U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey

USSBS History. There are three principal secondary sources on the history of the USSBS:

David MacIsaac, Strategic Bombing in World War Two: The Story of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (New York: Garland Publishing, 1976). MacIsaac was an officer of the U.S. Air Force, an instructor at the Air Force Academy. While not uncritical regarding his service, he was inclined to be sympathetic. But this remains the most thorough and complete account of the USSBS.

Gordon Daniels, (Editor), A Guide to the Reports of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey, Royal Historical Society guides and handbooks. Supplementary series; no. 2 (London: Royal Historical Society, 1981). Editor Daniels wrote a thoughtful introductory essay about the Survey, although this volume remains most notable for its compilation of tables of contents for all of the 321 (by its count -- counts vary) reports of the USSBS. Also has biographical data on the major Survey participants, up to their service with the USSBS.

Gian P. Gentile, How Effective is Strategic Bombing? Lessons Learned From World War II to Kosovo (New York: New York University Press, 2001). More then half of this brief book is devoted to the USSBS. Author Gentile, a U.S. Army officer who taught at West Point, offers some new evidence and some contrasting interpretations.

Also, Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, "The British and United States Surveys of the Strategic Bombing Offensive," in The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany, 1939-1945, vol. IV (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1961), pp. 40-58.

British Bombing Survey Unit. There was a smaller British effort in parallel with the USSBS whose over-all report has been published commercially.

British Bombing Survey Unit, The Strategic Air War Against Germany, 1939-1945: The Official Report of the British Bombing Survey Unit, ed. Sebastian Cox (London: Frank Cass, 1998).

American Strategic Bombing and Air Power. Of course the reports of the Survey themselves are a major source, but the following supplement them in useful ways.

Wesley Frank Craven and James Lea Cate, The Army Air Forces in World War II, 7 volumes (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1948-1958). The official history. Not terribly penetrating, but useful for chronology and overall structure -- and conveniently available on line from the Air Force.

Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II,15 volumes (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1947-1962). Semi-official history, presenting the Navy side.

Robert Sherrod, History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II (Washington: Combat Forces Press, 1952). Semi-official.

Richard A. Davis, Carl A. Spaatz and the Air War in Europe (Washington: Center for Air Force History, 1993). Spaatz was at the center of the bombing campaign in Europe (and slated to take over in the Pacific just as the war ended) and Davis tells the story well from his commanding perspective. Also available on line.

Thomas H. Greer, The Development of Air Doctrine in the Army Air Arm, 1917-1941 (Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: USAF Historical Division, Research Studies Institute, Air University, 1955). On line.

R. Cargill Hall, (Editor), Case Studies in Strategic Bombardment (Washington: Air Force History and Museums Program, 1998). Another on-line book.

Office of Statistical Control, Army Air Forces Statistical Digest: World War II (Washington: U.S. Army Air Forces, 1945). In on-line form.

For a good, well-researched, readable treatment of the development of air power see Stephen Budiansky, Air Power: From Kitty Hawk to Gulf War II: A History of the People, Ideas and Machines That Transformed War in the Century of Flight (New York: Viking, 2004).

Note: Where possible, links are to on-line sources; these are shown in bold and for the most part are hosted by the Air Force Historical Studies Office, which also provides a number of other publications of related interest. Other links are to Amazon.com, where new or used editions may be available. BookFinder.com sometimes finds used editions not available at Amazon.com, or only available at higher price.

Bibliography and Source Notes USSBS History. There are three principal secondary sources on the history of the USSBS: David MacIsaac, Strategic Bombing in World War Two: The Story of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (New York: Garland Publishing, 1976). MacIsaac was an officer of the U.S. Air Force, an instructor at the Air Force Academy. While not uncritical regarding his service, he was inclined to be sympathetic. But this remains the most thorough and complete account of the USSBS. Gordon Daniels, (Editor), A Guide to the Reports of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey, Royal Historical Society guides and handbooks. Supplementary series; no. 2 (London: Royal Historical Society, 1981). Editor Daniels wrote a thoughtful introductory essay about the Survey, although this volume remains most notable for its compilation of tables of contents for all of the 321 (by its count -- counts vary) reports of the USSBS. Also has biographical data on the major Survey participants, up to their service with the USSBS. Gian P. Gentile, How Effective is Strategic Bombing? Lessons Learned From World War II to Kosovo (New York: New York University Press, 2001). More then half of this brief book is devoted to the USSBS. Author Gentile, a U.S. Army officer who taught at West Point, offers some new evidence and some contrasting interpretations. Also, Charles Webster and Noble Frankland, "The British and United States Surveys of the Strategic Bombing Offensive," in The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany, 1939-1945, vol. IV (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1961), pp. 40-58. British Bombing Survey Unit. There was a smaller British effort in parallel with the USSBS whose over-all report has been published commercially. British Bombing Survey Unit, The Strategic Air War Against Germany, 1939-1945: The Official Report of the British Bombing Survey Unit, ed. Sebastian Cox (London: Frank Cass, 1998). American Strategic Bombing and Air Power. Of course the reports of the Survey themselves are a major source, but the following supplement them in useful ways. Wesley Frank Craven and James Lea Cate, The Army Air Forces in World War II, 7 volumes (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1948-1958). The official history. Not terribly penetrating, but useful for chronology and overall structure -- and conveniently available on line from the Air Force. Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II,15 volumes (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1947-1962). Semi-official history, presenting the Navy side. Robert Sherrod, History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II (Washington: Combat Forces Press, 1952). Semi-official. Richard A. Davis, Carl A. Spaatz and the Air War in Europe (Washington: Center for Air Force History, 1993). Spaatz was at the center of the bombing campaign in Europe (and slated to take over in the Pacific just as the war ended) and Davis tells the story well from his commanding perspective. Also available on line. Thomas H. Greer, The Development of Air Doctrine in the Army Air Arm, 1917-1941 (Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: USAF Historical Division, Research Studies Institute, Air University, 1955). On line. R. Cargill Hall, (Editor), Case Studies in Strategic Bombardment (Washington: Air Force History and Museums Program, 1998). Another on-line book. Office of Statistical Control, Army Air Forces Statistical Digest: World War II (Washington: U.S. Army Air Forces, 1945). In on-line form. For a good, well-researched, readable treatment of the development of air power see Stephen Budiansky, Air Power: From Kitty Hawk to Gulf War II: A History of the People, Ideas and Machines That Transformed War in the Century of Flight (New York: Viking, 2004). Note: Where possible, links are to on-line sources; these are shown in bold and for the most part are hosted by the Air Force Historical Studies Office, which also provides a number of other publications of related interest. Other links are to Amazon.com, where new or used editions may be available. BookFinder.com sometimes finds used editions not available at Amazon.com, or only available at higher price.
	Up Updated July 2008

Bibliography and Source Notes