A Comparative Look At Air-Ground Support Doctrine And Practice in World War II

This study summarizes the air-ground support doctrine and systems employed by both the Allies and their adversaries in World War II. It is intended to identify similarities and differences in the doctrinal and procedural systems employed by the cobatants; it is in no sense a complete historical study of air-ground operations during the war. The value of the study lies in its narrow focus on a specific application of air power and in its comparative examination of this application. This approach helps us to understand that, as of 1939, close air support for ground combat