General giulio douhet was an italian general and air power theorist. Douhet was a visionary, and like most true visionaries got almost as much wrong as he got right. The italian, giulio douhet, was the foremost pioneer thinker on air warfare. As such scholars as raymond flugel have pointed out, douhet s theories were crucial at a pivotal preworld war ii army air force institution, the air corps tactical school. Despite having very little actual flying experience, douhet. Civil air patrol, interviewed by drew ames, december 3, 2006. Giulio douhet, an italian army officer who never learnt to fly. Douhet used an analogy to make an argument for command of the air and to demonstrate the pervasive influence that an independent air force could have over military operation both on land and sea. 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. Enjoy the best giulio douhet quotes at brainyquote. Jun 01, 20 in addition to the air universitys edition, the complete translation of douhet s command of the air with the 1928 additions appears in roots of strategy book 4.
This was the doing of an italian army general, giulio douhet. 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. It does not include the many times that ground forces overran airfields on their. Oct 09, 2019 the command of the air by giulio douhet.
Giulio douhet birth chart horoscope, date of birth, astro, astrology, biography, wikipedia, birthday, gemini horoscope of celebrity. Readers may well find much that they disagree with in this book, but also much that is of enduring value. 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. The command of the air giulio douhet, joseph patrick harahan, richard h. Although technological developments have made some of his ideas obsolete, his theory of the important role of strategic bombing in. And how much more abstruse their reasonings were than the reasoning i am attempting here. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Problem is, whenever, i run the script, i have to manually close the pdf file and run the script. Aug 22, 2019 giulio douhet, the command of the air. 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. 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. Mar 15, 2010 giulio douhet s the command of the air is a military classic. He was a contemporary of the 1920s air warfare advocates billy mitchell and sir hugh trenchard. Library of congress cataloging in publication data. Giulio douhets the command of the air is a military classic. This reprint of the 1942 english translation of douhet s works, while titled command of the air, actually consists of five separate works. Douhet, giulio article about douhet, giulio by the free. 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. 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. Air power could break a peoples will by destroying a countrys vital centers.
Published by air university press in september 2019. Known as the father of airpower, douhets theories are still popular among modern military aviators. 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, who argued that air forces could end wars before traditional military forces were ready to begin fighting. Other articles where the command of the air is discussed. Command of the air by general giulio douhet overdrive. 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. Jul 31, 2019 command of the air giulio douhet, charles a.
Without those final formulations as background, the reader is left with no. The command of the air is the greatest military treatise on air war ever written a dogmatic manifesto promising victory through strategic bombing. It would be very easy to focus on the arbitrary and unrealistic organization of an. Le nuove musiche s success inspired cafcini similar collections in the seventeenth century, and it is regularly anthologized in modern collections. He was a contemporary of the 1920s air warfare advocates walther. The command of the air is the greatest military treatise on air war ever written a dogmatic manifesto promising victory through strategic. He harboured an apocalyptic vision of the war to come.
Douhet was as much the pioneer of what today we might call strategic air power as billy mitchell was for tactical air power. Giulio douhet douhet was strongly influenced by mahan, especially his notion of the command of the sea. Press, giulio douhet stands out among military theorists for his prescient insights into how the advent of airpower would change modern warfare. Giulio douhet, born may 30, 1869, caserta, italydied feb. 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. General giulio douhet, the italian prophet of aerial warfare. He was a contemporary of the 1920s air warfare advocates walther wever, billy mitchell and hugh trenchard biography. Command of the airusaf warrior studies paperback june 1, 1983. 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. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read command of the air.
He was a key proponent of strategic bombing in aerial warfare. 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. Promising a quick and decisive end to war, the command of the air. 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. 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. 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. The command of the air by douhet, giulio, 18691930.
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. General giulio douhets book the command of the air was first published in 1921, at the same time as trenchard was trying to turn ideas into reality in the. To gain command of the air, he said, was to render an enemy harmless. Giulio douhet, the command of the air 19211927 classics of. The command of the air giulio douhet snippet view 1942.
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. General giulio douhet 30 may 1869 15 february 1930 was an italian general and air power theorist. 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. Command of the air ebook written by general giulio douhet. 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 1921, a relatively unknown italian airman named giulio douhet wrote a book titled command of the air, which proposed an air power doctrine. Mar 05, 2019 command of the air giulio douhet, charles a. Douhet s final formulations in his bookthe command of the air 1921. This number is based on deliberate attacks on airfields, whether they were independent operations or part of a larger offensive. 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. The italian general giulio douhet reigns as one of the twentieth century. 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 general giulio douhet reigns as one of the twentieth centurys foremost strategic air power theorists. Giulio douhet is the author of the command of the air 3.
Air power had changed the way wars were fought and who was affected by them. 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. Giulio douhet public figure, local business facebook. Giulio douhet birth chart horoscope, date of birth, astro. Douhets service in the italian army before and during world war i provided him with. Serious thinking about the nature of war and the role of aerospace power. Giulio douhet and the end of the pacific war the diplomat. The probable aspects of the war of the future 143 book three. His airpower doctrine was built on the premise that armies and navies, the traditional means of deciding. Credit to nicholas morrow giulio douhet, an italian army officer who never learnt to. 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. In 1921 he published his most famous work, the command of the air. 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.
After the war, when mussolini came to power, douhet was restored to a place of honor. Giulio douhet wikipedias giulio douhet as translated by. Aug 15, 2014 command of the air ebook written by general giulio douhet. 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. Vindicated following the events of world war 1, giulio douhet still found roadblocks to his theories.
From the perspective of today, he still bears pondering. In the pantheon of air power spokesmen, giulio douhet holds center stage. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. After serving eight more months in the military douhet resigned from active duty. 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.
Giulio douhet 18691930 is regarded as one of the first military strategists to recognize the predominant role aerial warfare would play in twentiethcentury battle. 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 giulio douhet 18691930 is regarded as one of the first military strategists to recognize the predominant role aerial warfare would play in twentiethcentury battle. 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. Aug 26, 2009 the italian general giulio douhet reigns as one of the twentieth centurys foremost strategic air power theorists. C office of air force history, 1983 originally published in 1921, pp. Recapitulation 209 introduction 211 chapter i auxiliary aviation 215 ii aerial defense 235 iii. This book quickly became known in america through partial translations and word of mouth. 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. It was the first detailed analysis of the offensive and defensive employment of the air weapon. Giulio douhet and the politics of airpower request pdf. Quotations by giulio douhet, italian soldier, born may 30, 1869. Douhet s theories were published after world war i in his book, the command of the air. Giulio douhet, the command of the air, washington, d.