Wings of Empire: The Forgotten Wars of the Royal Air Force, 1919-1939

During the First World War, British power in the colonies was declining. A group of visionaries, including Winston Churchill and T.E. Lawrence, proposed using the aeroplane as a weapon to save the empire. The RAF implemented a radical strategy of air control to subdue vast swathes of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. "Wings of Empire" is a compelling account of the colonial air campaigns that saw young airmen take to the skies to battle against warlords, jihadists, and hostile tribes. This book chronicles the full story of the RAF's most extraordinary conflict for the first time.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 21 January 2019
Publisher: The History Press Ltd

After the First World War, British power in the colonies reached an all-time low. However, a group of visionaries, including Winston Churchill and T.E. Lawrence, believed that the aeroplane, the wonder weapon of the age, could save the empire. The Royal Air Force (RAF) adopted a radical strategy of air control to suppress vast regions of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. In "Wings of Empire," author Andrew Roberts delves into the captivating story of the colonial air campaigns that witnessed a generation of young airmen take to the skies to confront warlords, jihadists, and hostile tribes. This book offers a comprehensive account of the RAF's most extraordinary conflict, providing a fresh perspective on the role of air power in shaping the course of history.

The First World War marked a significant turning point in the history of British imperialism. The war had exhausted the British economy and military, and the colonies were demanding greater autonomy and self-determination. The British government was reluctant to give in to these demands, but the situation changed when a group of visionaries, including Winston Churchill and T.E. Lawrence, proposed that the aeroplane, the wonder weapon of the age, could save the empire.

The RAF adopted a radical strategy of air control to suppress vast regions of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The air force used its superior technology and mobility to strike at the enemy's supply lines, infrastructure, and troops. This strategy was successful in breaking the back of the Ottoman Empire and defeating the German forces in Africa.

However, the air campaigns also had a devastating impact on the local populations. The RAF bombed cities and towns, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The air force also used aerial surveillance to target and assassinate political leaders and resistance fighters, further inflaming the tensions between the colonizers and the colonized.

The colonial air campaigns also had a lasting impact on the RAF itself. The air force developed new technologies and tactics that were used in later conflicts, such as the Second World War. The air campaigns also helped to shape the RAF's identity as a force that was committed to protecting the empire and promoting British values.

In conclusion, the colonial air campaigns were a significant chapter in the history of British imperialism. The RAF's use of air power to suppress vast regions of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa was a radical strategy that had a lasting impact on the empire and the world. While the air campaigns were successful in breaking the back of the Ottoman Empire and defeating the German forces, they also had a devastating impact on the local populations and helped to shape the RAF's identity as a force that was committed to protecting the empire and promoting British values.

Weight: 500g
Dimension: 231 x 194 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780750989381
Edition number: 2 New edition