Existing comment:
Assessing Air Power:
By invitation of the US Military Attache to Germany, Truman Smith, Lindbergh made several trips to Germany between 1936 and 1938 to assess that country's air power.
On his first trip in 1936, Lindbergh addressed the German Air Club. He pointed out that ground troops alone were no longer enough to fight and win a war. The technology and growth of aviation made it visible as a means to do battle. After seeing the German Luftwaffe, Lindbergh surmised that the US would not survive a war against Germany, based on the [sic] his knowledge of the US military's inadequate air capabilities. Arguing that the US should stay neutral, he advocated for a military build-up rather than for entering the 'European' war. |