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An account of Sir John Cotesworth Slessor (1897–1979), one of Great Britain's most influential airmen.

Sir John Slessor played a significant role in building the World War II Anglo-American air power partnership as an air planner on the Royal Air Force Staff, the British Chiefs of Staff, and the Combined Chiefs of Staff. He coordinated allied strategy in 1940–41, helped create an Anglo-American bomber alliance in 1942, and drafted the compromise at the Casablanca Conference that broke a deadlock in Anglo-American strategic debate.

Slessor was instrumental in defeating the U-boat menace as RAF Coastal Commander, and later shared responsibility for directing Allied air operations in the Mediterranean. Few aspects of the allied air effort escaped his influence: pilot training, aircraft procurement, and dissemination of operational intelligence and information all depended to a degree on Slessor. His influence on Anglo-American operational planning paved the way for a level of cooperation and combined action never before undertaken by the military forces of two great nations.
 

The architect of the successful air strategy which led to Allied victory

Arthur Tedder, who was knighted and raised to the peerage for his contributions to the Allied victory in World War II, served in the British air force in World War I and played an important role in professionalizing and organizing British air forces between the two world wars. During World War II, he held a succession of increasingly vital air force posts.
 
In addition to his achievements as Air Commander-in-Chief in the North African theater early in the war, Tedder’s most lasting contribution was as Deputy Supreme Commander under Dwight D. Eisenhower. He deserves much credit for keeping the Allied command functioning and harmonious. He was also the architect of the successful air strategy Eisenhower adopted for the Normandy invasion of 1944, which departed from both the British and American existing doctrine and models by concentrating on German rail systems rather than on either civilian or industrial targets.
 

In the Netherlands, the Indonesian War of Independence has long been referred to in veiled terms such as ‘police actions’. In reality, it was a proper war fought with modern weapons. The Dutch armed forces wielded an iron fist in order to crush the Indonesian ‘rebellion’, widely deploying artillery, attack aircraft and naval guns. What were the consequences of such bombing and shelling in a war fought amongst the population? In what situations did the Dutch deploy these means and to what extent did they attempt to minimize civilian casualties? Now, for the first time, the use of artillery and air power in the struggle for independence has been systematically researched. Iron Fist offers both statistical overviews as well as analyses of battles where heavy weapons were used on a large scale. The relation between the deployment of fire support and the use of force in general is also examined. This book embodies a vital contribution to our knowledge of the nature and extent of violent transgressions by Dutch forces in the Indonesian War of Independence.

This book celebrates the aviators, astronauts, airline executives, and other innovators who have made Texas an influential world leader in the aerospace industry over the past century.

Tracing the hundred-year history of aviation in Texas, aviator and historian Barbara Ganson brings to life the colorful personalities that shaped the phenomenally successful development of this industry in the state. Weaving stories and profiles of aviators, designers, manufacturers, and those in related services, Texas Takes Wing covers the major trends that propelled Texas to the forefront of the field. Covering institutions from San Antonio’s Randolph Air Force Base (the West Point of this branch of service) to Brownsville’s airport with its Pan American Airlines instrument flight school (which served as an international gateway to Latin America as early as the 1920s) to Houston’s Johnson Space Center, home of Mission Control for the U.S. space program, the book provides an exhilarating timeline and engaging history of dozens of unsung pioneers as well as their more widely celebrated peers.

Drawn from personal interviews as well as major archives and the collections of several commercial airlines, including American, Southwest, Braniff, Pan American Airways, and Continental, this sweeping history captures the story of powered flight in Texas since 1910. With its generally favorable flying weather, flat terrain, and wide open spaces, Texas has more airports than any other state and is often considered one of America’s most aviation-friendly places. Texas Takes Wing also explores the men and women who made the region pivotal in military training, aircraft manufacturing during wartime, general aviation, and air servicing of the agricultural industry. The result is a soaring history that will delight aviators and passengers alike.

The theory that put victory in the skies.

The Command of the Air presents Giulio Douhet’s groundbreaking argument that air power is the decisive force in modern war. In this classic work of military theory, Douhet defines the revolutionary concept of the “command of the air”—the idea that victory belongs to the nation able to prevent its enemy from flying while striking vital centers deep behind the lines. Through bold logic and vivid examples, the book shows how aviation transformed warfare by bypassing armies and navies entirely, projecting power directly against a nation’s industrial, communications, and civilian infrastructure. 

This edition brings together Douhet’s original 1921 text, his expanded 1927 revision, and subsequent essays, all framed by a rich editors’ introduction. Readers gain insight into his vision of the Independent Air Force, the strategic use of mass bombing, and the technological evolution of modern aircraft. Douhet’s credentials—an Italian general, early aviation commander, and one of history’s most influential air‑power theorists—underscore the authority and ambition behind his ideas. 

Scholars and students of military history, air‑power strategy, national security, and the evolution of modern warfare will find this volume indispensable. It is equally valuable for contemporary defense professionals seeking to understand how concepts such as strategic bombing, total war, and air superiority first took shape.