Airships in International Affairs 1890 - 1940 [Hardcover]

This book analyses the unique psychological appeal of the airship worldwide and shows how this appeal was exploited for ulterior political purposes. They were used by Count Zeppelin to advance German militarism, American Admiral Moffett to fight US Army aviation ambitions, British Lord Thomson to foster Socialism and strengthen Empire ties, Mussolini to promote Italian Fascism, Stalin to foster world Communism, and Hitler to promote Nazi ideology. As airships roamed worldwide, so they carried these political influences with them.List of illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction: Technology and the Human Psyche Imperial German Precedents, 1890-1918 Zeppelins in International Politics, 1919-1921 Zeppelins Reborn in America, 1922-1924 Airships in International Political Competition, 1924-1928 International Airships Hubris and Adversity, 1928-1930 Buffeting for German and American Airships, 1931-1935 Airship Wonder Captured by Nazi Ideology, 1935-1940 Conclusion Suggested Further Reading Notes Index

'This well-written and very informative study illuminates the political and emotional legacy of giant airships.' - R.E. Bilstein, Choice

JOHN DUGGAN is currently editor of Zeppelin, the quarterly journal of the Zeppelin Study Group. He is co-author (with Manfred Bauer) of LZ 130Graf Zeppelin and the end of Commercial Airship Travel, (with Jim Graue) Commercial Zeppelin Flights to South America and (with Gisela Woodward) Graf Zeppelin Polar Post.

HENRY CORD MEYER, a naval officer during the war and subsequently Professor at Pomona College, Stanford University and the University of California received the prestigious G.L. Beer prize in European History (American Historical Association) in 1956. His publications include Airshipmen, Businessmen and Politics, 1890-1940 and Count Zeppelin: A Psychological Portrait.