Beyond The Wild Blue is an accurate rendition of the history of the United States Air Force. Using a combination of archival film research and personal interviews with many of the important figures in the history of the Air Force, Beyond The Wild Blue provides a vivid and fast moving portrait of a service which went from the ruins of World War II demobilization to become the principal weapon of the U.S. Armed Forces. Beyond The Wild Blue presents a comprehensive survey of all of the great aircraft and missiles of the United States, along with the crews and commanders that made the U.S. Air Force what it is today. Beyond The Wild Blue would be useful for classes on American History, Military History, and Cultural History and Civics. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Desert Storm to the Future

The 1970s and 1980s saw the emergence of an Air Force determined never again to fight a war on the terms imposed on it in Vietnam. When America confronted Saddam Hussein in the early nineties, new planes like the F-117 Stealth Fighter and J-Stars were tested and proven capable. The public did not yet know it, but the air superiority executed with such style and skill in the Persian Gulf War was based in the newly acquired American supremacy in space-based systems. The conclusive victory in the gulf was the last straw for the Soviet Union, whose leaders realized they could no longer compete with America. Thus the victory in the Gulf War also meant victory in the Cold War.

Vocabulary

• arduous
• coalition
• enunciated
• hyperbole
• ferocity
• allude
• casualties
• obscured
• invulnerable
• venerable
• traumatic
• navigation
• optimum
• integral
• procurement
• redundant

Discussion Questions

1. With the approach of the 21st century, the future of the USAF seems precarious. Why does the USAF face an uncertain future?
2. The USAF of the 19070s and the USAF of the 1990s are quite different. What are the differences in the USAF of the 1970s and the 1990s? To what do you attribute these differences?
3. A USAF "show the flag" maneuver delayed the start of the Persian Gulf War, giving the United States time to deploy its military forces. What is meant by a "show the flag maneuver?" How did it help the United States achieve the precious time needed to launch a successful campaign?
4. The Persian Gulf War was the first war in U.S. history that saw women in combat forces. How did the presence of women necessitate a delicate interaction with Saudi Arabian culture and mores?
5. How did the presence of women in combat forces in the Persian Gulf War change the structure of U.S. military forces forever?
6. The presence of women soldiers in the Persian Gulf War invoked a debate in the United States about the role of women in the military. What are some of the discussions surrounding women in the military that emerged, and are still being debated?
7. The Middle Eastern culture of Saudi Arabia and the United States are vastly different. What are some of the experiences of the U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf that resulted from their being immersed in so different a culture?
8. What is the future of the USAF?

Extended Activities

1. Divide the students into two sections and debate the topic of the role of women in the military.
2. Research the public's reaction to the Persian Gulf War and compare your results with the public's reaction to the Vietnam War. How did the public's attitude influence the wars? What are the differences in the public's attitudes during the two wars?
3. Create a poster welcoming home the troops after the Persian Gulf War.