Defiance is Key to American Success: Why history should remember Claire Lee Chennault
Posted by overmanwarrior 10 years ago to History
A few days ago I introduced you dear reader to a book that is very close to my heart, Way of the Fighter by Claire Lee Chennault, the famous World War II general and leader of the valiant Flying Tigers. There are times when I go to Wright Patterson Airforce Base just to sit next to the P-40 on display there. It reminds me of what America should be, instead of what it has become. I am also glad to report that the Tri State Warbird Museum down the road from my house have successfully restored a P-40 from New Zealand. They restored the P-40 to the paint scheme of the ace pilot that had flown it, which does not have the famous mouth on the front. But that P-40 to me is special to behold. Every morning that I ride my motorcycle in the cold putting on my U.S. Wings leather jacket to battle the elements it reminds me of the old fighter pilots from the early days of aviation, which was a specifically American invention. The Germans, the Japanese, and the British copied off American designs and tried to improve upon them, but it was America that developed aviation, and pushed each new technical break-through. The P-40 is a representation of this early period between the old bi-planes and the much faster and durable planes like the Mustang and Corsairs that would follow.
A certain kind of abstract appreciation must be granted to "warbird" aircraft, just the same as we nod to the heroic Bolsheviks who thought that they could build a brave new world. (See "We the Living" by Ayn Rand.) But it does not take much objective analysis to realize that military weaponry is inherent and integral to political collectivism. The purpose of a military is to protect a nation against invasion. How that gets done best is an open discussion. The best investigation begins with first principles, sweeping aside mysticism, collectivism, and altruism. See the comments by ddavignon in the "Ragnar" discussion here http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts/67... It is not all the answers, but does open up the right kinds of questions.