Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:41:10-2:42:22

Bomber doctrine, not malice, set Air Ministry priorities

Air Ministry leaders sincerely prioritized deterrence through a powerful bomber fleet, leaving naval aviation lower in the resource order until Henderson challenged the arrangement.

Air MinistryBomber DoctrineFleet Air ArmGiulio DouhetReginald HendersonResource AllocationRoyal NavyStrategic Bombing
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Question

Why did the Air Ministry make Fleet Air Arm development so difficult?

Short answer

Because it sincerely treated strategic bombers as Britain's first defense priority, not because it was deliberately hostile to the Navy.

Notes

A viewer asks why the Air Ministry seemed intent on making the Royal Navy's aviation work difficult. Malice is rejected because both institutions believed they were serving Britain. Air Ministry leaders sincerely accepted the idea that the bomber would get through and treated the strongest possible bomber force as the country's safest defense. A later answer traces that belief mainly to Giulio Douhet, with First World War Zeppelin and Gotha interception experience as additional background. Controlled resources therefore went to the bomber force first, leaving the Fleet Air Arm much lower in the queue. Reginald Henderson eventually regained naval control by arguing from engineering requirements and the ordering of service priorities.