Page 120 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

120 airpower in 20 Century doCtrines and employment - national experienCes
tH

some degree influenced many of the world’s airforces (including the Italian), thereby
implicitly acknowledge the existence of an international aeronautical community -
and consequently cannot logically deny the possibility that Italian ideas had some
influence in Britain. Unless, that is, they are prepared to assert that influence can only
ever flow in one direction.
I am convinced that there is a need for a thorough and wide-ranging investigation
of this neglected subject: certainly a more comprehensive and deeper investigation
than I have been able to undertake. I will be content if this piece will have played
some small part in stimulating just such an investigation. I realise that at this distance
of time the likelihood of finding conclusive proof (of the “smoking gun” variety) of
Douhet’s influence on British air policy must be considered remote. And I accept that
it was in all probability largely home-grown (I am convinced that it was not entirely
home-grown). But this is a very long way from saying that Douhet was unknown
and of no consequence, as Higham and Liddell Hart assert - or little known and of
no consequence, as Smith asserts. “Largely” allows for some exceptions and though
the evidence I have unearthed is mostly circumstantial, I believe that a jury would
convict. I consider the subject worthy of further research and so invite colleagues in
both Britain and Italy to undertake it.