And was engrossed once again. Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we dont know. Everyone, generals included, hated the mass . I am a big fan of Malcolm Gladwell. The destruction was so far beyond anything theyd seen before that the reality of the reports coming in from American bases in the Mariana Islands just didnt register. The book description sounds exactly like the podcast. Editions of The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and - Goodreads After the undeniable horrors of the Great War, a group of Army Air Corps generals spent much of the 1930s brainstorming ways to use airpower to make war bombing more strategic while keeping casualties to a minimum. The unexpected hero of Gladwells story is Curtis LeMay yes, that one, the general who firebombed Tokyo and dozens of other Japanese cities and then, decades later, supposedly advocated bombing the Vietnamese back into the Stone Age. When he is introducing characters and showing them in conflict, The Bomber Mafia is gripping. [24] DeGroot said "the subject demands more depth than this volume provides", and stated Gladwell boiled down the bombing strategy's evolution to personality clashes between Hansell and LeMay while ignoring other major factors, such as how the morality and acceptance of bombing evolved. So it is probably too early, far too early, to believe that wide-area, city-destroying attacks that kill large numbers of civilians have become a horror only of the past. What about the sailor whose ship is torpedoed and who hangs from debris in the water with no chance of rescue? Gladwell has been included in the TIME 100 Most Influential People list and touted as one of Foreign Policys Top Global Thinkers. Hansell was a junior member of the Bomber Mafia, a group that put its faith in the new Norden precision bombsight. Note from the author Malcolm Gladwell, author . Japan was largely self-sufficient as far as food is concerned, they would have become uncomfortable but they would not have starved to death. Two questions have students connect the material to today. Didnt have it in his soul. After a few months in command of the B-29 raids on Japan, Hansell was dismissed and replaced by LeMay, who was told to come up with a new plan. Those are exactly the same, but there's a lot more to the book. Ultimately, though, the Bomber Mafia was right. [19] Publishers Weekly stated "this history feels more tossed off than fully fledged", though Gladwell "provide[d] plenty of colorful details and pose[d] intriguing questions about the morality of warfare". The Bomber Mafia, through a "failure of imagination" in not expanding the doctrine to include establishing air superiority as a prerequisite for success,[16] would not accept either of these conceptsthey believed the heavy bomber fleet could protect itself, and thus they contributed to the delay in the development of a long-range escort fighter until two years into the war. We won the war when we did because our aircraft carriers were luckily out of Pearl Harbor when it was invaded, we were never going to lose but our task would have become daunting if we had to re-build our aircraft carrier fleet in my opinion Germany invaded Russia for its oil, oil was and is the commodity needed for modern militaries, Your email address will not be published. The print has its merits of being able to take your time to know the history of the "bomber mafia." Here is Gladwells stunning description of a United States Air Force B-17 bomber being cut up on a run over Germany: One 20-millimeter cannon shell penetrated the right side of the airplane and exploded beneath the pilot, cutting one of the gunners in the leg. By dropping bombs with precision onto strategic targets, Hansell believed wars could be won faster and with far less . Relevance; Rating; Price (Ascending) Most Recent; View: Filter. It's a history of the dueling philosophies regarding bombing that existed in the US military during World War II. We are excited to provide you an exclusive Listener's Guide that offers an inside look at the production process, archival imagery, and commentary from Malcolm and the producers and engineers involved with this extraordinary project. [23], Several reviewers criticized the book for its accuracy, and for being light on details. Weve all be taught that it was the two atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki that caused the Japanese to surrender. "[26] Fedman and Karacas state "[w]ittingly or not, [Gladwell] omits or downplays evidence that undermines the very premise of the book. You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with 1. Actually, Gladwell mentions that the audio style is the initial text, as well as the hardback is the secondary item. T H E B O M B E R M A FI A. l i ste n er's g u i de ma lc o l m g l a d w e l l Thank you for purchasing Malcolm Gladwell's The Bomber Mafia.. Required fields are marked *. [6] Though unproven, the major attraction of this sort of strategic bombing doctrine was that a war was expected to be won relatively quickly, with minimal casualties, and that grinding, static trench warfare as seen in World War I could be avoided. You can send this audiobook as a gift by visiting this page to select the audiobook and enter your lucky recipients information. Fans of Revisionist History will recognize some of the characters from the last season of the podcast, but The Bomber Mafia expands on these episodes and includes new original interviews, archival footage, and a fresh analysis of one of the most important events in military history. Emphasizes just how technical breakthroughs are typically made use of in means they were not indicated. This book once more casts an extra critical eye on this situation and outcome. Copyright 2023 Military.com. [9], When the United States entered World War II, the Bomber Mafia's doctrine proved of little military use and costly in implementation with the realities of current technology under real-world combat conditions. We have updated our Privacy Policy 4.9 . Malcolm Gladwell and "The Bomber Mafia". dan is the author of six books about business and human behavior including "the new york times" bestseller he is a great friend and we cannot wait to host him and his upcoming book. [12] The teaching of fighter ("pursuit") tactics declined, though Earle E. Partridge and Hoyt S. Vandenberg continued to discuss the role of the fighter. The notion that we were ever going to tolerate a land invasion of Japan is simply not true, we could have cut them off and let their cities crumble. As for Vietnam, Johnson and Mcnamara screwed that up by NOT applying LeMay principals and the war should have been ended in 1965 , again saving many lives. [2] Precision in bombing was not achieved until long-range fighter escorts became available and air superiority was achieved, as opponents had warned. The Bomber Mafia Reader Q&A - Goodreads Part one on the extraordinary life of the Air Force General Curtis LeMay. This ferocious approach may have helped end the war, but there is no question that it was horrible. General Haywood Hansell is being relieved from overseeing the 21st Bomber Command, to be replaced by General Curtis LeMay. Margaritaville at Sea is a 1,680-passenger cruise ship that first started sailing early this year. In The Bomber Mafia, Malcolm Gladwell weaves together the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in central Alabama, a British psychopath, and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard to examine one of the greatest moral challenges in modern American history. [25] Professors Fedman and Karacas stated that errors "pile up to the point where it becomes clear that a book that has received so much attention ought to have received more fact-checking". How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? The audiobook brings to life the stories. The print has its merits of being able to take your time to know the history of . Kelsey formulated a new "interceptor" class of aircraft in order to sustain his idea that a well-armed fighter aircraft could successfully attack enemy bombers, and that, given drop tanks for long range, it could defend friendly bombers all the way to the target and back.[15]. But it was news to me. So, he asserts, Curtis LeMay won the battle. They also complete an image analysis section and create two propaganda posters from different . Thank you for purchasing The Bomber Mafia, an audiobook by Malcolm Gladwell. Many historians posit that the primary reason for Japanese surrender was not the use of the atom bomb. Please check back soon for future events. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell. Their assurance, their journey gets provided a little bit too late for it to have any substantial bearing on the war. I would have been bored with this when I was 11--likely he would be, too. Your seamless listening experience is powered by Supporting Cast. To most people, a city park is a grace note, a green space that makes urban life more livable. It is also the story of the ascent of Air force. The Bomber Mafia A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War Audio Book Free Online Download. Why were the North Vietnamese such a powerful force, because they were colonized for generations and their cities were being carpet bombed by B52s from 40,000, if you kill someones family you should prepare to face their relatives. A second shell hit the radio compartment, cutting the legs of the radio operator off at the knees. Ive read most of Gladwells books, but he always finds something new to tackle from a different angle. The mushroom cloud of atomic bombs minimizes the function of air campaign which annihilated the cities with a view to damage the morale of the forces. It reviews the capabilities that todays military has in terms of bombing and notes that the Bomber Mafias philosophy of precision bombing won out in the end. Sorry, but these apps are not currently supported: Stitcher, Podbean, or NPR One. [17] Hansell wrote: It was recognized that fighter escort was inherently desirable, but no one could quite conceive how a small fighter could have the range of the bomber yet retain its combat maneuverability. Malcolm Gladwells new book and audiobook The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation and the Longest Night of the Second World War digs deep into one of the lesser-known rivalries of the war, the one between Brig. [7] This could lead to a minimum of war-time casualties with new technology such as the Norden bombsight. This is a preview of the digital audiobook of The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell, available on Libro.fm at https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781735803227?cmp=li. The Next Big Idea: THE BOMBER MAFIA: Malcolm Gladwell on Warfare Malcolm Gladwell's extraordinary new book, "The Bomber Mafia," tells the story of a group of pilots who met on a muggy airbase in central Alabama and hatched a plan to revolutionize warfare. War stories are a brand-new category for those utilized to Macolm Gladwells distinct brand of nonfiction. Malcolm Gladwell - The Bomber Mafia Audiobook - Free Audiobooks The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War. Whats more, the sight itself was less accurate in real-world conditions than during testing. McFarland, Stephen L.; Richard P. Hallion (2008). This page was last edited on 16 June 2022, at 01:38. Chapter 7 provides some background regarding the development at Harvard University of napalm, an incendiary substance that could be used in bombs to create an intense firestorm. [4] He devoted four episodes of the fifth season of Revisionist History to air power in World War II, and stated the audiobook served as an expansion of material from the podcast. Another example: Gladwell calls the firebombing of Tokyo on March 9 and 10, 1945, the longest night of the war. This unfortunate phrase, this unproven superlative, is repeated in the books unwieldy subtitle. [8] In that regard, this was at odds with Britain's Royal Air Force' doctrine of area bombing under the command of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Harris. New Review from Brian Castner: Malcolm Gladwell's "The Bomber Mafia This advancement of how warplanes were deployed is rather remarkable. In the late 1930s, they shared a philosophy that with the new Norden bombsight, bombing could be done more effectively, hitting the enemys vital military targets (called choke points). This page is not available in other languages. People growing up on animations and motion pictures see planes going down bombs/shooting targets as if done through cross hairs. The imposter foods ought to additionally be moved up on the bomb listing. After the war, LeMay was given a high medal by the Japanese government. The additional we obtain from these events the less we appear to appreciate it was a various time and lacking much of the technology we currently take for given. Nixon tried the LeMay strategy in North Vietnam, and we all know how that ended. LeMay replaced Hansell at the end of 1944 and soon began a campaign of terror that eventually visited virtually every major city in Japan. 1. Its proponents continued to promote the doctrine into the Atomic Age, forming the Strategic Air Command to carry out a vision modified to fit the needs of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear warfare. As a key member of the Bomber Mafia, Hansells theories of precision bombing had been foiled by bad weather and human error. I didn't know he had a podcast on this topic, but after listening to the book my immediate thought was "Why did I pay for this book? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For the first few years, the strongest voice at ACTS against the bomber doctrine was Captain (later General) George C. Kenney who called for the use of air power to attack enemy fighting units on the ground. Napalm is a gel that when it explodes, blows large clumps of fiery hot substance that sticks to every substance and burns brightly for several minutes. tags:Second world war, World War. in History Nonfiction June 10, 2021, Malcolm Gladwell The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War Audiobook. These Podcasts Aren't So Sure", "Presenting: The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell", "The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War", "The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell review why 'precision bombing' is an utter delusion", "Wrestling with the strategy and morality of the firebombing of Japan", "The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell, review the Outliers author on the morality of war", "Malcolm Gladwell on the Hard Decisions of War", "When Pop History Bombs: A Response to Malcolm Gladwell's Love Letter to American Air Power", "Malcolm Gladwell's The Bomber Mafia is misleading history-lite", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Bomber_Mafia&oldid=1134344848, This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 06:23. After graduating from ACTS in 1931, Mitchell protge Harold L. George stayed at the school to refine and teach the new bombing theory, soon recruiting as teachers his former students Haywood S. Hansell, Donald Wilson and Laurence S. Kuter as fellow bomber advocates. Content Warning: The source text contains historical quotations that use offensive terms for Japanese people. Guide because backdrop is a story of optimism. [4][5] In contrast, American theorists devised a strategy of pin-point bombing that targeted the enemy economy and the production of weapons. It's true: The audiobook breaks conventional audiobook standards, as this is a well-produced audio experience. Privacy Policy | As a work of history, it borders on reckless". Fortunately for LeMay, there was another new technology on the horizon. After you enter your email address, youll get a unique link. Why? [3], This theory was first espoused by Italian General Giulio Douhet, though his ideas included the terror bombing of population centers that the American theorists eschewed. His latest book, The Bomber Mafia, deals primarily with the philosophies of bombing during World War II, and has not become a best seller at least not yet. The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell - Audiobook - Audible.com Copyright 2023 Free Audiobooks. He has been a staff writer at The New Yorker magazine for over 25 years and was named by Time magazine as one of its 100 Most Influential People. However the tale deserves to be informed. Malcolm Gladwell - Home | Malcolm Gladwell Once Japan became secluded on their mainland why not just create a complete blockade of the whole nation? Yet he also concludes that in the long run, in the years that followed, the idealistic Hansell was right to believe that an air campaign based on precision strikes was possible. That Japanese cities were bombed beyond those I found out about, in a fashion I rarely want to picture. Purchase the audiobook by using the form on an audiobook page. One historian tells the author that Hansell was not the kind of man who was willing to kill hundreds of thousands of people. LeMay has taken over from Hansell and used napalm, resulting in markedly more success but also much greater destruction and killing of civilians. All rights reserved. The Bomber Mafia follows the stories of a reclusive Dutch genius and his homemade computer, Winston Churchill's forbidding best friend, a team of pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard, a brilliant pilot who sang vaudeville tunes to his crew, and the bomber commander, Curtis Emerson LeMay, who would order the bloodiest attack of the Second World War. [1] The bomber mafia's strategic doctrine, changed by war and experience, helped shape the mission of the new Air Force and its Strategic Air Command.[2].