Courage and Air Warfare — The Allied Aircrew Experience in the Second World War
Prix régulier 30,00 € TTC 6%
Characteristics
| ISBN-10 | 0 7146 4148 0 |
| Book cover finish(es) | Perfect paperback |
| Condition | Like NEW |
| Author(s) | Mark K. Wells |
| Publisher | Frank Cass & Co. Ltd |
| Number of pages | 240 |
| Published date | 1995 |
| Language(s) | English |
| Size | 15.5 x 23 x 2.5 cm |
| Categorie(s) | • AVIATION MILITAIRE • SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE • ESSAIS - OUVRAGES THÉMATIQUES |
Description
Despite the quantity of material written about the Combined Bomber Offensive during the Second World War, the full human dimension of air combat has not been thoroughly explored. This book investigates the unique nature of aerial warfare and the men who took part. It analyses aircrew selection, reaction to combat, adaptability to stress, morale, leadership, and combat effectiveness. First-hand reflections of combat flyers, published materials, reports, and official documents are used to compare the efforts of the US Eighth Air Force and RAF Bomber Command.
There is an important reason for this comparative method. Although the Allied effort involved two air forces, two different philosophical concepts, and two distinct approaches, both organizations were committed to a common goal. Comparing the two allows insights into the nature of air combat and its effects on aviators. Aircrew attitudes and motivation are examined, as are the physical and mental hardships which affected aircrew morale, cohesion, and combat effectiveness.
The work offers the first detailed examination of the sensitive subject of “Lack of Moral Fibre” — the inability to undertake further flights because of stress. The Allied air forces took distinctly different approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, and disposal of emotional casualties. By probing long-ignored official and medical records, the author is able to shed light on these subjects, which until now have been too deeply obscured.