aviation unit functions
Menoher Board of
First nation to mobilize an air fleet in wartime would have the advantage 4

8. Army Reorganization Act
Passed by Congress in 1920
Air Service raised in stature equal to the Infantry, Artillery, etc.
Air Service granted procurement, research, and training autonomy
Air Service units assigned to ground control (opposed by General Mitchell)
Army aircraft coastal defense mission specified and limited
Image not copyrighted. 4

9. Brig Gen Mitchell vs. Navy
Claimed the battleship was obsolete
Replaced by more effective and economical airplane
Air Service planes bombed and sank three ships
Infuriated the Navy leadership
Sparked interservice feuding
Air Service still not given the mission of coastal defense 4

10. Mitchell’s Last Campaign
—General Mitchell concentrated on developing doctrine; advocated strategic bombardment
1925—Demoted to colonel because of his unrelenting support for a separate air force
After the crash of the dirigible “Shenandoah,” he accused military leaders of “incompetence and criminal negligence”
Court-martial began on 28 October 1925 5

11. Mitchell’s Legacy Focused attention on airpower
Forced acceptance of the potential of airpower
Mentored many aviators who would carry on his work—some became instructors at the Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS) 6

12. Mitchell Video

13. Air Corp Act of 1926
Can be thought of as being triggered by General Mitchell
Army Air Service became Army Air Corps
Additional Assistant Secretary of War appointed to oversee air units
Air sections authorized in General Staff divisions
Flying units to be commanded by rated officers 7

14. Air Corp Tactical School (ACTS)
Founded in 1920 at Langley Field, Virginia
Renamed Air Corps Tactical School in 1926
Moved to Maxwell Field,
Alabama in 1931
Original mission to teach air strategy and tactics
Mission changed to developing and teaching air doctrine (principles and philosophy) 7

15. ACTS (cont’d) Future wars would be decided by airpower
Airplane would be the primary offensive weapon of modern forces
High-altitude, strategic, daylight bombing could paralyze and defeat an industrialized enemy without heavy losses 8

16. ACTS (cont’d)
Preoccupation with bombers and their missions overwhelmed other teachings
Claire Chennault
Led the Flying Tigers in WWII
Taught pursuit aviation—advocated escorting bombers and strafing enemy rear areas
George Kenney
Commanded the Pacific Air Force in WWII
Taught attack aviation—strafing attacks on enemy troops and behind enemy lines 9

17. Organizational Changes
Army Reorganization Act of 1920
Air Service gained autonomy in R&D, procurement, personnel, supply, and training
Air Corps Act of 1926
Changed the name of the Air Service to Air Corps; implied the Air Corps was capable of independent operations
Establishment of General Headquarters (GHQ) Air Force in 1935
Placed all tactical units under the Commander, GHQ
Recognized an independent aviation branch within the Army 10

18. The German Blitzkrieg 1 September 1939—Germany attacks Poland
Luftwaffe aircraft were employed:
To gain air superiority
Cut supply lines
Support ground forces
Germany then easily conquered Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, and France 4

19. United States Prepares for War
Army Air Corps was expanded
July 1940—Air Corps expands to 54 combat groups to include 14 heavy bomb groups
March 1941—Air Corps expands to 84 combat groups to include 24 heavy bomb groups
Emphasis placed on bombers, not escort aircraft—hurts US bombing efforts
B-17
B-24 6

20. Air War Plans Division Plan # 1
Formulated in response to Roosevelt's call for American air doctrine
Established independent operating objectives for the Army Air Force
Called for precision bombing of German industry and economy
Flawed because it did not provide for long-range fighter escort
P-51 7

21. AWPD 1—Target List Emphasized the offensive nature of the mission
Ground support missions were secondary
Four major targets were…
Electrical power facilities
Transportation assets and structures
Synthetic petroleum production plants
Aircraft industry facilities 8

22. Forming the Army Air Force (AAF)
Army Air Corps and GHQ Air Force merged in June 1941 to form AAF
Merger resulted from decentralization of the War Department General Staff begun by General George Marshall in 1940
General Hap Arnold named commander
One step from full independence as a separate service 2

23. Arnold Video

24. The United States Enters WW II
Relations between the United States and Germany deteriorate—USS Reuben James sunk in October 1941
Relations with Japan worsened in 1941
Japan continues Asian aggression
July 1941—Roosevelt froze Japanese assets in U.S. and halts all American trade with Japan
7 December 1941—Japan attacks Pearl Harbor 4

25. Allied Strategy for Winning World War II
Priority One: Safeguard Britain and United States
Priority Two: Fight a decisive air offensive against the Axis powers in Europe and fight defensively in Asia
Priority Three: Sustained air offensive against Japan after the Axis powers were defeated in Europe
Use land forces when, and if, necessary
I + II + III = Victory 5

26. First U.S. Offensive Action of WWII—North Africa
First use of U.S. Ground forces against the Germans
Provided valuable combat experience for ground and air forces
Opportunity for British and United States to fight a combined arms campaign
First defeat of the German forces since 1930 6

27. North Africa (cont’d)
United States learned valuable lessons concerning the employment of airpower in tactical situations
Initial problems experienced by the Allies
Air units were split among ground units
Ground commanders didn’t share aircraft
Airpower used defensively
Airpower employment fragmented and inflexible 7

28. North Africa (cont’d) Allied airpower reorganized in 1942
Command of the air forces went to Airmen
The air officer decided the missions and allocated forces
Missions became offensive in nature
Flexibility of Allied airpower was restored and air superiority was attained
Tactical missions followed and techniques refined
Allies achieve victory in North Africa in May 1943 8

29. North Africa (cont’d)
“Anyone who has to fight, even with the most modern weapons, against an enemy in complete command of the air, fights like a savage against modern European troops, under the same handicaps and with the same chances of success.”
~ Field Marshal Erwin Rommell 8

30. Davis Video

31. U.S. Strategic Bombing of Germany
Heavily influenced by ACTS and bomber advocates
Some felt strategic bombing alone would defeat Germany
Others believed strategic bombing would weaken Germany and a ground invasion would be required for her surrender 9

32. U.S. Bombing Strategy
United States committed to high-altitude, daylight precision bombing
Believed heavy bombers, flying in formation, could fight their way to the target and back
Fighter escorts not necessary
Targets identified by AWPD-1 best hit in day time
US strategy ignored weather conditions, target obstruction, fighter opposition, and antiaircraft artillery 10

33. Strategic Bombing of Germany—Early Efforts
Strategic bombing of Europe was Eighth Air Force responsibility
First raids were against marshaling yards in France—little effect
Late 1942 and early 1943: Eighth AF attacked small targets in Europe—good experience, little effect 11

34. Strategic Bombing Becomes a Major Objective
Casablanca Conference (January 1943) established strategic bombing as a major objective
Destruction and dislocation of the German military, industrial, and economic system
Undermining of morale of the German people
German aircraft industry was the top priority target
The ball bearing industry was a complementary target
Destruction of enemy aircraft industry would help achieve Air Superiority 11

35. Strategic Bombing of Schweinfurt Germany
Eighth AF bombs the ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt in Summer 1943
August 1943—Eighth AF inflicts heavy damage but loses 36 B-17s and 360 crewmen
October 1943—AAF loses 60 bombers and has 138 aircraft damaged and 600 men lost
Losses were unacceptable
No fighter escorts left bombers vulnerable to enemy fighters and antiaircraft artillery 12

36. Strategic Bombing of Ploesti
August 1943—AAF launches attacks against oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania
178 aircraft launched—90 lost
Raids were costly but needed to shorten the war
Attacks were designed to reduce Germany’s oil and lubricant production
Generally ineffective and deliveries increased until attacks were resumed in 1944 13

37. Strategic Bombing in Europe (cont’d)
Long-range fighter escorts arrived in theater December 1943
Took significant toll on German aircraft and their experienced pilot force
8 AF resumed raids into Germany in February 1944
Launched a 1,000-plane raid by end of February 1944
Attacked Berlin in March 1944
German POL production was reduced to 25% capacity by September 1944 14

38. European Strategic Bombing: Lessons Learned
Target list was not what it should have been
Attacks on sub pens and ball bearing plants were ineffective
Best targets were the POL production facilities and sources of electrical power
Terror bombing of civilians was ineffective and did little to lower morale
Bombers needed fighter escorts to and from the target 15

39. Pacific Theater in World War II
“In our victory over Japan, airpower was unquestionably decisive. That the planned invasion of the Japanese Home islands was unnecessary is clear evidence that airpower has evolved into a force co-equal with land and sea power, decisive in its own right, and worthy of the faith of its prophets.”
~ General Carl A. Spaatz 1

40. Japanese Objectives
Territorial expansion to reduce overcrowding at home and gain raw materials
Fill the power vacuum in the Southwest Pacific created by German aggression in Europe
Keep the US out of the war for two years with a knockout blow at Pearl Harbor
Underestimated American resolve and anger
Changed “2” to two. 3

41. Tunner Video

42. Allied Strategy to Defeat Japan
China-Burma-India—Japan’s back door
Campaign to re-supply troops in China and recapture Southeast Asia
AAF flew the “hump”—Supply route over the Himalayas—A logistics triumph
South Pacific Offensive—Island- hopping campaign led by General MacArthur
Central Pacific Offensive—Island- hopping campaign led by Admiral Nimitz
C-47 Skytrain 4

43. Tactical Airpower in the Pacific
Far East Air Force (FEAF)—formed to support the South Pacific campaign
Made up of the Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces
Used innovative techniques, such as fragmentation bombs, to interdict enemy positions and troops
Employed fighters and medium bombers; P-38 was a huge success
Won air superiority through a war of attrition
P-38 Lightning 5

44. Doolittle Video

45. Strategic Airpower in the Pacific
18 April 1942—First strategic raid
Jimmy Doolittle led flight of 16 bombers from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet
600-mile flight did little damage, but boosted morale of US forces and shocked the Japanese
Twentieth Air Force formed in 1944 specifically to bomb Japan
Initial results were poor due to high altitude bombing techniques 6

46. LeMay Video

47. Strategic Airpower in the Pacific (cont’d)
January 1945—General Arnold put Gen Curtis LeMay in charge of strategic bombing
Changed tactics to use incendiary bombs
Lowered bombing altitude to improve B-29s’ accuracy
9 March 1945—Launched first firebomb attack of Tokyo
279 B-29s participated
Burned 16 square miles, destroyed 267,000 buildings, and killed 85,000 people 7

48. End of the War
President Truman authorizes nuclear strikes against Japan
6 August 1945: Hiroshima bombed—70,000 killed
9 August 1945: Nagasaki bombed—40, killed
Japan surrendered 15 August 1945
WWII ended formally with ceremonies on the USS Missouri on 2 September 1945 8

49. Evolution of Airpower So, what have we learned?
What were significant airpower achievements and changes during this period?
What was the impact of these achievements and changes?

50. China-India-Burma Hump North Africa Tactical Island hopping
Key People
Gen
LeMay
Tunner
Spaatz
Kenny
Gen Arnold
Key Events
Tokyo fire bombing
China-India-Burma Hump
North Africa
Tactical Island hopping
Alaska flight and AAF
Key Weapons
B-29 Superfortress
C-47, C-46
P40, B-25,
P-51
P-38
B-10
Key Doctrinal
Emphasis
Strategic bombing
Airlift
Centralized Command, CAS,
Interdiction

51. Summary Background—The 1920s General Mitchell’s Crusade
The Air Corps Act of 1926
Air Corps Tactical School
Move To Autonomy in the 1930s
WWII Begins
The Battle of Britain
The United States Prepares for War
The Army Air Forces

52. Summary (cont’d) The US Enters the Second World War
America and its Allies Plan Strategy
The United States on the Offensive
US Strategic Bombing Effort Against Germany
The Air War Against Japan
Tactical Airpower in the Pacific
Strategic Airpower in the Pacific
The End of the Second World War
Evolution of Airpower