The Influence of Airpower upon History

Whether as a dream or a nightmare, for good or ill, airpower has been the great seducer. This book is a history of that seduction. The contributors, all experts in their fields, give the volume international relevance.—Stephen J. Harris, editor of Why Air Forces Fail: The Anatomy of Defeat

This outstanding collection of essays delves into the complex nature of airpower in its first century and illustrates its profound impact on national growth and strategy. Highly recommended.—John B. Lundstrom, author of Black Shoe Carrier Admiral

A significant contribution to the fields of aviation history, military history, and defense policy. Editors Higham and Parillo have done a great service by assembling highly qualified and well respected authors to write nine excellent chapters that are informative, stimulating, and provocative. This outstanding collections of essays raises aviation history from its concentration on operations, hardware, and heroes, to a much higher level. The result is a volume of materials well above what has thus far appeared, a collection long in chronology, wide in geography, and broad in topic showing the breath, flexibility, and importance of air power. This is essential reading for student and scholar and also will be of interest to buffs.—Kenneth P. Werrell, author of Death from the Heavens: A History of Strategic Bombing

"The Influence of Airpower upon History is an important book for scholars of aviation history, as it illuminates military aviation from new perspectives, and closely examines the political and operational aspects of their activity."—Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs

Eleven essayists explor how major world powers have sought air power as "a reliable instrument of national power," from military, commercial, and civil aviation perspectives.—William D. Bushnell, Military Officer

"The essays are accompanied by bibliographies and suggestions for future research, making the book a good starting place for prospective air power scholars...Several of the essays would make good classroom readings and the book as a whole would be useful for a course on aviation or airpower history."—Stephen K. Stein, Stephen K. Stein, Teaching History

"[An] informative compilation of essays studying aspects of airpower history and how at various times as national leaders and statesmen debated how airpower might contribute to their particular vital national interests and to shaping world events."—Aerospace