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Back to Subjects - American History

billy mitchell

billy mitchell The end of the era of Reconstruction in America brought forth the greatest rise in American Power. This era was known as the "Guilded Age." Big business grew all over the country producing a few tycoons such as John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J. Pierpont Morgan. These men had extreme wealth through huge monopolistic enterprises. This was unfortunately at the expense of many immigrants who worked for these men. Women and children worked long hours in sweatshops for horrible wages. Men worked however they could sometimes as miners, construction workers, railroad builders, and factory workers. These immigrants came from southeastern Europe mainly. The country's population skyrocketed with the flow of immigration after the civil war. These immigrants built America, as you know it today. Due to Germany's unrestricted Submarine warfare America had no choice but to enter into World War I. on April 6, 1917 America declared war on Germany. This was to be one of the bloodiest, dirtiest wars ever. They fought in what we call trench warfare. Long trenches went all the way down the enemy and friendly lines. America's soldiers and technology had a big role in the allies' defeat of Germany. The war was ended with the Treaty of Versailles. The United States never joined in the League of Nations, which the allies had formed thus continuing isolationism. The 1920s brought about a time of prosperity for America. 50% of Americans were living in urban areas by this time. The country was going through prohibition, making alcohol illegal. Cultural change brought about many problems in the U.S. Swing dancing and loose skirts were all the rage. Women were becoming more independent. Like all great things in life this age of prosperity sharply came to an end with the Great Depression. The Great Depression started in the fall of 1929 with the New York Stock Exchange crash. With the economy resting in the hands of the tycoons like Rockefeller the depression was inevitable. By 1931, 5 million Americans were unemployed. The great nation, which was just coming to power, seemed like it was going to die out. It might have if a man named Franklin D. Roosevelt hadn't been elected president. Roosevelt began to put in effect a plan he called the New Deal. He took the U.S. off the gold standard to help the crisis. He also passed a series of acts that helped pull the economy out of the depression. With unemployment at 11 million in 1934 such groups as the WPA, and the Civilian Conservation Corps were formed to give people work. Social Security was put into effect during this time. The economy slowly got itself back together piece by piece right up to World War II. The United States wanted neutrality in this affair but favored the allies. The U.S. sent supplies in large numbers to the allies. With Germany, Japan, and Italy in the tripartite axis the United States looked like it was going to war once again. On December 7, 1941 Japan bombed Pearl Harbor sending the U.S. into the war. Shortly after which on the 11th Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. as well. The German Nazi's were trying to become a world power, while exterminating the Jews. This was known as the holocaust. Some 6 million Jews were put into concentration camps and killed. The war with Germany went on in many fronts all over the world until April 25, 1945 when Germany Finally surrendered. The war with Japan was ended in August of 1945 with the U.S. dropping of two atomic bombs on, Nagasaki and Hiroshima causing them to surrender. Before this the world had never seen atomic warfare. The destruction was incredible as well as the impact it had on the world. With the end of the war the United Nations was being formed. The United Nations is still the main force in world affairs. Germany was divided up between France, Britain, USSR, and the U.S. There was a time of world rebuilding after the war. Cities in Europe were left in ruins. Millions of the citizens had been killed and there was a fear of atomic warfare. The United States was no longer using their isolationist ideas. There was a World Bank formed as well as an international monetary fund. Atomic energy was an affair of the Civilian Atomic Energy Commission. Atomic energy was to be the topic for most world affairs for the next 50 years. The U.S. was definitely changed after the war. The war pulled America out of the depression with large amounts of wartime manufacturing. Women went to work to take up the jobs left open by men at war. The women didn’t want to go back to the home once the war was over though. This was new to America but also helped the U.S. become a world power. After The end of World War II all the main powers were in the Atomic Arms Race. To see whom could build the biggest nuclear armament. This led up to the Cold War, which shaped the world for the next 40 years (Jordan, Greenblatt, and Bowes 250-367). General William “Billy” Mitchell, Air Force Pioneer, is one of the most vague heroes of the 20th century. Not many people know what he did for our country. He is one of the reasons the United States has a superior military power as compared to any other country. Billy Mitchell is the Father of the United States “Air Force”. Without his influence in the further outlook of air force power, we might have never become the military country we are today. Billy Mitchell is one of the most famous and controversial people in the American air force. Some saw him as a far-sighted military leader, but others saw him as radical egotist who opposed anyone who did not agree on his advancement of the United States Air Force (Hurley 8). Billy Mitchell was born in Nice, France, in 1879. He was the son of a rich Wisconsin Senator and grandson of a wealthy railroad owner; his life can be seen as an ironic one. Billy Mitchell grew up in Milwaukee, and was educated at Racine College and George Washington University. He dropped out of George Washington University at age 18, to enlist in the 1st Wisconsin Infantry for service in the Spanish-American war (Burlingame 30). Mitchell could have led a life of wealth and luxury, but instead he chose his own path and wanted to make a name for himself. He entered the army as a junior lieutenant and received a field commission to the Signals Corps in 1898; to which his father had influenced. He was an exceptional junior officer by showing his leadership and courage. After he was commissioned to the Signal Corps, he was transported to Cuba, the Philippines, and Alaska. During this time, Billy Mitchell demonstrated his awesome leadership and organizing skills. With a $5,000 budget to build a telegraph across Alaska, Mitchell convinced the government to spend $50,000. He became the youngest Captain at the age of 23 (Hurley 16). After service in the Mexican War, he was attached to the 1912 General staff. He was their youngest member, and in 1915 was assigned Deputy Chief to the aviation section of the Signal Corps, with the rank of Major. During this time Billy Mitchell’s interest in aviation grew, he saw the potential an air force could have. He learned how to fly in four days at the Curtiss Flying School. Many people thought that Mitchell was not cut out to be a “regular” army flyer because he had no military training. However, Lt. Lester J. Maitland stated that not only could he “fly anything with wings, but fly it well” (Hurley 33). In 1917, Billy Mitchell traveled to France as a military observer. The month after he arrived in France, the U.S. declared war on Germany. This prompted Mitchell to establish himself as U.S. aviation officer in France. He was then promoted to Lt. Colonel in May and the Colonel in August. Billy Mitchell was fluent in French, unlike most of the other officers. This advantage gave him the chance to see how air power could win the war. He had begun corresponding with commander Trenchard of the Royal Flying Corps, and was convinced that air power could be used to a greater advantage (Burlingame 34). When Billy Mitchell was Chief of the Air Service, he openly proclaimed his opinion on the need for a more direct approach to the advancement of air power. Billy Mitchell wanted the air force to become more than just a defensive weapon; he wanted them to be an offensive department. Mitchell wanted the air force to become a separate force like the Navy. At this point, the air force was primarily used as another conventional weapon. Mitchell saw that if other countries had utilized the air force, then the U.S. would become an outdated military power compared to other countries. In 1918, Mitchell commanded 1,476 aircraft, 20 balloons (which were mainly used as observers and sometimes combat), and had control of a mixture of British and French squadrons. The battle of Saint-Mihiel would be the greatest projection of the power the air force could yield ("American" 2). Mitchell’s main argument for wanting to have an air force; was that the air fighters could defend the United States coasts. Nevertheless, military leaders were skeptical on the idea that an airplane could destroy a battleship. No one believed that a small airplane could destroy a battleship. Mitchell relied on the people’s favorable opinion to convince Congress and other military leaders to show them the true power of an air fighter. During all of this, Mitchell was agitating and annoying many powerful military leaders. They already had thoughts on his future court-martial, but this would only happen if Mitchell did something very radical. In 1921, Mitchell destroyed three German bombers and the U.S.S Alabama to show the awesome power of an air fighter. Many of Mitchell’s superiors were enraged because he had not gotten permission to show this kind of activity to the public. However, the Army General Staff remained unconvinced that air power could win a war. Mitchell became even more distraught. Why could they not see the power of the air force? His increasing rebellion toward his superiors finally led them to court-martial him (Hurley 18). Billy Mitchell resigned in 1926. He died in 1936 and did not live to see the day when the military finally saw the true power the air force could yield. Then in 1946, ten years after his death, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. It was in recognition in his excellent pioneer service and foresight in the American Air Force (Bellows 359). Billy Mitchell was a man who should be remembered as a hero. Although in his time he was seen as absurd and rebellious, Mitchell in the end was correct in his ideas. He saw the kind of power the air force could yield and how we needed to utilize that power before any other country did. Billy Mitchell was a prophet ahead of his time. He is one of America’s greatest and most honorable heroes. Billy Mitchell has had a massive impact on American Society. Without his work there might not of been an "American Society" today. As many of you know in this day and age the Air Force is one of the most widely used military forces in the world. Air Power has been very influential in all of the wars since World War I. Without bombers and fighter aircraft we might have lost World War II. Today we are the most powerful nation in the world. This is because we have the most technologically advanced aircraft in the world. Our airforce is years ahead of other countries. This is because Billy Mitchell emphasized the development and continual advancement of military air power. He was also an example to future air force leaders in his persistence and ability to persuade people. Throughout his life Billy Mitchell experienced ridicule and all sorts of setbacks. This man and his ideas were sometimes put aside, he was sent to other countries on bogus missions to keep him away. When this happened he gained and spread his knowledge with other countries. His persistence and dedication to the development of an American air force has set an example for hundreds of young military officers. Billy Mitchell's world class performance as a fighter pilot in World War I gained him many honorable decorations previously never given to aviators. This turned some people on to becoming air force pilots. Unfortunately, we can also say that Billy Mitchell helped create a great evil in military power. The use of aircraft for bombing has led to the demise of millions of people all over the world. His great foresight has somewhat desensitized war. The use of Aircraft with bombs and missiles has changed the face of war entirely since the days that Billy Mitchell was around. One thing he didn’t do was support aircraft carriers. He did not believe in airplanes flying from boats. This was one of his mistakes. Today the aircraft carriers in the American fleet go all over the world operating under any condition any time of day. This is a huge plus for the military that Billy Mitchell did not foresee. William "Billy" Mitchell was undoubtedly one of the greatest figures in American military history. He is the father of the U. S. Air Force, the one man who fought for what he knew was needed. He was a true American, unafraid of persecution and ridicule. Billy Mitchell fought his points to the point of his demise. Without this man there might not of been an Airforce. Without this man there might not be an America today. Bibliography: "American Air Superiority," Billy Mitchell's Role in the Air Force. Woodbridge, CT: Primary Source Media, 1999. Rpt. In Student Recourses Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, Dec. 2000. http://264.312.569.115/servlet/SRC 29 Sept. 2001. Bellows, John. "Billy Mitchell." Journal of American Military. 1953. 356-359. Burlingame, Roger. General Billy Mitchell: Champion of Air Defense. New York: McGraw- Hill, 1952. Hurley, Alfred F. Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power. Bloomington, IN.: University Press, 1975. Jordan, Winthrop, Miriam Greenblatt, and John Bowes. The Americas: A History. Evanston, IL: McDougal, Littell and Company, 1991.

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