1.How successful was the U.S. in implementing aviation as a weapon of war in its military arsenal during the period 1919 to 1940?
Most Americans would agree that the period before the advent of World War II was a crucial period for the development of the strength of military arms to defeat foreign attacks on our way of life. Although the air age began all the way back in 1903, the U.S. greatly increased its competence in the air all the way up to the start of the events of the second World War. This pre-war period was a significant time of more than 20 years to craft and develop a national air attack plan. In fact, many authorities have suggested that the creation of the airplane as a machinery of war was largely neglected during this critical time. However, great strides were in fact made. Nevertheless, the issues that hounded the genesis of the aerial attack preparations were mostly political in nature as there was disagreement on the structure an aviation branch should take in the military. Moreover, the ultimate origin of attack theory and doctrine evolved primarily along two paths— direct and indirect support of ground force and air force objectives. The direct support approach was based on fundamental beliefs by the Army that attack aviation was an auxiliary combat arm, to be used directly on the battlefield against ground forces and to further the ground campaign plan. This approach recognized the military air power’s need to achieve air superiority, at least temporarily, in order to conduct other aviation missions in support of ground objectives (Cox, 1995). In conclusion, the common belief that wars were won on the ground was a significant hindrance to the development of a strong Air Force during this period.
2. What impact did the Disarmament Conferences, Congressional Hearings, and Peace Movements of the 1920s and 30s have on the U.S. Military?
Interestingly, the interwar period of the 1920s and 30s were significant in the development of a new way of thinking for the Americans for dealing with Europeans so to move them away from thoughts of battle and push them more towards peace. The strength of public opinion was on elected officials to enter in to a new worldview, especially after the preceding period of World War I. Many advocated for the end of aggression, and disarmament acted as a magnet, drawing American attention away from German and Japanese belligerence that in the 1930s eventually brought the collapse of world peace. Together with the Congressional hearings and peace movements of this period, the disarmament conferences ushered in a new era of support for peace among the citizens of the U.S., who in turn put pressure on the Government to legislate for peace throughout the world. In the late 1930s, with war beginning to be talked about in Europe and then becoming a reality, many Americans interested in peace restricted their concerns to their own country's neutrality. The idea of neutrality flourished, an ancient American hope embodied in belief in a New World and an Old (ENAN, 2011). Despite the looming specter of war from Europe and beyond, the U.S. Military struggled to meet the growing desire to remain out of the increasing hostilities on the world stage.
References
Cox, G. (1995) A thesis presented to the faculty of the school of advanced airpower studies for completion of graduation requirements. Coggc.pdf. Last accessed October 18, 2011.