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Lesson Index: [ Introduction | Lesson Objective | Overview | Strategic Bombardment | Pursuit Aviation | Air Corps Tactical School | Airpower Debates | Ascension of Bombardment | GHQ Air Force | GHQ Air Force Organization | Roles for GHQ Air Force | Response to Roles Proposal | GHQ Air Force—Pros & Cons | GHQ Air Force Stimulates Doctrine | Planning for War | AWPD-1 | AWPD-1 Objectives | Response to AWPD-1 | Field Manual 100-20 | FM 100-20 Concepts | FM 100-20 Centralized Control | Impact of FM 100-20 | Airpower Evolution | Increasing Autonomy | Doctrine Evolves | USAF as Separate Service | Summary | Quiz ]
Title: FM 100-20 Centralized Control
Action: Begin screen with a large image of FM 100-20 in the background with the following title and quote in the foreground:
“…such concentrated use of the air striking force is a battle winning factor of the first importance. Control of available air power must be exercised through the air force commander if this inherent flexibility and ability to deliver a decisive blow are to be fully exploited.”
FM 100-20, 21 July 1943
Voice: Significantly, FM 100-20 declared that to maximize its inherent flexibility,…
Action: Present highlight over “control…commander”:
Voice: …an air commander must centrally control air power in a theater.
Action: Remove the first highlight and replace it with a highlight over “battle…importance” as it is mentioned, along with a highlight over “ability…blow” as mentioned:
Voice: Clearly, the discussion of air power as a “battle winning factor of the first importance” and the idea that air power had the “ability to deliver a decisive blow” pleased most airmen who had long sought acknowledgement that air power was far more than merely a supporter of surface forces.
Action: Remove the highlights.
Voice: Additionally, the manual stated that the theater commander will not normally attach air units to ground force units, a practice that prior to the publication of FM 100-20, was quite commonplace.
[Back: Field Manual 100-20 Concepts | Next: Impact of FM 100-20]