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Always at War: Organizational Culture in Strategic Air Command, 1946-62 (Transforming War)
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About Always At War: Organizational Culture In Strategic
Product Description Always at War is the story of Strategic Air Command (SAC) during the early decades of the Cold War. More than a simple history, it describes how an organization dominated by experienced World War II airmen developed a unique culture that thrives to this day. Strategic Air Command was created because of the Air Force's internal beliefs, but the organization evolved as it responded to the external environment created by the Cold War. In the aftermath of World War II and the creation of an independent air service, the Air Force formed SAC because of a belief in the military potential of strategic bombing centralized under one commander. As the Cold War intensified, so did SAC's mission. In order to prepare SAC's "warriors" to daily fight an enemy they did not see, as well as to handle the world's most dangerous arsenal, the command, led by General Curtis LeMay, emphasized security, personal responsibility, and competition among the command. Its resources, political influence, and manning grew as did its "culture" until reaching its peak during the Cuban Missile Crisis. SAC became synonymous with the Cold War and its culture forever changed the Air Force as well as those who served. Review "Melvin G. Deaile's Always at War is a welcome addition to a growing literature about the early years of the United States Air Force (USAF) Strategic Air Command (SAC). Deaile (PhD, Univ. of North Carolina) is a retired USAF bomber pilot. Using archival resources at the Air Force Historical Research Agency and the National Archives, as well as oral histories and recollections by SAC veterans, he has written a compelling study of the challenges of creating and sustaining a premier fighting force dedicated to deterring war by maintaining high levels of readiness throughout the forty long years of the Cold War.... A superb historical study of the first US nuclear deterrent force, as well as a discerning meditation on the leadership and culture of high-reliability and high-performing military units." --Michigan War Studies Review "This is perhaps an overdue and welcome book on the Strategic Air Command (SAC) through its formative years to apparent success in 1962 during the Cuba Missile crisis." -- The NAVY Magazine "Deaile has written a fitting tribute." --Canadian Military History " Always at War is a work that will appeal to those who have an interest in the history of air power and want to learn more about how organizational characteristics may impact the functioning of a major military organization." --Marine Corps History "Professor Deaile has made a new departure in air power history with this hard-to-put down book. Highly recommended." --Aerospace "Deaile provides a thoughtful narrative that is well supported by archival research and effectively organized…. The book is a valuable read for those exploring the history of US airpower, air atomic strategy, and military culture." H-War "Deaile's book makes a significant contribution to this growing subfield of Cold War military history. His use of organizational culture theory is illuminating without being overly dense. He clearly demonstrates the strong connections between the experience of World War II and choices made in the early Cold War, a link too often ignored. The historical and bureaucratic context during which SAC came into existence exerted powerful influences on the new command. As a well-written account of his important Air Force organization, Always at War is recommended for general readers interested in aviation history as well as specialist scholars." -- Air Space and Power Journal "Deaile has created a wonderful distillation of Strategic Air Command into a single brief, enjoyable volume. This book is a useful starting point for research into Strategic Air Command and Air Force culture in the early Cold War." -- The Strategy Bridge "The author has researched in depth and presented a very convincing review of how SAC rose to the challenges and dev
