WINGS assignment 4

Wings Assignment #4

Chapters 10-11

1. Why did some world leaders and theologians feel that flying would be the end of mankind?

                Even before the beginning of World War II, many feared the worst in relation to the emerging industry of bigger and better militant air technologies. Figures from across the globe made statements regarding the peril that bombing and military aviation was sure to bring. Some including Winston Churchill and Gilbert Murray even pushed for the banning of military aviation and strict control on a single division. This idea would put a single air force in the hands of the League of Nations in hopes to decrease acts of terror on civilians and cities due to unrestricted enemy flights. Leaders and theologians feared the end of civilization during this time as a direct result of aerial attacks on civilian targets. They stated that it was basically like fighting fire with fire because the only way to save oneself from aerial attacks was to reverse roles and do the same devastation to the enemy. Retaliation was a must, and it was an arms race to see who could cause the most destruction on their enemy before the enemy came for them. Theologians credited wings and aviation as the evil of society. They noted increased hate and putting dangerous weaponry into the hands of those with ill intentions.

            We see many examples of this unrestricted aerial warfare that these people warned about throughout World War II and the devastation that ensued from targeting cities and industries leading to widespread havoc to include innocent civilians. Even though World War II did not mark the end of civilization as many had predicted; it did represent an enormous change in warfare from ground battle among troops to a hop across the ocean and a bomb to be enough to wipe out thousands. Aerial bombing left behind a continued reminder and fear even after the war had long ended.

2. What factors influenced the development of the aircraft carrier and what role did it play in WWII?

            The Japanese were the first to display the power and use of the successful aircraft carrier which grew to play a fundamental role in World War II. Their attack on Shanghai displayed the first example in the use of the Kaga as a resource to allow aircraft to lift off from when nearby land airfields were unavailable. Other countries were not far behind on this idea. American Eugene Ely experimented with aircraft landing and takeoff; however the British and Royal Air force put this into play on early aircraft carriers. The early Furious did not operate as planned but Britain continued to move toward success in this venture. At this time, Japanese aircraft carriers were the largest carrying up to 60 aircraft on Kaga and Akagi while Britain carried on a smaller scale around 40 on Glorious and Courageous. The United States debut the USS Langley which laid the foundation for equipment, structure, and features for aircraft carriers to come. American, Capitan Reeves, created the framework of doctrine for the use of the carriers stating the aim was “the ability to attack the enemy from the sky”. He also contributed to advances including the necessity for higher speeds for success and appropriate use of aircraft.

            The main factors that led to this development of aircraft carrier across the world were the issue of appropriate landing and takeoff at sea when closing in on enemy targets. One set back was the fact that large bombers that were favored due to their high capacity load would be unable to utilize the carriers. Therefore, smaller bombers and the technique of dive-bombing had to be perfected for accuracy in attack. The carriers also brought gains to the industry of aviation calling for new models of fighters to be a good fit for the new weapon of war.

7. What is meant by the phrase “abandonment of all restraint” as it relates to WWII and the military tactics used by both sides?

            The phrase “abandonment of all restraint” relates to the total global war developed by the aerial nature of war that arose widely through World War II. “If air power did not win the war, as its pre-war adherents had hoped, it had shaped the nature and character of the conflict. The airplane had given birth to the awful reality of total war” (pg 400) Military tactics widened beyond the realm of the enemies military to enemy land and total control. Strategic bombing campaigns were instilled by the major powers of war and leveled cities, racking up death well beyond what had ever been seen from war before. “Old definitions of what constituted a battlefield and who qualified as noncombatant lost their meaning, as any possibility if restraining the escalating tide of destruction vanished” (p 408) While leaders such as President Franklin Roosevelt spoke out against the unrestrained attacks, they continued due to their vitality to being the force to bring down Germany.

            At this point it seemed as if strategic air bombing was the only pathway to victory for the Allies so the devastation and destruction continued. With this came retaliation of Germany, and the cycle of fire to fight fire in order to combat the enemy’s move one would have to cause more destruction. This was catastrophic and lead to an exponential increase in deaths including the spike in civilians including women and children. Leaders agreed that although unfavorable, all was done for the reason that letting go of restraint in war “had to be done” for victory overall.