Project B was supposed to limit public release until its evidence had been analyzed, but Mitchell's relationship with the press made that control difficult. His Air Service chief sought his removal shortly before the tests, while the Secretary of War backed away because Mitchell had broad media and public support. An officer central to the exercise increasingly believed that popularity insulated him from discipline. The bombing trials became a public contest before they could function as a controlled technical investigation.
Notable Point · 47:17-48:42
Media leverage shaped Project B's command problem
Mitchell's public support made commanders reluctant to remove him even as secrecy rules and service discipline around Project B were fraying.