The Rise of the Bomber by Greg Baughen

RAF-Army Planning 1919 to Munich 1938

288 pages, Hardcover

24cm x 16.5cm

Genres: Nonfiction / WWII / Military History

In "The Rise of the RAF-Army Planning 1919 to Munich 1938," the second installment in the series, author Greg Baughen meticulously utilizes archive material to reevaluate British air policy during the inter-war years. This book challenges the prevailing notion of a Royal Air Force struggling for survival due to insufficient funds and facing opposition from the Army and Navy. Baughen paints a different picture, illustrating how the Air Force aimed to supplant both the Army and Navy, thwarting the development of a modern air/tank strategy and securing government support for a defense strategy centered around the bomber - the first weapon of mass destruction.

Despite the significant time and resources invested in this policy, it ultimately proved ineffective. In 1938, when put to the test, the equipment was found lacking and the strategy flawed. The Air Staff had misled the government, deceived themselves, and left the nation vulnerable. However, amidst this failure, there remains a glimmer of hope. Unintentionally, the Air Ministry had been developing aircraft that could potentially still safeguard the country.