Robert A. Lovett and the Development of American Air Power

Robert Lovett grew up in Texas, went to Yale, and earned his wings as a naval air force hero in World War I. He played a key role in the development of the Army Air Force in World War II. His emphasis on strategic bombing was instrumental in defeating Hitler’s Germany. During his postwar State Department service, he was influential in initiating the Marshall Plan, the formation of NATO and planning the Berlin Airlift. He served as Truman’s Secretary of Defense during the Korean War, was a consultant for his friend Dwight Eisenhower and served John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Between tours of duty in Washington, he was an international banker on Wall Street. This first complete biography covers his life and career in detail.

Philadelphia baseball fan David M. Jordan is a retired attorney and the author of ten books on the Civil War, political events, and baseball.

David M. Jordan

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 269
Bibliographic Info: 7 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2019
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7549-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3477-7
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vii
Preface 1
1. Texas, New York, Pottstown and New Haven 3
2. The Yale Unit 8
3. Off to Europe 14
4. Back from the War 20
5. To Washington 30
6. Lovett Goes to Work 35
7. The Big Problem 45
8. Manpower Issues 53
9. Running the Air Force 60
10. Keep ’em Flying 66
11. The Campaign for 1943 72
12. The War Grinds On 81
13. Moving Onward 90
14. To the End 94
15. On to the State Department 102
16. Working on the Marshall Plan 111
17. Getting It All Done 120
18. The Issue of Palestine 127
19. On to Berlin … By Air 140
20. More Problems 150
21. Setting Up NATO 157
22. Back to Wall Street … for a While 165
23. On to the Defense Department 175
24. In Truman’s Cabinet 182
25. Out of the Government, Technically 196
26. Times with Kennedy … and LBJ 207
27. The Later Years 219
Chapter Notes 225
Bibliography 241
Index 249