"Big Week" - February 1944: The US Army Air Force as a Tool of War

Joining me in this episode is Dr. John Curatola, the Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Historian at the National World War II Museum. John talks about "Big Week" which took place 80 years ago this week, from 20 to 25 February 1944, and how this began the shift in how we employed our air forces to try to better utilize this important "tool of war". We also see a shift in the Luftwaffe as they begin to accept the reality that they can no longer realistically keep up with the losses they are suffering, which is undermining the Axis ability to utilize their air power as a "tool of war". Links National WWII Museum Digital Resources (https://www.ww2online.org/) John Curatola, PhD (https://www.nationalww2museum.org/contributors/john-curatola-phd) Autumn of Our Discontent: Fall 1949 and the Crisis in American National Security (https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Our-Discontent-American-National/dp/1682476200/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701003497&sr=8-1) Bigger Bombs for a Brighter Tomorrow: The Strategic Air Command and the American War Plans at the Dawn of the Atomic Age, 1945-1950 (https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Bombs-Brighter-Tomorrow-Strategic/dp/0786494190/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701003552&sr=8-3) No Quarter Given: The Change in Strategic Bombing Application in the Pacific Theater During World War II (https://www.amazon.com/No-Quarter-Given-Strategic-Application-ebook/dp/B06XGJ2DQM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U36YERQFF9IO&keywords=no+quarter+given%2C+the+change+in+strategic+bombing&qid=1701003598&sprefix=no+quartr+given%2C+the+change+in+strategic+bombing%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1) Why We Fight Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/motheroftanks)