Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
Just received this one, on a recommendation.
According to David Hobbs (who wrote the British Aircraft Carriers book).
"Anthony J Cumming's thought provoking book sheds new light on the British government's hasty decision, taken after the Smuts Report of 1917, to create an independent air force that came to influence every aspect of British defence policy between the wars. He describes how the untested theories of a few air power protagonists which literally forgot the importance of sea power and failed to give due credit to the hard won wartime experiences of the RNAS and RFC were accepted with insufficient study by politicians. Cumming stresses the undoubted bravery of the aircrew but explains how these misplaced priorities hampered the development of carrier-borne aircraft for the Royal Navy and limited British operational capability in the opening phases of the Second World War."
It sounds right up my street!
Cheers
Steve
Hi Steve,
Looks very interesting although the summary suggests the author is approaching this from a rather nautical vantage point. I'd like to know what you think of the book as you examine it.
Cheers,
Mark
Hi Mark, yes he will be. His previous book 'The Royal Navy and the Battle of Britain' did the same, pointing out that the Navy was the biggest obstacle to a German invasion, despite the mythologising over the 'The Few' and the RAF's role. He is never disrespectful of the gallantry and determination of Fighter Command, he just attempts a more realistic appraisal of the results of their sacrifice.
He does display a nautical bias, but makes some pretty compelling arguments in that book. I'm hoping for more of the same. I myself have posed the question (probably not on this forum), how in the summer of 1940 could the Germans have made a successful invasion of the south coast of England, even had the RAF been forced back north of London? Maybe I should start a thread
Cheers
Steve
Nice one Terry!!