Airpower: WW I through WW II

1. Airpower:WW I through WW II

2. WWI Thru WWII • Background – The 1920’s • General Mitchell’s Crusade • The Air Corps Act of 1926 • The Air Corps Tactical School • Move To Autonomy in the 1930’s • WWII Begins • The Battle of Britain • The U.S. Prepares for War • The Army Air Forces

3. WWI Thru WWII • The U.S. Enters the Second World War • America and its Allies Plan Strategy • The U.S. 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 • Review CFD Model

4. The Interwar Years

5. Interwar Years Background • Following WW I, U.S. returned to isolationism • Army Air Service reduced from 20,000 officers in 1918 to 200 in 1919 • Civilian aviation boomed, military budgets were cut • Air service sought to develop an air doctrine • Period marked by organizational change and personality clashes • Few Airmen saw the potential of the airplane

6. Billy Mitchell Video

7. Interwar YearsGeneral William “Billy” Mitchell • Director of Military Aviation in 1919 • Believed the airplane would change the defense establishment • Believed the air service was an offensiveforce equal to the Army and Navy • Views were strongly opposed by the Army and Navy • Americans wanted no part of a service that looked offensive in nature.

8. Billy Mitchell (Cont) • A visionary, fanatic and prophet • Alienated many due to constant attacks and need for 100% support • Technology was not capable of meeting his expectations -- cost him credibility • Feuded extensively with the Navy -- Claimed the battleship was obsolete • His planes bombed and sunk 3 ships • Infuriated the Navy leadership

9. Mitchell’s Last Campaign • 1922 - 1924 -- Mitchell concentrated on developing doctrine • advocated strategic bombardment • 1925 -- Demoted to Lieutenant Colonel because of his unrelenting bid for a separate air force • After the crash of the dirigible, “Shenandoah,” he accused military leaders of “incompetence and criminal negligence” • Court-martial -- October 25, 1925

10. Mitchell’s Legacy • Focused attention on airpower • Forced people to accept the potential of airpower • Mentored many aviators who would carry on his work -- some became instructors at the Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS)

11. Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS) Origins • Founded in 1920 at Langley AFB VA • Moved to Maxwell AFB AL in 1931 • Original mission was to teach air strategy and tactics • Changed to developing and teaching air doctrine (principles and philosophy)

12. Air Corps Tactical School Teachings • Future wars would be decided by airpower • Airplane would be the primary offensive weapon • High-altitude strategic daylight bombing could paralyze and defeat an industrialized enemy without heavy losses

13. Air Corps Tactical School • Preoccupation with bombers and their missions overwhelmed other teachings • Claire Chennault, who led the Flying Tigers in WW II, taught pursuit aviation -- advocated escorting bombers and strafing enemy rear areas • George Kenney, who commanded the Pacific Air Force in WW II, taught attack aviation -- strafing attacks on enemy troops and behind enemy lines

14. Organizational Change • 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

15. Interwar YearsOrganizational Change • General Headquarters Air Force - 1935 • Placed all tactical units under the Commander, GHQ • Recognition of an independent aviation branch within the Army

16. Airpower in World War II

17. German Aggression Leading to U.S. Involvement in WW II • Germany attacks Poland -- 1 Sep 39 • The Luftwaffe was used to gain air superiority, cut supply lines, and support ground forces • Germany then easily conquers Norway, Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands, and France MESSERSCHMITT ME 109 Fighter JUNKERS JU 87 “STUKA” Dive bomber

18. Battle of Britain JUNKERS JU 88 Bomber • Britain stands alone against German aggression -- June 1940 • Germany attacks in four phases • Attacks against shipping lines • Day and night bombing of RAF airfields • Daytime bombing of the cities • Nighttime bombing of the cities HEINKEL HE 111 Bomber

19. Phase I

20. Phase II

21. Phase III

22. Phase IV

23. Reasons for Luftwaffe’s Defeat • Luftwaffe not trained or equipped to conduct strategic bombing • British had excellent command, control, and communication systems in place • Luftwaffe had poor intelligence capabilities

24. 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 48 combat groups to include 24 heavy bomb groups • Emphasis placed on bombers, not escort aircraft -- hurts U.S. bombing efforts B-17 B-24

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

26. AWPD # 1 -- Target List • Emphasized the offensive nature of the mission. • Ground support missions were secondary • Four major targets were: Sources of electrical power Transportation systems Sources of oil production Aircraft industry

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

28. U.S. Enters WW II -- Background • Relations between U.S. and Germany deteriorate – U.S. destroyer Reuben Jamessunk in Oct 41 • Relations with Japan worsened in 1941 • Japan continues Asian aggression • Roosevelt froze Japanese assets in U.S. and halts all American trade with Japan -- Jul 41 • Japan attacks Pearl Harbor -- Dec 7, 1941

29. Allied Strategy for Winning World War II • Priority One -- Safeguard Britain and U.S. • 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 weredefeated in Europe • Use land forces when, and if, necessary I + II + III = Victory

30. U.S. First Offensive Action of WW II 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 U.S. to fight a combined arms campaign • First defeat of the German forces since 1930

31. North Africa Video

32. North Africa • U.S. learned some 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 was used defensively • Airpower was fragmented and inflexible

33. North Africa (Cont) • Allied airpower was 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 43

34. 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

35. U.S. Bombing Strategy • Committed to high-altitude, daylight precision bombing • Believed heavy bombers, flying in formation, could fight their way to the target and back • Fighter escorts were not necessary • Targets identified by AWPD were best hit in day time • Strategy ignored weather conditions, target obstruction, fighter opposition and anti-aircraft artillery

36. Strategic Bombing of Germany Early Efforts • Strategic bombing of Europe was responsibility of the 8th Air Force • First raids were against marshaling yards in France • little effect • Late ‘42 and early ‘43 -- 8th attacked small targets in Europe -- good experience, little effect • Casablanca Conference (Jan ‘43) established strategic bombing (destruction of German industry) as a major objective

37. Strategic Bombing of Schweinfurt Germany • 8th Air Force bombs the ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt in Summer 1943 • Aug ‘43 -- 8th inflicts heavy damage but lost 36 B-17s and 360 crewmen • Oct ‘43 -- AAF lost 60 bombers, had 138 aircraft damaged and 600 men lost • Losses were unacceptable • No fighter escorts - bombers vulnerable to enemy fighters and anti-aircraft artillery

38. Schweinfurt Bombing Video

39. Strategic Bombing in Europe: Ploesti • Aug ‘43 – USAF launch attacks against oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania • 180 aircraft launched, 55 aircraft 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 ‘44 when attacks resumed

40. Strategic Bombing in Europe (Cont) • Long-range fighter escorts arrived in theater in Dec ‘43 • Took significant toll on German aircraft and their experienced pilot force • 8th resumed raids into Germany in Feb ‘44 • Launched a 1000 plane raid by end of Feb ‘44 • Attacked Berlin in Mar ‘44 • German POL production was reduced to 25% capacity by Sep ‘44

41. Strategic Bombingin Europe: 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

42. Pacific Theater inWorld War II

43. The Air War Against JapanJapanese Objectives • Territorial expansion to reduce over-crowding at home and gain raw materials • Moved to fill the power vacuum in the Southwest Pacific created German aggression in Europe • Keep the U.S. out of the war for 2 years with a knockout blow at Pearl Harbor • Underestimated American resolve and anger

44. 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

45. Tactical Airpower in the Pacific • Far East Air Force (FEAF) -- formed to support the South Pacific campaign • Made up of the 5th and 13th 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

46. Strategic Airpower in the Pacific • First strategic raid 18 Apr 1942 • Jimmy Doolittle led flight of 16 bombers from the deck of the aircraft carrier, “Hornet” • 600 mile flight, did little damage, but boosted morale of US forces and shocked the Japanese • 20th Air Force was formed in 1944 specifically to bomb Japan • Initial results were poor due to high altitude bombing techniques

47. Air War Against Japan Video

48. Strategic Airpower in the Pacific (Cont) • Jan 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 • Launched first firebomb attack of Tokyo on 9 Mar 45 -- 279 B-29s participated -- Burned 16 sq miles, destroyed 267,000 buildings and killed 85,000 people

49. Strategic Airpower in the Pacific The End of the War • President Truman authorizes nuclear strikes against Japan • 6 Aug 45 -- Hiroshima bombed - 70,000 killed • 9 Aug 45 -- Nagasaki bombed - 40,000 killed • Japan surrendered 15 Aug 1945 • WW II ended formally with ceremonies on the USS Missouri on 2 Sep 1945

50. Review of CFD Model • Distinctive Capabilities: Air and space expertise, capabilities and technological know-how that produces superior military capabilities • Functions: Broad, fundamental and continuing activities of air and space power • Doctrine: fundamental principles which military forces guide their actions in support of national objectives