- Hardcover: 408 pages
- Publisher: University of Minnesota Press; First Edition edition (8 Oct 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0816642702
- ISBN-13: 978-0816642700
- Product Dimensions: 2.4 x 1.6 x 0.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,121,366 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Book Description
Linda R. Robertson argues that the development of the United States as a global military power arose from the influence of an image of air combat carefully constructed during World War I to mask the sordid realities of modern ground warfare. The Dream of Civilized Warfare carries this trajectory to its logical end, tracing the long history of the American desire to exert the nation's will throughout the world without having to risk the lives of ground soldiers-a theme that continues to reverberate in public discussions, media portrayals, and policy decisions today.
Histories of American air power usually focus on World War II, when the air force became the foundation for the military strength of the United States. The equally fascinating story of World War I air combat is often relegated to a footnote, but it was the earlier war that first inspired the vision of the United States attaining dominance in world affairs through a massive air force. In The Dream of Civilized Warfare, Robertson presents the compelling story of the creation of the first American air force-and how, through the propaganda of the flying ace, a vision of "clean" or civilized combat was sold to politicians and the public.
During World War I, air combat came to epitomize American ingenuity, technological superiority, adventure, leadership, and teamwork. Robertson reveals how the romantic and chivalric imagery associated with flying aces was a product of intentional propaganda and popular culture. Examining aviation history, military battles, films, literature, and political events, she looks at how the American public's imagination was shaped-how flying aces offered not only a symbol of warfare in stark contrast to the muddy, brutal world of the trenches, but also a distraction to an American public resistant to both intervention in a European conflict and the new practice of conscription.
Linda R. Robertson is professor and director of the Media and Society program at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
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2 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A good overall view of a neglected subject.
5 Feb 2004
Format:Hardcover
The author attempts to show how the media, in concordance with and partially controlled by the government, used aviation to sell the public on the idea of the neccessity of U.S. military involvement in World War I. This book does suffer from indifferent editing and occasionally a sentence has to be reread in order to follow the authors reasoning (due to unusual use of punctuation and sentence structure). The author also suffers from not giving enough information, especially in the footnotes, to show that she has done some in depth research for some of her statements. Whenever she mentions specific data, it must be kept in mind that she is using the propaganda information about which she is writing, and not the critical research data that has been developing over the years.
Furthermore the book would have been helped by more background information about U.S. attitudes in the decades preceeding the war. The author does mention in passing that she is aware of the recent histories being published based on modern research and makes one or two prescient comments about the history of the war as it has, until very recently, been presented.
Although there are plenty of areas for disagreement with the authors ideas, overall this book should be a welcome addition to the recent scholarship covering WW I in general.
Important for any who would consider how American forces began
22 Jun 2006
Format:Paperback
During World War 1 air combat came to reflect American innovations and teamwork: today Linda R. Robertson, a professor and directory of Media and Society Study at Hobart and William smith Colleges, provides a survey which tells how the first American air force was created and promoted. From symbols of the 'gentleman fighter' which offered a more seasoned, well-mannered view of the bloody business of battle to accounts and debates of civilian encounters with the U.S. air force during world War 1, THE DREAM OF CIVILIZED WARFARE: WORLD WAR I FLYING ACES AND THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION is important for any who would consider how American forces began.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
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