Cold War at 30,000 Feet: The Anglo-American Fight for Aviation Supremacy The Anglo-American Fight for Aviation Supremacy

In a gripping story of international power and deception, Jeffrey Engel reveals the “special relationship” between the United States and Great Britain in a new and far more competitive light. As allies, they fought communism. As rivals, they locked horns over which would lead the Cold War fight. In the quest for sovereignty and hegemony, one important key was airpower, which created jobs, forged ties with the developing world, and, perhaps most importantly in a nuclear world, ensured military superiority. Only the United States and Britain were capable of supplying the post-war world’s ravenous appetite for aircraft. The Americans hoped to use this dominance as a bludgeon not only against the Soviets and Chinese, but also against any ally that deviated from Washington’s rigid brand of anticommunism. Eager to repair an economy shattered by war and never as committed to unflinching anticommunism as their American allies, the British hoped to sell planes even beyond the Iron Curtain, reaping profits, improving East-West relations, and garnering the strength to withstand American hegemony. Engel traces the bitter fights between these intimate allies from Europe to Latin America to Asia as each sought control over the sale of aircraft and technology throughout the world. The Anglo–American competition for aviation supremacy affected the global balance of power and the fates of developing nations such as India, Pakistan, and China. But without aviation, Engel argues, Britain would never have had the strength to function as a brake upon American power, the way trusted allies should. "Jeffrey Engel reveals the "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain in a new and far more competitive light. As allies, they fought communism. As rivals, they locked horns over which would lead the Cold War fight. In the quest for sovereignty and hegemony, one important key was airpower, which created jobs, forged ties with the developing world, and perhaps most importantly in a nuclear world, ensured military superiority." "Engel traces the bitter fights between these intimate allies from Europe to Latin America to Asia as each sought control over the sale of aircraft and technology throughout the world. The Anglo-American competition for aviation supremacy affected the global balance of power and the fates of developing nations such as India, Pakistan, and China. But without aviation, Engel argues, Britain would never have had the strength to function as a brake upon American power, the way trusted allies should."--Jacket In a gripping story of international power and deception, Engel reveals the "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain. As allies, they fought Communism; as rivals, they clashed over which would lead the Cold War fight. In the quest for sovereignty and hegemony, Engel shows that one important key was airpower, which created jobs, forged ties with the developing world, and ensured military superiority, ultimately affecting forever the global balance of power Frontmatter Preface (page ix) Introduction (page 1) 1 The Arsenal of Democracy versus British Planning (page 17) 2 Selling Jets to Stalin (page 53) 3 Death by Nene (page 90) 4 Comet Dreams (page 125) 5 A Lead Lost (page 159) 6 Approaching China (page 187) 7 The Viscount Conspiracy (page 216) 8 Aviation on the New Frontier (page 252) Conclusion (page 290) Notes (page 305) Archives, Manuscripts, and Private Interviews (page 331) Acknowledgments (page 335) Index (page 337) Engel reveals the “special relationship” between the U.S. and Great Britain. As allies, they fought Communism; as rivals, they clashed over which would lead the Cold War fight. Engel shows that one key to the quest for sovereignty and hegemony was airpower, which created jobs, forged ties with the developing world, and ensured military superiority.