Military Review English Edition March-April 2015 | Page 140

or conscripted by the tens of thousands to work under
often brutal conditions, building military infrastructure
and harvesting rubber for the war efforts. Furthermore,
while describing the Japanese massacre of Australian
POWs at Tol Plantation in February 1942, Gamble
pointedly labels the Japanese “cowards.” While the
massacre certainly qualifies as a war crime, Gamble
undermines his historical objectivity by resorting to
such rhetoric.
Aside from exploring the longest aerial battle of
World War II, Gamble’s work highlights the contemporary geopolitical importance of PNG, which divides
Australasia from the dominant Asiatic powers north
of the equator. Currently, as an energy-hungry China
continues to aggressively assert territorial claims in the
petroleum-rich South China Sea, PNG’s strategic importance for Australian policy makers is certainly being
reexamined. Fortress Rabaul would certainly benefit anyone interested in the Pacific war, the history of military
aviation, and the geopolitical future of the region as the
United States pivots toward the Asia-Pacific.
Capt. Viktor M. Stoll, U.S. Army, King’s
College, London, United Kingdom

BILLY MITCHELL’S WAR WITH THE NAVY:
The Interwar Rivalry Over Air Power
Thomas Wildenberg, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis,
Maryland, 2014, 288 pages

A

lthough there have been many books written
over the years about Billy Mitchell, historian
Thomas Wildenberg has taken a new approach with his latest book. Billy Mitchell’s War with
the Navy looks at the controversial figure from the
point of view of the U.S. Navy and the competition and
animosity that developed between the Army and Navy
during the interwar period. In addition to contributing
to the body of knowledge on Mitchell and the historical
period, Wildenberg also wanted to document the interservice rivalry over airpower that followed World War
I. Billy Mitchell’s War with the Navy is a fascinating
study that illuminates this period of history while providing a new perspective on Mitchell and his impact.
Wildenberg combines thorough research with a very
clear and fluid writing style, which provides the reader
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a balanced analysis of Mitchell as a person and leader,
and an appreciation for the historical period. He corrects
some of the myths and misconceptions about Mitchell’s
role in history. For example, during his research, he
discovers “Mitchell’s importance to the development
of strategic bombing had been grossly overstated by
those interested in perpetuating his iconic image as the
founding father of the U.S. Air Force.” The author also
points out various topics in which other writers did not
thoroughly research some of Mitchell’s statements.
He describes how Mitchell’s strengths and flaws
made him a successful leader and he believes that
Mitchell’s leadership during World War I is often overlooked—although it was instrumental to leading the
nascent Air Force. Although his initiative, drive, knowledge, and ambition were desperately needed, Mitchell
also showed he was willing to violate rules and to even
“twist truth and distort reality” to support his ideas.
“He had a history of disregarding his non-flying
superiors when it suited him,” writes the author, “especially when he felt slighted or threatened.” This yin-yang
quality benefited Mitchell throughout his career but also
eventually derailed him.
The book is very relevant because it raises some
important questions. While the bickering between the
armed services and Congress over policy and budget
could be a potentially dry subject, the author makes
it clear and interesting. Severe austerity provided the
circumstances for the rivalry between the services following World War I. Billy Mitchell’s War with the Navy
is a cautionary tale that will leave readers wondering if
today’s severely constrained fiscal environment could
also lead to this type of situation. The book highlights the
fine line between displaying the moral courage to stand
up for your beliefs and the personal motives that may
be lying underneath. Whether you believe Mitchell was
a hero and a patriot fighting for national defens