Customer Reviews

Air Power in the Age of Total War

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This is an excellent, thoughtful, and thorough summary of the history of air power. Prof. Buckley artfully and succinctly weaves the national strategies, technological, and aeronautical industry capabilities of the major air power countries (and their respective and often competing air services) into a coherent story of the progression of air warfare from balloons to Desert Storm, puncturing a number of conventionally-accepted myths along the way. This is not a treatise on hardware, but on the often conflicting expectations and capabilities of air power over 50 years of modern warfare.

John Buckley's Air Power In The Age Of Total War, determines that aeronautical technology is what allows for a climax in `total war'. The author describes total war as the expansion of battlefield strategy onto the urban sectors of enemy territory. Total war has two primary effects. Bringing air war tactics to the home front creates both physical and psychological disruption to the enemy's war efforts. Though some of the material can be dry at times, it is necessary information to include in supporting the book's thesis and providing the historical evolution of `strategic' air warfare. As well, targeting industrialization destroys the enemy's war economy by severing military life lines. Throughout his work, Buckley maintains a focus on a clear thesis. Furthermore, he summarizes his argument through the use of an effective title.

A rarity in academic books, "Air Power in the Age of Total War" is insightful, clear, and readable. Because of these three qualities, it is also delightful to read.

I'm simply writing this review as a college student who's got 150 pages to read a night. This book is hard to stay awake through. The author is British and the text is alot like their food - bland. But read this: the book has a ton of info if there's anything you ever wanted to know about the evolution of air warfare.