John Warden and the Renaissance of American Air Power

This book is more than simply the biography of the most controversial figure in modern air power, it is also an examination of how air power theory evolved in the USAF in the 1980s, culminating in the stunning success of the Desert Storm Air Campaign. The biographical aspect of the book is well-researched and fair. The picture it paints of an abashed maverick provides key insights into the man, and an excellent foundation for understanding how his views of air power developed. By incorporating the full spectrum of views of Warden, Olsen makes it easy to appreciate why Warden was, and still is, such a divisive figure not only in the US, but world over. To be sure, this is an intellectual and operational biography, the impact of his family and private life are barely glanced at. This ensures that the story being told of the evolution of air power in the USAF is not sidetracked. This is not a weakness at all; however, it would be interesting to know how the people behind this giant of modern air power shaped his approach to presenting his ideas. The other aspect of the book is the examination of the changes in US air power in which Warden played a pivotal role. For an enthusiast brought up in the post-Gulf War world, Warden's ideas, though controversial at the time, are now the conventional wisdom. To read the battle that was waged to get these ideas into the mainstream is both eye-opening and disturbing. The lengthy examination of the development and implementation of INSTANT THUNDER, the Gulf War air campaign, make this book a must read for all military history enthusiasts. In summary, this is an excellent book that is a must read for all interested in or involved with the application of air power. I would also recommend it to those with interested in the intellectual history of the US military.

John Andreas Olsen's "John Warden and the Renaissance of American Air Power" is an excellent and thorough analysis of the importance of operational art and strategic thinking in the application of air power, told through the career of Air Force Colonel John Warden. The book combines elements of biography, campaign history, and strategic theory to present the story of the United States Air Force's attempts to move from a tactical, systems approach to warfare to one focused on applying air power to achieve decisive strategic effects. Olsen succeeds in demonstrating Warden's impact on the service's culture and war fighting focus. Olsen is at his best when discussing Warden's contributions to air power theory, as well as his ideas on professional military education, air force doctrine, and the development of the Instant Thunder air campaign plan in support of Operation Desert Storm. His writing is less focused on Warden's early career and operational assignments, details of which are mostly provided for context. Readers looking for accounts of dodging surface to air missiles over North Vietnam, or detailed discussion of weapons systems will be disappointed. Those interested in the application of theory and doctrine to real-world contingency operations have a great deal to learn from Olsen's efforts. He brings an educated air officer's perspective to his analysis, and provides an objective discussion of the role of air power at the operational and strategic levels of war "John Warden and the Renaissance of American Air Power" is very well researched, with excellent footnotes and a great selected bibliography. Serious students will enjoy reading these sections of the book to see where they can learn more about the subject. I highly recommend this book to military officers of all services, students studying national security topics, and anyone interested in defense issues.

This is an excellent book indeed. Not only does it have a lot to say about the way airpower is and should be used in modern war, but it also explains how the U.S military, and presumably not only the U.S military, REALLY work. All this is done on the basis of extremely thorough research that is a model of its kind. A very good book--highly recommended for anybody interested in airpower. Go and get it!