Customer Reviews

A Question of Loyalty: Gen. Billy Mitchell and the Court-Martial That Gripped the Nation

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Air Force is the brashest arm of the armed forces. It is far newer than the Army or Navy, and more reliant on the latest in technology. There is an image of the flyboy as handsome, heroic, and rule-bending if not rule-breaking. The archetype of such an image is General Billy Mitchell, whose most famous act was getting a court-martial in 1925 for speaking up about how he felt air power ought to be developed. His is a story that has been told before, even (badly) in the movies, but in _A Question of Loyalty: Gen. Billy Mitchell and the Court-Martial that Gripped the Nation_ (HarperCollins), Douglas Waller has retold the story with a wealth of new information and the help of the Mitchell family. Mitchell's story was a sensation during his trial, and as part of the universal drama of the iconoclastic genius against the system, presents issues for current times, besides being a lesson in how big organizations change or resist change.

The trial was the climactic event in Mitchell's life, and Waller has told it in lengthy detail, interspersing facts of Mitchell's earlier life and career within it. Mitchell didn't think his trial was the most important event in his life; he would have listed his role in WWI and his successful demonstration in 1921 that aircraft could sink a ship. Mitchell loved being a populist, skillfully using the media to enlist the support of the public for his causes. In September 1925, the Navy's dirigible _Shenandoah_ crashed in a thunderstorm, killing fourteen of its crew. Mitchell wrote a 6,000 word statement and issued it at a press conference, listing the _Shenandoah_'s demise specifically and other general ailments that he said "... are the direct result of the incompetency, criminal negligence and almost treasonable administration of the national defense by the Navy and War Departments." Mitchell was ordered to stand court-martial in Washington on catch-all charges that he had violated Army order and discipline and brought discredit to the military. The trial proved to be a sensation, studied daily and argued over by people who would have otherwise had no interest in air defense. The outcome is unsurprising; even if Mitchell had had ever fact correct in detail, he still would have been insubordinate. Hap Arnold, who admired him and commanded the Army Air Forces during World War II, said simply, "In accordance with the army code, Billy had it coming."

He died in 1936, so he did not live to see his vindication in World War II. Mitchell had predicted, for instance, that the Japanese would bomb Pearl Harbor from the air. Like any prophet, he didn't get all the details right, but his predictions about blitzkrieg, strategic bombing of cities, and others proved his thinking on the issues to be far more firmly grounded than his accusers. He has been vindicated in many ways. Of course the Air Force eventually became an independent part of the military as he had wanted. The "Mitchellites", those who had been his disciples, put his theories into practice during the war he knew was coming. Congress posthumously awarded him a special medal. The Air Force Academy's dining hall is named for him, and its class of 2001 selected him as the man they most wanted to emulate. It is a curious choice for our times. Waller clearly shows in this full biography that Mitchell was a brilliant and innovative leader and a daring commander in combat, as well as being a visionary on the future of air power, but he was during his lifetime mostly a pain in the neck for those he worked with. In the current atmosphere where questioning governmental decisions quickly leads to charges of supporting liberals or terrorists, any Billy Mitchell that is rising in the ranks could expect no better treatment from the military.

In another century another age we forget how far American aviation history and the American military has progressed since the World War I era. Waller creates a vivid picture of the Billy Mitchell trial during the period that gripped the nation. The book provides interesting background on the man who challenged the Washington establishment and gives a view of military policy and capability just before and after World War I. Given the amount and length of the trial material Waller does a good job of presenting the both sides evenly. Mitchell was a compelling but flawed man who argued for an aviation future while living values more akin to his time.

This is a very good biography of one of the 20th century's controversial figures; Army General Billy Mitchell. Prior to his court-martial in 1925, Mitchell had served in combat in the Spanish-American war and rose to Brigadier General in World War I as Pershing's Air Commander. Mitchell is best remembered for his demonstration of aircraft sinking a battleship. The movie "The Court- martial of Billy Mitchell" staring Gary Cooper glamorized the sinking and the court-martial. The battle ship was stationary and it took two days and many bombs to sink it. But, Mitchell proved correct about the vulnerability of capitol ships, as demonstrated in World War II. Mitchell liked to live the good life and to supplement his income, he did a lot of writing that cut against the grain of the mind set of the military commanders. What really got him in trouble was his press release after the disastrous loss of the airship Shenandoah and the loss of a Navy seaplane attempting a nonstop flight from San Diego to Hawaii. His press release was so scathing of the military command, there was no option but a court-martial for insubordination. Mitchell had many good ideas, but he went about pushing them forward the wrong way. He had a big mouth and no patience and in the end, got what he deserved.

A couple of interesting facts. Eddie Rickenbacker, famous WWI ace, was Mitchell's driver and Mitchell put him in the air. Douglas McArther was a member of the court-martial board. When asked after he had read the screenplay for the Mitchell movie if he could accurately play Mitchell, Gary Cooper replied, "I get paid to play myself".

Brig Gen Billy Mitchell is easily the most controversial leader in the history of the United States Air Force. A military leader with a quick grasp of America's emerging strategic threats, he had an equally quick tongue to express those opinions to the American public.

To truly appreciate the book, one needs to understand the era. It was the roaring twenties. America had just won a war, there was dramatic public support to pursue a large peace dividend, and all of America loved the newest method of travel -- the Airplane. Sensing the public's love of Aviation, and sensing the looming strategic threats to America, Mitchell went to the press to make the case for an independent Air Corps.

This book begins with a very quick introduction to Mitchell, and the USS Shenandoah's crash -- an aviation catastrophe that killed 14 naval airmen. Mitchell wrote a scathing 6,000 word essay for the nation's newspapers that insinuated that America's military and civilian leaders (including the President) were inept and unable to effectively use the Air Force. This essay proved to be the impetus to Mitchell's court martial.

The biography intersperses the trial with relevant biographical segments of Mitchell's life. The book lays out the facts, absent passion. Billy Mitchell wrote an incindiary article about our America's senior leaders. Was he guilty of insubordination? Was he tried by a Kangaroo court? After reading this book, you will be able to form your own opinions.

After reading the book, I am inclined to believe that Billy Mitchell was a genius, who liked to live beyond his means. He relied on this public controversy to create a demand for his magazine articles and recently published book "Winged Defense". Many of Billy Mitchell's theories were vindicated in World War II, and some of them waited more than 60 years for Operation Desert Storm to prove him correct. The man was truly an insightful strategist, but were his methods correct? This book documents the Air Corps' opinion on that question.

Having read a few things about Billy Mitchell before this book I had already come to some conclusions about the man. This book was very well done, so much so, that I had to rethink my opinions of what he did and how he did it. I enjoyed the pace of the book the flow and the balance. I do recommend this book; it is a compelling story that explores difficult questions.

Its hard to review this book because the subject(Billy Mitchell) was such
an unsympathetic character having been brought up as a child of priviledge in Milwaukee.
Its little wonder that he craved for attention so much that he resorted to pissing-off
the superiors as much as he did. Having said that,however, he did force the top army officials
to look harder at the potential of aircraft in a military conflict.
Some of his projections, 20 yrs in advance, were ereie especialy when he predicted Japan would attack Haiwaii. Some predictions were very far offbase.
Is this book worth the time to read it knowing the final outcome in advance. My answer is no.