Air Power End WWI-WWII

Question 1

Brigadier General William “Billy” Mitchell

Answer 1

Deputy chief of the air service in 1919
Beliefs
Airplane with change defense establishment
Air Force was offense equal to Army and Navy

Persistence led to passing of National Defense Act of 1920.

Question 2

Air core tactical school (ACTS) Theories

Answer 2

Future war would be decided by AirPower

Airplane would be the primary offense of weapon

High altitude strategic daylight bombing could paralyzed and defeat and industrialize enemy without heavy losses

Question 3

Air War Plans-DIVISION 1
Key Elements
(AWPD-1)

Answer 3

Established independent operating objectives for the Army air Corps
Emphasize the offense of nature of the mission
Call for precision bombing of German industry and economy
Ground support would be secondary

*Flaw: No long range fighter escorts for bomber aircraft

Question 4

Air Corp ACT 1926

Answer 4

Air Service renamed and became it’s own branch
Overseen by assistant secretary of war
Flying units to be commanded by rated officers
A result of general Mitchell’s efforts

Question 5

Dickmann Board of 1990

Answer 5

Assign aviation units to ground control
Concluded that aviation must remain an auxiliary.

“Arrow activities cannot be carried on independently of ground troops

Question 6

Menoher Board 1919

Answer 6

Believed There should not be a created military fourth independent of army or navy control

Agreed that the first nation to mobilize and airfleet in war time would have an advantage

Question 7

National Defense Act of 1920

Army Reorganization Act

Answer 7

Pass as a result of Brigadier General Mitchell’s persistence regarding Air Force as an independent branch of service.

1. Raised Air status equal to infantry
2. Autonomy to produce, research, and train
3. Air Service still under ground control
4. Army aircraft would defend coastal units

Question 8

Air Power Experiment

Answer 8

When general Mitchell sink three naval ships with airstrikes to prove an advantage over naval targets. Stated that Navy ships were obsolete

Question 9

Air Corp Tactical School

Answer 9

Founded in Langley VA 1920
Relocated Maxwell AFB,AL 1931

Original mission teach air strategy and tactics Which Changed to developing and teaching air doctrines

Emphasize strategic bombing over ground support

Question 10

General headquarters Air Force

GHQ

Answer 10

Created by the water department on March 31, 1935

Recognized Aviation branch within the army but not totally separated from the army

Place all tactical use under commander GHQ

Question 11

Army Air Forces

Gen Henry “Hap” Arnold

Answer 11

Created June 20, 1941

Merge Army air Corps in GHQ Air Force

Question 12

(AWPD-1) Target List

Answer 12

Sources of electrical power
Transportation systems
Petroleum production
Aircraft industry

Question 13

Luftwaffe Missions

Answer 13

Attack enemy plans on the ground-Interdiction
The enemy supply and communication lines-Interdiction

Assistant armor units and infantry -Close air support

Question 14

Ally strategic game plan

Answer 14

Priority one safeguard Britain and United States

Party to fight decisive air oh yes the axis powers in Europe and five defensively in Asia

Question 15

US bombing strategy

Answer 15

Basic strategy: high altitude daylight precision bombing

Assumptions:
heavy bombers flying in formation
Fire escorts were not necessary
Target identified by AWPD best hit in the daytime

Limitations: weather conditions target obstruction, fire opposition and Anti-aircraft artillery