Evaluation of “How American Air Power Came From Way Behind to Win World
War 2”
“How American Air Power Came From Way Behind to Win World War 2”, is an article
written by Clive Irving. He analyzes the outcome from the use of air power during World War 2.
He narrated the happenings in London when armies were being sent out over to Europe during
the war. Many army men go missing while others die during the war. The situation was heavy
throughout the year 1943 and 1944’s summer. America is unanimously accepted to have the
most prowess at using air power. There is power in using air power as it is the future of the war
and has the power to decide the outcomes of war potentially. America came to that realization
during the end of World War 1. While the article explains the results of using air power during
World War 2, there is ignorance of the aspect of the moral responsibility that is associated with
it.
The use of air power is associated with lots of controversies and moral burden. After the
First World War, peace was settling in Europe, and therefore America was not keen on investing
in military aviation. Lockheed and Douglas in California and Boeing in Seattle were responsible
for revamping aviation in the 1930s. The revamping was timely to effect warplanes during the
war that began looming in Europe in the 1930s. The author gives an example of a film that the
audience can engage with for a better understanding of the article. The gut-wrenching movie,
Twelve O’Clock High, is a 1949 production that shows the British- based B- 17 crews’ remains.
The credibility of a source is vital to avoid instances of fake news and post-truth. Information in
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an article should be reputable, true, and accurate. The information can be supported by other
works of authors who have written about the rise and use of American air power.
Clive’s article is organized in chronological order because the article is used to describe a
series of events. Clive explains his information in order of time beginning from first to last. The
chronological order is used when one is explaining or giving a narration. It ensures that the
reader understands the details of the narration. Transition words are evident in the article to
create a smooth flow of events. Clive mentions the transitioning between the first and the Second
World War concerning military aviation involvement. He also keeps on explaining to the readers
how America evolved on having military prowess.
The title of the article is clearly defined to communicate to the reader in a summary of
what the article involves. The subject matter of the article is relevant to the topic it is given. The
evidence presented in the article is convincing. The writer informed in detail when activities took
place, where they took place, and how many people were involved. He is factual in his narration
which is verifiable from other secondary sources. The author speaks using the first person who
makes the reader feel like they are being spoken to. He states, “We had a first- hand view of
America at her greatest, of a selfless and courageous ally that had come late to the
responsibilities of air power, and finally employed it to devastating effect.” It is only discussed
of the army men who lost their lives and went missing and not a mention of the millions of lives
that were affected by the American air power. For instance, there is mention of a scenario where
5 B- 17s did not return from war. There is no mention of the lives that were lost. The article
focused on an important topic of the power of air power. It is crucial information to help in better
understanding of how America conquered the World War 2. Future research should gather
information on the rate of death between the army men using air power and human lives lost to
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determine the positive and negative effects of using air power. The ethical issue is only felt like
crime by the ones on the receiving end. Nations were even willing to create allies with America
to have the advantage of air power.
The article is relevant. It relates to the audience that is interested in the history of World
War and American air power. A famous website, Daily Beast, published the article. The website
is a popular source of news and offering opinions about controversial news. The author is a
senior consulting editor who specializes in aviation at Conde Nast Traveler. He is also an author
of a book, Wide Body: The Triumph of the 747 (Morrow). I believe that the article is allinclusive of the evolution of American air power. Information about the power associated with it
in America is well articulated. The audience would be curious to know of the measures
incorporated before the decision to use air power is made. It would determine to know if they can
be used for mass destruction of another nation maliciously.
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Works Cited
Irving, Clive. “How American Air Power Came From Way Behind to Win World War II.” The
Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 17 Nov. 2018, www.thedailybeast.com/how-americanair-power-came-from-way-behind-to-win-world-war-ii-4?ref=scroll .
Wrapping up
the
Prospectus
Writing Into the Day:
●
Introduction
○
●
Establishes common ground and common knowledge with the reader.
○
States your argumentative thesis.
Background
○
●
Appropriate context & underlying assumptions
Lines of argument (body)
●
○ Claims, evidence, and commentary exploring your thesis
Consideration of alternative arguments
●
○
Address counter arguments. Explain why your view is more well thought-out
Conclusion
○
Brief summary, clarify implications (why does it matter?)
Citing and Integrating in the Lit Review
● Remember that all claims require evidence and commentary in order to be
supported.
○ Claim: An arguable point you are making. In your lit review, this would be in
reference to another claim that one of your sources has made, OR
trends/interactions in the scholarship.
○ Evidence: How do you know your claim to be correct? Find a quote or example
of the source DOING the thing you claim they are doing.
○ Commentary: Why does it matter? What difference does it make if your claim is
correct? What does this say about your larger argument or larger trends in the
scholarship?
● You will need to include in-text citations any time you use information from a
source, such as in the literature review.
○ In MLA format, an in-text citation is a parenthetical citation “that includes the
author’s last name and the page number from which the information came”
(Green 26).
Annotated Bibliography
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Clarke, Micheal A. “The Evolution of Military Aviation.” NAE Website, 3 Dec.
2008, www.nae.edu/7474/TheEvolutionofMilitaryAviation.
Michael Clarke, in this article, states that world war 11 was the aviation industry's
supreme wake-up call and depicts some of the key events and happenings that occurred during
this period. Before the war, aircrafts were substandard and had a lot of defects. However, due to
the innovative engineers, this changed during the war as at its end, the planes were superior. One
of the things that Clarke attribute made the aircraft superior was the engine. He states that those
in the industry continuously worked on jet engines to improve their power. Clarke also outlines
some of the famous war crafts. The Messerschmitt Me-262, which was outstanding due to its
speed, and the B-29, which was exceptional because of its capacity to carry heavy ammunition,
are examples. This article is useful in my attempt to understand the early development of
aerospace engineering during the war as it not only lists some of the important things that
happened during that time but also highlights some examples of the aircraft developed during
that time.
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Dunbar, Brian. “WWII & NACA.” NASA, NASA, 1 July 1995,
www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/WWII.html.
In this article, Brian Dunbar outlines some of the critical contributions to the inception
and productions of crafts made by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), a
body that to directs and regulates scientific research of the flight predicaments with the aim of
solving them, during the second world war. NACA, for one, was forced to adopt a new approach
in its activities. Initially, it was only based in Langley, and it conducted only basic aeronautical
research. However, by the end of the war, NACA grew exponentially and not only had three
facilities but also engaged in more complex research. NACA research also was the backbone
behind the air supremacy in that its study helped in development and production aircraft. Dunbar
also depicts how NACA helped in drag cleanup and new ways for detecting defects in the planes,
high powered piston engines. He winds up by stating that the NACA research aided in increasing
control, helped to increase the survival rate after water impacts, and dealt with the issue of
porpoising. It is clear from the article that NACA contributed much to the growth and
production of planes, which makes it instrumental in understanding the early development of
aerospace engineering during World War II.
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Harr, Karl G. “Industry and World War II.” Air Force/ Space Digest, 1 Sept. 1965, pp.
54–64., https://www.aia-aerospace.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/INDUSTRY-ANDWW-II.pdf.
In this article Karl Harr Jr, who once renowned President of Aerospace Industries
Association, provides well documented and reliable facts about the early establishment of
aerospace engineering during the Second World War. In the year preceding the war, the
government had deemed the production of planes as an impossible endeavor. Those in the
industry had no or little experience of aviation and they set out to prove the government wrong.
They managed, and Karl states that the aerospace production achievement during these few years
of the war is unparalleled in the industry’s history. More than 300,000 planes were made during
the world war years. The engine horsepower from the beginning to the end of the world war
totaled a billion, and more aviation accessories like the landing gear, pneumatic and hydraulic
system were also made during this period. The industry by the end of the war had massive
assembly lines from the one-part-at-a-time "job shops” at the beginning of the war.
Economically, the industry by the end of the war was leading from its initial fourth place at the
beginning of the war. Karl also states that various predicaments were faced and that those
currently in the industry learn so much from them. It is beneficial as a source in many ways since
it provides lots of data and facts during that period. The production process, progress, and
achievements are examples of the facts.
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Rumerman, Judy. “The American Aerospace Industry During World War II.” The
Aerospace Industry During World War II, U.S Centennial of Flight Commission,
23 Jan. 2020,
www.centennialofflight.net/essay/Aerospace/WWII_Industry/Aero7.htm.
Judy Rumerman, in this article, depicts the achievements in the aviation industry
made during the Second World War. The first achievement is that the aviation industry
became the leading industry in America by the end of the world war. The production rate
of the planes during the war also increased exponentially, and by the end of the war, more
than three hundred thousand aircrafts were produced. Rumerman also states that the
production plants in the country increased and were found in various parts within the
United States. Another thing is that the aerospace industry became national, and
exporting of the aircraft commenced in this period. The aerospace industry also shifted to
assembly line from a part time job shop. Lastly, Rumerman states that the government
developed programs that were meant to improve the industry further. This article will be
fundamental in learning more about the early development of aerospace engineering
during World War II, as it depicts the achievements of that period.
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Weiss, Stanley I., and Amir R. Amir. “Aerospace Products, Manufacturers, and
Markets.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 8 Nov. 2019,
www.britannica.com/technology/aerospace-industry/Aerospace-products-manufacturersand-markets.
Weiss and colleague start by defining the aerospace industry and what it entails, and they
then outline the technological progress that has taken place in the aerospace industry over the
years since 1903. They detail in-depth the various events that happened during both the world
wars. At the beginning of the Second War, the country that had the most advanced aircraft was
Germany, and its biggest importer was Japan. To breach the gap, by then, the President of the
United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, ordered the country to invest more into the aerospace
industry, something that leads to mass production of planes during the war. More production
plants were built in various parts of America, and there was differentiation among the aircraft
producers. Martin, Boeing, and Douglas were some of the producers. This piece is fundamental
to me learning about the early growth of aerospace engineering during the Second World War as
it starts by depicting what aerospace engineering entails and then goes on and detail some of the
happenings in the aeronautical field that happened in this field during this period.
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Writer, Staff. “Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow) Single-Seat, Twin-Engine Heavy Fighter
Aircraft Nazi Germany.” Military Weapons, 7 Aug. 2019,
www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=104.
Various aircraft were made during the Second World War. In this article, Staff Writers
focuses on the Dornier Do 335 Pfeil, which was nicknamed the arrow. The writer states that it
was one of the most prominent aircrafts of that period and had a twin-engine arrangement that
was attributed to its exceptional performance. He states that it was designed by Dornier Claudios
and was piloted by a single individual. Writer depicts in-depth aircraft’s design elements, landing
gear, production, primary use, variants, and performance. Writer’s article is well suited in this
case as he shed light on one of the profound aircrafts that was produced and used during World
War 2. It will help understand the aircrafts built during this period something that with no doubt
will aid in learning about the early growth of aerospace engineering during the Second World
War.
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