Library of congress cataloging in publication data. Douhet foresaw the intrinsic tug of war between those objectives and that control of the air was the essential first duty of aviation, in that tactical air support could not function without that control. Published in 1921, the command of the air asserted the decisiveness of strategic bombardment before billy mitchell and other air leaders had given that subject any detailed thought. Vindicated following the events of world war 1, giulio douhet still found roadblocks to his theories. It would be very easy to focus on the arbitrary and unrealistic organization of an. The command of the air 1 part i 3 chapter i the new form of war 3 ii the independent air force 34 iii aerial warfare 49 iv the organization of aerial warfare 69 part ii 93 book two. In 1917, after the disastrous battle of caporetto, douhet and the other critics of general cadorna were proven correct and the top general was replaced and douhet was released, restored to his rank and put back in command of the new central aeronautic bureau. The command of the air is the greatest military treatise on air war ever written a dogmatic manifesto promising victory through strategic bombing. This book quickly became known in america through partial translations and word of mouth. This reprinting of the command of the air is part of a continuing series of historical studies from the office of air force history in support of project warrior. This was the doing of an italian army general, giulio douhet.
He harboured an apocalyptic vision of the war to come. Command of the air ebook written by general giulio douhet. The command of the air giulio douhet snippet view 1942. And how much more abstruse their reasonings were than the reasoning i am attempting here. Giulio douhet and the foundations of air power strategy, 18841939 thomas hippler charts how giulio douhet s pioneering strategy of targeting civilian populations with air power developed from 1884 to world war ii. General giulio douhet, the italian prophet of aerial warfare. He was an early supporter of strategic bombing and the military superiority of air forces air forces, those portions of a nations military organization employing heavierthanair aircraft for reconnaissance, support of ground troops, aerial combat, and bombing of enemy lines of. Known as the father of airpower, douhets theories are still popular among modern military aviators. Giulio douhet published on march, 2010 by giulio douhet isbn. Giulio douhet, command of the air usaf warrior studies, office of air force history, united states government printing office 1983, trade paperback. Problem is, whenever, i run the script, i have to manually close the pdf file and run the script. Promising a quick and decisive end to war, the command of the air. After serving eight more months in the military douhet resigned from active duty.
Giulio douhet, an italian army officer who never learnt to fly. Giulio douhet and the foundations of airpower strategy, 18841939 cambridge university press, 20 294pp. Giulio douhet 18691930, air wars greatest prophet, ought to have been a first world war fighter ace. Although since world war 11, the effectiveness of strategic bombing has been questionable, its basic concept has changed little since giulio douhet first wrote command of the air. A quick victory could be won by early air attack on the enemys vital centers, while surface forces worked to contain the enemy on the ground. Giulio douhet, an italian army officer who never learnt to fly, first published one of military theorys most recognized and controversial works on airpower, the command of the air, in 1921.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Giulio douhet, the command of the air 19211927 classics of. The vital necessity of douhets central visionthat command of the air is all important in modern warfarehas been proven throughout the history of wars in this century, from the fighting over the somme to the air war over kuwait and iraq. He was a contemporary of the 1920s air warfare advocates billy mitchell and sir hugh trenchard.
He was a contemporary of the 1920s air warfare advocates walther wever, billy mitchell and hugh trenchard biography. Le nuove musiche s success inspired cafcini similar collections in the seventeenth century, and it is regularly anthologized in modern collections. Giulio douhet, command of the air usaf warrior studies, office of air force history, united states government printing office 1983, trade paperback, isbn 0912799102. In 1912 douhet assumed command of the italian aviation battalion at turin, where he wrote a set of rules for the use of airplanes in war one of the first doctrine manuals of its kind. In 1921 he published his most famous work, the command of the air. After the war, when mussolini came to power, douhet was restored to a place of honor. Giulio douhet wikipedias giulio douhet as translated by. Giulio douhet douhet was strongly influenced by mahan, especially his notion of the command of the sea. Giulio douhet, the command of the air, washington, d. Aug 15, 2014 command of the air ebook written by general giulio douhet. Douhet s final formulations in his bookthe command of the air 1921. His writings, more often cited than perhaps actually read, appear as excerpts and aphorisms in the writings of numerous other air power spokesmen, advocatesand critics. In 1921 he produced his definitive work, command of the air.
In addition to the air universitys edition, the complete translation of douhets command of the air with the 1928 additions appears in roots of strategy book 4. Aug 26, 2009 the italian general giulio douhet reigns as one of the twentieth centurys foremost strategic air power theorists. His airpower doctrine was built on the premise that armies and navies, the traditional means of deciding. Born in caserta, campania, italy, from a family of savoyard exiles who had migrated there after the cession of. In the pantheon of air power spokesmen, giulio douhet holds center stage. Serious thinking about the nature of war and the role of aerospace power. Another portrait of douhet appears to screen left while the major premise of his theory appears to the right. Aug 22, 2019 giulio douhet, the command of the air.
Without those final formulations as background, the reader is left with no. General giulio douhets seminal work, the command of the air 1921, and its sequels, the probable aspects of the war of the future1928, recapitulation1929, and the war of 191930, are foundational lessons for air power students, strategists and enthusiasts. Giulio douhet public figure, local business facebook. This number is based on deliberate attacks on airfields, whether they were independent operations or part of a larger offensive. He challenged the violent opposition it aroused until strategic air power became an accepted part of military thinking. Mar 24, 2020 le nuove musiche caccini, giulio the preface also includes effusive praise for the style which he himself invented, and amusing disdain for the work of more conservative composers of the period. Recapitulation 209 introduction 211 chapter i auxiliary aviation 215 ii aerial defense 235 iii. Giulio douhet biography, wikipedia, bio, age, giulio douhet birthdate born 30 may 1869, italy, italian general, air power theorist bombing in aerial warfare, birth, birth date, date of birth, birthplace, astrological signs of zodiac. Douhet, giulio article about douhet, giulio by the free. The probable aspects of the war of the future 143 book three. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read command of the air.
Published by air university press in september 2019. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. To gain command of the air, he said, was to render an enemy harmless. A supporter of mussolini, douhet was appointed commissioner of aviation when the fascists assumed power but he soon gave up this bureaucrats job to continue writing, which he did up to his death from a heart attack in he proposed an. The italian general giulio douhet reigns as one of the twentieth centurys foremost strategic air power theorists. From the perspective of today, he still bears pondering. Giulio douhet is the author of the command of the air 3. Air power could break a peoples will by destroying a countrys vital centers. Enjoy the best giulio douhet quotes at brainyquote.
Douhet was as much the pioneer of what today we might call strategic air power as billy mitchell was for tactical air power. General giulio douhet 30 may 1869 15 february 1930 was an italian general and air power. Press, giulio douhet stands out among military theorists for his prescient insights into how the advent of airpower would change modern warfare. Trenchard, the first chief of the royal air force and its commander from 1919 to 1930, believed the airplane to be an inherently strategic weapon that must be employed to break the morale of factory workers by targeting enemy industry. Quotations by giulio douhet, italian soldier, born may 30, 1869. In 1921, a relatively unknown italian airman named giulio douhet wrote a book titled command of the air, which proposed an air power doctrine. Giulio douhet, who argued that air forces could end wars before traditional military forces were ready to begin fighting. Just three years after the end of the first world war and the first widespread use of airplanes in warfare, this new technology had yet to be fully integrated into military. He passed his remaining years writing about and speaking out for airpower. Command of the airusaf warrior studies paperback june 1, 1983. Aug 12, 2015 in 1921, a relatively unknown italian airman named giulio douhet wrote a book titled command of the air, which proposed an air power doctrine that envisioned the systematic, relentless bombing of. Giulio douhet and the politics of airpower request pdf.
The italian general giulio douhet reigns as one of the twentieth century. This reprint of the 1942 english translation of douhet s works, while titled command of the air, actually consists of five separate works. Keeper file starting in the 1920s, the world more and more came to fear the bomber as an agent of the apocalypse, poised to turn cities into instant infernos. Jan 01, 1983 douhet was as much the pioneer of what today we might call strategic air power as billy mitchell was for tactical air power. Douhet s theories were published after world war i in his book, the command of the air. The command of the air is the greatest military treatise on air war ever written a dogmatic manifesto promising victory through strategic. It was the first detailed analysis of the offensive and defensive employment of the air weapon. Giulio douhet and the foundations of airpower strategy, 18841939 thomas hippler charts how giulio douhets pioneering strategy of targeting civilian populations with air power developed from 1884 to world war ii. C office of air force history, 1983 originally published in 1921, pp.
Giulio douhet birth chart horoscope, date of birth, astro, astrology, biography, wikipedia, birthday, gemini horoscope of celebrity. Giulio douhet giulio douhet 18691930 is regarded as one of the first military strategists to recognize the predominant role aerial warfare would play in twentiethcentury battle. Italian brigadier general douhet 18691930 presented his revisions to just war doctrine in his treatise the command of the air, influencing both british and american military leaders and training programs between the two world wars. The italian, giulio douhet, was the foremost pioneer thinker on air warfare. General giulio douhet 30 may 1869 15 february 1930 was an italian general and air power theorist. Air power had changed the way wars were fought and who was affected by them. The command of the air giulio douhet, joseph patrick harahan, richard h. As such scholars as raymond flugel have pointed out, douhets theories were crucial at a pivotal preworld war ii army air force institution, the air corps tactical school. Credit to nicholas morrow giulio douhet, an italian army officer who never learnt to. Although technological developments have made some of his ideas obsolete, his theory of the important role of strategic bombing in. Douhet wrote a report on the aviation lessons learned in which he suggested high altitude bombing should be the primary role of aircraft. Giulio douhet, born may 30, 1869, caserta, italydied feb. Oct 09, 2019 the command of the air by giulio douhet. The air force that could achieve command of the air by bombing the enemy air arm into extinction would doom its enemy to perpetual bombardment.
General giulio douhet was an italian general and air power theorist. It does not include the many times that ground forces overran airfields on their. Douhets service in the italian army before and during world war i provided him with. He was a contemporary of the 1920s air warfare advocates walther. Giulio douhet wikipedia bahasa indonesia, ensiklopedia bebas. Command of the air by general giulio douhet overdrive. Douhet was a visionary, and like most true visionaries got almost as much wrong as he got right. Mar 05, 2019 command of the air giulio douhet, charles a. Douhet foresaw the intrinsic tugofwar between those objectives and that control of the air was the essential first duty of aviation, in that tactical air support could not function without that control. Giulio douhets the command of the air is a military classic. Giulio douhet birth chart horoscope, date of birth, astro. On the basis of the approximate calculation i commanr made, the diame ter commanv treviso at its widest periphery being about 1 kilometer, it would take 4 squadrons of 10 planes each, or 40 planes in all, each carrying 2 tons of bombs, or 80 tons in all, to wreak that much.
Jul 31, 2019 command of the air giulio douhet, charles a. Giulio douhet 18691930 is regarded as one of the first military strategists to recognize the predominant role aerial warfare would play in twentiethcentury battle. Other articles where the command of the air is discussed. Mar 15, 2010 giulio douhet s the command of the air is a military classic. This study examines strategic bombing, now called the strategic aerospace offensive mission, in light of the current. Civil air patrol, interviewed by drew ames, december 3, 2006. Giulio douhet and the end of the pacific war the diplomat.