 |
Juhlio DuweItalian commander
Date of Birth: 30.05.1869
Country:  Italy |
Content:
- Giulio Douhet: Italian Military Theoretician
- Military Career
- Rise During Fascism
- Aerial Warfare Theory
- Implications for Other Forces
- Impact and Legacy
- Soviet Criticism
- Post-World War II Developments
Giulio Douhet: Italian Military Theoretician
Early Life and EducationGiulio Douhet was an Italian military officer and theoretician who played a significant role in the development of aerial warfare. He was born in 1869 and graduated from the artillery and engineering school in Turin and the Staff Academy.
Military Career
Early CommandsFrom 1912 to 1915, Douhet commanded an aviation battalion. When Italy entered World War I in 1915, he served as chief of staff for a division. However, his criticism of the high command led to his imprisonment.
Rise During Fascism
After the rise of the fascist regime in 1922, Douhet became head of the Central Aviation Administration in 1922-23. He retired from active service in 1923.
Aerial Warfare Theory
The Leading Role of Air PowerDouhet's most significant contribution to military theory was his emphasis on the decisive role of air power in future wars. He argued that aviation, by achieving air supremacy, could strike at strategic and economic targets and win wars independently.
Implications for Other Forces
Douhet believed that ground forces and the navy should be limited in size and play primarily a defensive role. He saw air power as the primary means of both offense and defense.
Impact and Legacy
Influence on Military DoctrineDouhet's ideas gained significant traction among Western military leaders and influenced the development of the "blitzkrieg" doctrine in Nazi Germany and the strategic bombing campaigns of the United States and Great Britain during World War II.
Soviet Criticism
Soviet military theorists in the 1930s criticized Douhet's theory, arguing that air power alone could not win wars and that air forces needed to coordinate with ground and naval forces.
Post-World War II Developments
The experiences of World War II and subsequent conflicts have largely discredited Douhet's concept of independent air power. However, his ideas have left a lasting mark on military thinking and continue to inform the development of air warfare doctrine.
