Mitchell rejected the idea that the First World War had ended major warfare and expected another war within ten years. He pressed for an independent air force equal in standing to the Army and Navy. Legislation, recommendations, and fact-finding missions to Europe supported that campaign. He also called for battleships to disappear and dismissed the usefulness of aircraft carriers. Those claims made a stronger demand than institutional equality: they subordinated future force planning to air power.
Notable Point · 1:13:15-1:17:53
The independent air force argument and its limits
Mitchell expected another major war and sought an independent air force, while his demand to replace naval power went much further than recognizing aviation's importance.