Transcript Roots of American-British Co-operation

British-American Relations
“The Union of heart, conviction and common
ideals…among the English –speaking
peoples”
Winston Churchill
With a few notable exceptions a close
relationship has existed on a number of
levels:
♦ Diplomatic
♦ Political
♦ Economic
♦ Intellectual
♦ by the end of 19th century military
Relationship strengthened during
World War I.
United States entered War on Allied
side - April 6, 1917
military co-operation essential.
American military leaders learned from
British combat experience 1914-1917
Billy Mitchell
“From his friend General Hugh
Trenchard, Commander of the
British Royal Flying Corps, he
learned to think of the airplane as
an offensive weapon, best used in
giant fleets of bombers striking
against the enemy’s homeland”
In September 1918 Mitchell commanded allied
group of nearly 1500 airplanes in the first mass use
of aircraft for bombing attacks
♦ on enemy supply routes
♦ and in support of ground troops.
WORLD WAR II
• During the early days of WW II the
US sought to pursue a policy of
neutrality.
• Neutrality Acts of the 1930s
• President Roosevelt limited in ability
to assist embattled Britain.
• Destroyer Base Agreement – Sep 2, 1940
• Britain’s need for additional destroyers and
the United States’ need for additional air and
naval bases
• Lend Lease Act – March 11, 1941
• Designed to enable US to aid allies not
withstanding the limitations of Neutrality
legislation
LEND LEASE
• Allowed President to lend, lease, or
transfer war materials to any country
deemed vital to security of the United
States
• Send “guns not sons”
• Send “billions not bodies”
• Arnold Plan
Arnold Plan
• Allowed British Pilots to be trained in
the US
• Maxwell and Gunter Fields
• Army Air Corps devoted 1/3 of its pilot
training capacity to training British pilots
• First Students arrived August
1941
• Class 42 – A
• 158 British Cadets
• 30 American Cadets
• Most of 1942 Gunter primarily
British Basic Flying Training
School
After graduating from Gunter
Advanced Training at:
Maxwell
Other SEAC Training Fields
POST WAR Period
• Marshall Plan
• $13 Billion in Aid to Europe
• European “economic miracle”
Post War Maxwell
• Air University established 12 March 1946
• Dedication Ceremony 3 September
• Air Vice Marshal Sir Hugh P. Lloyd keynote speaker
• RAF Officer - observer and liaison officer
• 1948 became official member AU/CC advisory
staff – continues through today
British-American Relationship
•Special Nature
•Allies in 2 World Wars
•Mutual support during conflicts in
•Korea
•Vietnam
•Falklands
•Kosovo
•Persian Gulf