Episode 39: the Bomber Barons

The concept of massed strategic bombing found its beginning all the way back in 1918 when the RAF managed to drop several hundred tons of bombs on German rear areas. Though paltry compared to the sheer weight of armament that could be dropped in a single mission during the second world war the bombing raids of the first world war proved to be a proof of concept. A concept that some strategic thinkers, prophets even, would expound on to its extreme end. These prophets of airpower would eventually include Air Marshall “bomber” Harris and General “Hap” Arnold, the commanders of the RAF and US Army Air Force, but their inspiration drew from the OG of air power, Giulio Douhet.