Author warren kozak explains to readers about one of the. Born on november 15, 1906, curtis lemay was a united states air force general who actively participated in the world war ii providing strategic air bombing. Jan 01, 2007 curtis lemay was a terrifying, complex, and brilliant general. General curtis lemay, bomb the north vietnamese back to the. Curtis lemay, the youngest and longestserving general in modern american history, rose from obscurity, lacking social graces, oldboy connections, or lineage, to become americas most innovative andto this daycontroversial military commander. This period of cold war danger and madness has been well documented by l. The dust jacket shows some wear see photos small tears and the book is well bound and the signatures are clear. All of these have one man in common general curtis lemay, who remains as unknowable and controversial as he was in life. His outstanding competence as leader and organizer of strategic airpower in world. Lemay at an airshow and asked him if a popular story about him was true. Lemay always picked up general baron at the airport and carried his luggage.
The life and wars of general curtis lemay by warren. His flaws are famous, but this fine, candid book also shows how much we owe him. Air force general who became famous for leading a bombing campaign in the pacific during world war ii. General lemay s plan for the invasion of japan was to carpet bomb japan before the invasion with mustard gas, phosgene, and hydrogen cyanide. He was responsible for tens of thousands of civilian deaths, a fact he liked to celebrate by smoking cuban cigars. Iron eagle the turbulent life of general curtis lemay. Curtis lemay november 15, 1906noctober 1, 1990 was a u. Lemay is known for designing and implementing the systematic strategic bombing campaign in the pacific theater during world war ii. Jan 22, 2011 an interesting read that provides a good background to the development of the us nuclear capability generally, and sac more specifically. Curtis lemay, the air force general and father of the modern strategic air commandwho turned it into an effective instrument of nuclear warwas thought by many to have a paranoid style. Looking on the internet i see several biographies and the general s autobiography.
Lemay and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Read pdf lemay the life and wars of general curtis lemay. The life and wars of general curtis lemay by warren kozak, regnery, washington, d. And then the quote was off to the races, appearing in many media outlets from then on. Lemay signed 1965 book mission with lemay kennedys usaf cos. General curtis lemay and the countdown to nuclear annihilation.
Curtis lemay was a us air force general who was credited during world war ii with developing the strategic bombing campaign against the japanese that greatly helped in. Lemay, and tells the story of his advocacy for preemptive nuclear strikes while leading the u. The life and wars of general curtis lemay us naval war. Read the book on paper it is quite a powerful experience. Curtis lemay is a first class war criminal and the fact should be highlighted in the article. Destruction from the air the army air forces confidential picture h by jr. Lemay is perhaps the most polarizing figure in the u.
He attended columbus public schools and ohio state university. Best of all, if after reading an e book, you buy a paper version of lemay. Edgar hoover, jimmy hoffa, and general curtis lemay. Despite being one of the most important military leaders in world war ii he led the united states bombing campaigns against the japanese you often dont hear very much about general curtis lemay, aside from an odd quote or two in the history books. Every thing that made curtis lemay a great operational commander worked against him as he served an extrordinary long term in washington, dc as vice chief and later chief of staff of the us air force. This book is a quick and dirty overview of the life and career of curtis e. Another good lemay bio is iron eagle, and there are several more in our library. Curtis lemay understood that if he was going to do his job well, he would have to give up any chance at being liked. Also air force records indicate that he returned to. Arnold, and other air force books, has written a comprehensive volume with the. Air force officer whose expertise in strategic bombardment techniques was important during world war ii and afterward. Air force radar specialist sam korth met retired general curtis e.
Curtis lemay download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The life and wars of general curtis lemay 9781596985698. Curtis lemay was also a key strategist in the development of ideas and equipment used in the war. Third, macarthur was not just a controversial man of the right so were generals curtis lemay and george s. Not just by the enemy combatants and civilians whom he destroyed by the thousands, but by his own men, whom he pushed without letup. Curtis e lemay download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The life and wars of general curtis lemay from the worlds largest community of readers. All of these have one man in common general curtis lemay, who remains as enigmatic and controversial as he was in life. Lemay as tillman rightly points out was a great lead from the front general.
The more openminded, however, will find in it a broader perspective on this controversial officer. He was responsible for tens of thousands of civilian deathsa fact he liked to celebrate by smoking cuban cigars. Lemay, the former air force chief of staff who was an architect of strategic air power and insisted that the nation be willing to use nuclear weapons when necessary, died yesterday. In world war ii, he ordered the firebombing of tokyo and was in charge when atomic bombs were dropped on japan. The life and wars of general curtis lemay hardcover may 11, 2009. Quotations by curtis lemay, american soldier, born november 15, 1906. The reason for this is likely because if we take a closer examination of lemay. The more openminded, however, will find in it a broader perspective on this controversial officer than we have had elsewhere. Click download or read online button to get curtis lemay book now. Mar 28, 20 i recently picked up the memoirs of general curtis lemay, partly out of guilt that i dont know more about the history of the air force. I hope i am starting this in the right section of the forum. The book is let down though by a few simple mistakes made by the author which highlight his lack of attention to detail, and considering that the book is all about the detail, this significantly detracts from the book s appeal. All the books in this series are on the short side and serve more as brief introductions to their subjects than authoritative accounts.
Impressed by the prowess of this new firearm, when general lemay became the air force chief of staff in the summer of 1961, he placed 80,000 ar15s on order for the u. Lemay is credited with designing and implementing an effective, but also controversial, systematic strategic bombing campaign in the pacific theater of world war ii. He was hawkish anticommunist and an outspoken advocate of manned air power based on a willingness to use nuclear weapons. An untaken road by steven pomeroy a history of americas look at mobile icbms. General curtis lemay while his official biography indicated that he was in michigan on vacation other information indicates that he may have been in canada when kennedy was killed. Also air force records indicate that he returned to washington on the evening on november 22. Curtis lemay on ufos over ancient egypt general curtis lemay was a larger than life figure who rose to prominence through his command of bombers in the second world war, and and afterwards for his development of the united states armed warfare during the cold war. She also neglects to mention where in michigan her family vacationed and. Curtis lemay remains one of the most controversial figures in american history. On the short list of those who hated president kennedy with a passion and could have killed him and got away with it are allen dulles, william harvey, j. Lemay is one of the most influential, controversial, and important figures in american military history. The life and wars of general curtis lemay hardcover.
Brown and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Included with the rifle was a comic book, outlining how to clean and take care of the rifle. The complete history of the ar15 rifle small wars journal. As many students of military history will tell you, curtis e. Click download or read online button to get curtis e lemay book now. During his storied career lemay commanded in both world war ii theaters of operations, helped orchestrate the response to the berlin crisis of 1948, built strategic air command sac, and served as the chief of staff of the.
Winning armageddon provides definition to an alltoolong misunderstood figure of the cold war, general curtis e. Lemay was a terrifying, complex, and brilliant general. But lemay was also the man who singlehandedly transformed the american air. Without mentioning his name, lemay s daughter, in a lengthly oral history interview, says that her sons godfather was a vegas casino operator and a us army general who often visited her father. Army air corps in 1928, lemay advanced to the position of bombardment group commander by 1942. Ckajenliqvam book lemay the life and wars of general curtis lemay find kindle lemay the life and wars of general curtis lemay read pdf lemay the life and wars of general curtis lemay authored by warren kozak released at filesize. Curtis emerson lemay was american 4star general, father of the strategic air command, who built it into a global strike force.
The life and wars of general curtis lemay by warren kozak. Curtis emerson lemay november 15, 1906 october 1, 1990 was a general in the united. Mission with lemay by general curtis lemay and mckinley kantor lemay s autobiography, with candid comments on leadership, icbms and much more. Chilling tape from air force one on day jfk shot cbs news. Lemay was stationed in the european theatre early in the war, where he became famous for his intense, relentless leadership style. Does anyone here have any thoughts on a good book about gen.
The biography is rather thin and it hits only the highlights of the general s life. Central science for brown, lemay, burstein eighth editon by theodore l lemay. The lodge in canada identified by another lemay enthusiast will be included in his book on the assassination. Nov 27, 20 general curtis lemay while his official biography indicated that he was in michigan on vacation other information indicates that he may have been in canada when kennedy was killed. In world war ii, he ordered the firebombing of tokyo and was in charge when atomic bombs were dropped on hiroshima and nagasaki. General curtis lemay and the countdown to nuclear annihilation as want to read.
Lemay s letters to his wife, helen, 19411945 by benjamin paul hegi book. The life and wars of general curtis lemay, aims to right this historical wrong. Author warren kozak explains to readers about one of the countrys most remarkable warriors, a man whose bravery and military genius helped allied forces smash the axis in the second world war. The life and wars of general curtis lemay, tells the whole story of the innovative pilot and navigator. Curtis lemay 19061990 was a united states air force general. Lemay 19061990 won t convert those utterly convinced that he was a bombhappy maniac. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The bombing of japanese cities including nuclear bombs that fell over hiroshima and nagasaki, must be seen as the cruelest war crime during the ww2. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. In telling this story, trevor albertson builds for the reader a world that, while not in the distant past, has been forgotten by many. General curtis lemay and the countdown to nuclear annihilation is one of the most revealing works about the atom bomb. Army air forces aerial minelaying in world war ii japans outer and inner zones, aaf plan and reality, operation starvation blockade, navy subs, curtis lemay.
The life and wars of general curtis lemay gives an unprecedented glimpse into the might and mind of one of the founding fathers of air power, whose influence, and controversy, continues to this day. Throughout the war, curtis lemay provided methodical and strategic bombings in. After the war, he served as the leader of the strategic air command, the. After the war, he served as the leader of the strategic air command, the u. Curtis emerson lemay november 15, 1906 october 1, 1990 was a general in the united states air force.
Patton but was actually, for nearly 20 years, seriously considered a possible. The life and wars of general curtis lemay fearless, innovative, shrewd, abrasive, lemay is the father of modern air power and the man robert mcnamara has called, the finest combat commander the us has ever produced. And an aide to lemay tried urgently to reach his boss. Lemay 19061990 wont convert those utterly convinced that he was a bombhappy maniac. Based on formerly classified documents, military records, press accounts, interviews and more than 10 years of research, 15 minutes.
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