Case study analysis of air power development as a test of external democratic behavior.

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by  MacDonald, Robert J.;Moyano, Maria Jose.

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
THESIS
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS OF AIR POWER
DEVELOPMENT AS A TEST OF EXTERNAL
DEMOCRATIC STATE BEHAVIOR
by
Robert J. MacDonald
March 1996
Thesis Advisor: Maria Moyano
Thesis
M183272
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4. TITLEAND SUBTITLE Case Study Analysis ofAir Power Development as a 5. FUNDING NUMBERS
Test ofExternal Democratic State Behavior. (UNCLASSIFIED)
6. AUTHOR(S)RobertJ. MacDonald
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13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200words)
The United States National Security Strategy is based on two essential propositions: that peaceful
international relations can be established through the global spread of democracy and economic
capitalism. This thesis challenges the premise of democratic peace through a case study analysis of
French, British, and United States' air power development in the 1920s and 1930s. The most powerful
argument supporting this theorem is that a democracy's culture, perceptions, and practices inculcate
internal nonviolent conflict resolution which are, in turn, practiced in their external relations with other
states. Ifthis were true, a democracy's international interaction will reflect these influences in their
military, economic, and political exchanges. Focusing on the military aspect of international relations
supporting national security, this thesis evaluates if democracies historically tended toward more
humanitarian approaches. Did the development and application ofdemocratic state air power doctrine
support the notion that democracies tend to be peaceful international actors? At stake is the direction
of United States' national security policy and whether it will be based on an idealistic view of
international interaction-the "prism of peace"; or whether it should continue to be founded with a
realist's eye toward interstate relative power considerations.
14. SUBJECTTERMS Perpetual Peace-Democratic PeaceTheory-National Security 15. NUMBEROFPAGES
262
Strategy-Military Strategy-Military Doctrine-AirPowerTheory-AirPowerDoctrine-
Strategic Bombing-Humanitarian-Democracy-Democratic States 16. PRICECODE
17. SECURITYCLASSIFICA- 18. SECURITYCLASSIFICATION 19. SECURITYCLASSIFICA- 20. LIMITATIONOF
TIONOFREPORT OFTHISPAGE TIONOFABSTRACT ABSTRACT
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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS OF AIR POWER DEVELOPMENT AS A
TEST OF EXTERNAL DEMOCRATIC BEHAVIOR
Robert MacDonald
J.
Major, United States Air Force
B.S., United States Air Force Academy, 1983
M.S., Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, 1994
Submitted in partial fulfillment
ofthe requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS IN NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS
from the
NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
March 1996

DUDLEY -RARY
K!
SCHOOL
NAVAL SATE
>
MONTEREY CA 93943-5101
ABSTRACT
The United States National Security Strategy is based on two essential proposi-
tions: that peaceful international relations can be established through the global spread of
democracy and economic capitalism. This thesis challenges the premise of democratic
peace through a case study analysis of French, British, and United States' air power
development in the 1920s and 1930s. The most powerful argument supporting this
theorem is that a democracy's culture, perceptions, and practices inculcate internal
nonviolent conflict resolution which are, in turn, practiced in their external relations with
other states. If this were true, a democracy's international interaction will reflect these
influences in their military, economic, and political exchanges. Focusing on the military
aspect of international relations supporting national security, this thesis evaluates if
democracies historically tended toward more humanitarian approaches. Did the develop-
ment and application of democratic state air power doctrine support the notion that
democracies tend to be peaceful international actors? At stake is the direction ofUnited
States' national security policy and whether it will be based on an idealistic view of
international interaction—the "prism of peace"; or whether it should continue to be
founded with arealist's eye toward interstate relative power considerations.
VI
..
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. 1
BACKGROUND
A.
1
PURPOSE
B. 2
RELEVANCE
C. 3
METHODOLOGY
D. 4
DELIMITATIONS
E. 5
F. RESEARCHER'S WORK SETTING AND ROLE 6
G. RESEARCH DESIGN 7
ASSESSMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEACE THEORY
II. 11
INTRODUCTION
A. 11
B. ANTECEDENTS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEACE THEORY 12
REALISM
C. 17
D. SYNOPSIS 21
ASSESSMENT OF THE THEORY
E. 21
1 The Structural Case 23
2. The Normative Case 28
3. Synopsis 37
CONCLUSION
F. 38
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN EXPECTED DEMOCRATIC
III.
BEHAVIOR AND AIR POWERDOCTRINE 41
INTRODUCTION
A. 41
B. INTERNAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMOCRATIC
STATES 42
C. MILITARY POWERAS A CULTURAL EXPRESSION 44
1 Primitive Warrior Societies 45
2. The Nomadic Warriors 47
D. THE STRATEGY PROCESS 50
E. THE DOCTRINE STRATEGY RELATIONSHIP 56
F. SYNOPSIS 59
G. CONCLUSION 62
IV. FOUNDATION FORANALYSIS 65
A. INTRODUCTION 65
B. GLOSSARY OF TERMS 66
C. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 67
1. Factors Affecting the Development ofAir Power 67
vn
. .
2. Recurrent Themes in the Development ofAirPower Theory 72
3. Synopsis -. 87
D. HUMANITARIAN CONCERNS OVER AIR POWER 89
CONCLUSION
E. 96
V. CASE STUDY ANALYSIS: L'ARMEEDEVAIR 99
INTRODUCTION
A. 99
B. FRENCH AIR POWER THEORY 101
C. THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH AIR DOCTRINE 109
D. L'ARMEEDEVAIR: FORCE STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION ..115
E. EVALUATION OF FRENCH AIR POWER EMPLOYMENT 123
CONCLUSION
F. 127
VI. CASE STUDY ANALYSIS: THE ROYAL AIR FORCE 131
INTRODUCTION
A. 131
B. BRITISH AIR POWER THEORY 132
C. THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH AIR DOCTRINE 137
1 Post World War I and 1920's Air Power Doctrinal Development. 137
2. RAF Doctrinal Development in the 1930s 145
3. Synopsis 152
D. RAF ORGANIZATION AND FORCE STRUCTURE 154
E. EVALUATION OF BRITISH AIR POWER EMPLOYMENT 167
CONCLUSION
F. 173
VII. CASE STUDY ANALYSIS: THE UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE 177
. .
A. INTRODUCTION 177
B. UNITED STATES AIR POWER THEORY 179
C. THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNITED STATES AIR DOCTRINE 188
1. United States' Air Power Doctrinal Development inthe 1920s. ... 189
2. AAF Doctrinal Development in the 1930s 198
3. Synopsis 202
D. AAF ORGANIZATION AND FORCE STRUCTURE 204
E. EVALUATION OF AMERICAN AIRPOWER EMPLOYMENT 214
F. CONCLUSION 220
VIII. CONCLUSION 225
LIST OF REFERENCES 237
INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST 243
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