Shooting the Front : Allied Aerial Reconnaisance in the First World War

by Unknown

• ISBN13: 9780752460529
• ISBN10: 0752460528
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2011-09-01
• Publisher: The History Press

Summary

The First World War demanded revolutionary technology to break the vicious stalemate in which the armies of Europefound themselves, as soon as static, or trench warfare became established. One such technology was aerial reconnaissance and photography, which together with the growing intelligence use of phone tapping and radio intercepts, changed the nature of war forever. Colonel Terry J. Finnegan's Shooting the Frontreviews the entire evolution of Allied aerial photography and photographic interpretation during the Great War, in a text packed with data and based upon meticulous research in archives worldwide. The photographs included are both informative and spectacular, charting perforce the early years of aviation itself. Shooting the Frontshows not only how important aerial reconnaissance was to the war effort, but also how it became the foundation for modern-day exploitation of imagery and geospatial intelligence used to guide today's decision makers on global issues, and shaped intelligence work for generations to come. Colonel Terry J. Finnegan served 30 years in parallel careers in the Air Force Reserve and in the Department of Defense as a senior level civil servant supporting NATO and NORAD alliances. His assignments included the National Security Agency, European Command, NATO, Pacific Command and Central Command during OperationDesertStorm. Terry was also a senior civil servant with NORAD, Space Command and the Defense Intelligence Agency. He has written articles for Studies in Intelligence, Over the Topand Over the Front, and was a contributor to Images of Conflict, Military Aerial Photography & Archaeology. He lives in California. 'The definitive reference work ... There is no chance that the work will ever be surpassed' David R. Mets, Professor Emeritus, Schoolof Advanced Airand Space Studies 'Truly a pathbreaking book' Ernest R. May, Charles Warren Professor of American History, HarvardUniversity 'The sourcebook in its field' Col Scott A. Willey, USAF (Ret.), Book Review Editor, Air Power History 'This is a benchmark in World War I aviation history' Walter J. Boyne, former director of the NationalAir & SpaceMuseumof the Smithsonian Institution 'Finnegan has done a remarkable job ... He incorporates the previously neglected dimension of photographic interpretation and its comprehensive battlefield application, from front lines to rear echelons' Dennis Showalter, Professor of History, Colorado College