The movie points out the obvious incompetence of the military elite at the time. History bears out much of what Mitchell was stating. A well done version of how the military railroaded Mitchell with their pompous rules and regulations. It's actually amazing that we succeeded in the face of such stupidity. Thanks for sharing the video.
@@howardjolley2215Yes, but the issue is much larger as the country becomes increasingly under the control of government and private bureaucracies e.g. elitist schools. And no IM NOT Maga I’m a very liberal liberal. Have faith and trust in American ability. Unfettered to as little a degree as possible by bureaucracies.
Gosh let's every mid level military guy have unlimited funds to play about with his pet project and lie and steal military supplies to prove his point. Because he knows he is right. And deify the chain of command.... what could possibly go wrong. The rewriting of history is strong with this one.
I watched this movie a few years back. Gary Cooper presents a masterfully subtle performance. Based on a true story, it exemplifies one man's belief versus stalwart opposition to his vision of the future.
The best take away from the diologue - " Think for yourself, and say what you think.". A piece of wisdom that seems to have gone missing in America today. Don't just blindly accept the Media's " spin" on world events. Go to at least 2 reputable authorities, outside the usual opinion makers, and listen to the independent voices.
Rod Steiger the prosecutors expert assistant at the trial gets Best Actor award from me. Enjoyed this movie and cast.👍 (Mitchell died in 1936 not in time to see his vindication five years later. But he is remembered now as the real founder of the modern American Air Force.)
Steiger was so good. I just rewatched two of his best, In The Heat of the Night and his phenomenal portrayal of a psychotic movie producer in The Big Knife (Ida Lupino/Jack Palance). He became the people he played and never got the credit he deserved.
Any movie with Gary Cooper is a good movie, period! Some of the older actors made nothing but good movies, a very far cry from today. Billy Mitchell was a true American soldier, hero, icon .. men like him don't exist today, in my opinion. He was instrumental in procuring funding for the air corps and in honor of his many achievements, the B-25 "Mitchell" was named after him. That's another story in history. This is a good movie to watch if a person has an interest in this subject, there sure are a lot of familiar faces .. young faces .. in the cast!
I rather think that Cooper is miscast in this role: Col. Mitchell, aged 46, was a seemingly assured peacock of a military man with a chest full of medals, whereas Cooper's a rather tired-looking 54 here -- and he acts it. - -
I watched the whole of "A Skyward Rebellion". My time spent watching it (1hour 37 minutes 33 seconds) was well spent. It was part of my education. Mitchell was a sober visionary, who was proved right by subsequent events. The Mitchell bomber must have been an acknowledgement of his foresight!
Wow, there were a lot of big names in this. Both real life men whose real contributions still resonate in our military today. And also a lot of great actors who went on to become big names in the big screen. I've heard about this movie for years and regrettably didnt get a chance to see it before now. Glad to finally watch it.
This is a great movie. Mitchell was a visionary long before it ever happened. Without him, we would have lost WWII had he had not fought for air power.
The correct title for this movie is "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell" as previously noted. This is the best quality I have seen so ultimately, I can forgive the person that uploaded it. Gotta love these old movies.
It is NOT the duty of an officer to give unquestioned obedience, such a thing leads to things like the My Lai Massacre. Officers are expected to use their own judgment on whether their orders are legal, as are all other soldiers. The prosecutor is who's in the wrong.
There has always been resistance to military genius. Why I myself as a young Sailor put in a Request Chit to "Paint Hanger 1 at Moffett Field California a Light Golden Brown, so as to disguise it as a large Hostess Twinkie from the air". Of course, the short-sighted leaders in the command rejected my request. I feel for you Billy Mitchell, I understand your frustrations.
Darren McGavin, Jack Lord, Peter Graves, Elizabeth Montgomery. All future stars of the own TV shows. Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Hawaii Five O, Mission Impossible and Bewitched.
And Jack Lord, Mac garret of Hawaii 5 O. As the naval officer killed in a crash of an airship. That was Elizabeth Montgomery's first movie role. Two small roles in this film that would later be some of the biggest names in television. Also Peter Graves, and Darren McGavin, one of my personal favorites.
*fBilly Mitchel WAS RIGHT!* (and the Japanese heard him loud and Clear) Yamamoto was assigned to another tour in the United States, first as an aide to an admiral and then as a naval attaché in Washington (1926-28) so he was in DC when these events took place and he was a student at HARVARD from 1919 to 1921 Years later, as a naval attaché at the Japanese embassy in Washington, D.C. he would have been VERY aware of the Mitchel Sandal and the warnings that were posted in the newspapers at the time
I found the accusation that the Japanese would attack was a little reaching in the movie. But that is definitely the public knowledge that Yamamoto took inspiration from. Perhaps as a greater irony to the nation attacked. As well as a military man appreciating another who's nation would not listen to the obvious.
@@geronimo5537 Yamamomo was an avid poker player according to those who knew him at Harvard so it is quite plausible they he would have played poker with the navy and army guys as they did run in similar social circles at the time.
As others pointed out, the actual title is "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell," 1955. IMDB doesn't even list "Skyward Rebellion" as an alternate title in some markets.
My father remembered being on deck of the Sub Tender Orion watching the Navy's brand new F2H Banshees making mock attack runs on the ships. The AA crews could hardly track their guns fast enough as the jets flew over. My father just shook his head knowing the ships were just floating targets.
Shows the udder incompetence of our military leaders of that time, unfortunately their names have been lost to history, their names should forever be used to describe failure and incompetence.
@user-vr7eh5zf9b....I am not quite sure who you are referring to, but the military leaders of that time who were against Mitchell's ideas are well known. If you want to listen to a good factual account of the life of Billy Mitchell, I suggest you look up a TH-camr : Ward Carroll. He is a retired navy F-14 backseat navigator, weapons officer and has a great channel. Mr. Carroll just did a factual episode about Billy Mitchell and his court Martial.
I still don't understand how the military was caught flat-footed at Pearl Harbor in 1941, since the a Japanese attack was a virtual repeat on their attack on the Russians in 1905.
@@xzqzq , when at peace, a surprise attack has a big chance. USA was not at war, there was a group of planes expected to return to Hawaii around that time, so no radar alert, etc. Doesn't compare at all with 1905, except in strategical consideration of crippling the nearest fleet so Japan obtains time to achieve the land offensive without naval problems, then deal with the second fleet, etc. But while Russia lost 2 fleets and peaced out, USA lost hundreds of ships in WW2 and built thousands more.
Today, Mitchell would be protected as whistleblower and cherished. But Secretary of Defense has denied his posthumous promotion as late as in '40-s - well after his opinions were avenged, well after B-25 was named after him. This movie puts forward the exemplary man, who put his integrity and the values of the service above his career and personal matters.
I'm not sure what you mean. Mitchell argued that the US did not need carriers because long range bombers could protect the continental US against any enemy. Could the USAAF B-17 force have protected Pearl Harbor against the Japanese Strike Force? @@christophercoupe5006
Mitchell did not foresee anyone using aircraft carriers. The USN, the IJN, and the RN (against hostility from the RAF) believed in aircraft carriers. How many Japanese warships did the B-17 sink? A movie is not meant to be a history book. Mitchell firmly believed in high-level long-range bombers@@christophercoupe5006
Using the arguments that Major Allen Gullion used in regards to obedience to duty and to unquestioningly obeying orders he would have been an excellent Defense Attorney for every defendant at the Post WW2 Nuremberg trials.
@1:07:50 Did anyone else notice that the pilots, Billy Mitchell and Hap Arnold, are not wearing the high collar uniform but instead the fold-down collar with dress shirt and necktie because the high collar rubbed the neck raw on pilots in the cockpit when they looked around (this was before the radar days)?
Billy Mitchell did predict Japan attacking the United States after touring Japan in 1910 due to the lack of resources. He also predicted rockets (V1-V2) to attack cities in future wars
They laughed at him when he said that submarines would attack Pearl harbor or we would be attacked by the Japanese😊😅😂. It's only fitting that the only aircraft capable of making it to Japan in order to make a retaliatory first strike on the Homeland was the b-25 Mitchell piloted by Dolittle 🇺🇸👍
Then I recommend Dive Bomber (1940). Error Flynn, Fred McMurray, Ralph Belamy and a very young USS Enterprise in her only pre-war appearance on color film.
@@vincejackson730. I don’t know all their real names but Samantha from bewitched, Steve from Hawaii 5 O, the older duke brother from Trading places, its just a few faces. I’ve never seen a more star packed film that this.
@1-st-CAV Then you will have a treat. Watch It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Full of comedic legends. Jerry Lewis, Milton Berle, The Three Stooges (with Curly Joe), to name a few.
The military of all the branches has changed in many ways for the betterment of the services. Much of this change was brought about by men and women like William Michael. Our nation will always owe a great debt to these people that take duty to this nation above all else. duty, honor, country.
Incredible that this is very true, air power was fought against over and over, basically only Japan took it seriously for oceans and Germany took it serious for their blitzkrieg. America had to fight for every millimeter of invention for the airpower and only once war actually broke out MAJOR improvements were made at breakneck speed. The British had some good luck with their engines and built good airframes around it, but they were an island nation and threw money into it where other allied powers wouldn't.
USN had built eight aircraft carriers by December, 1941, if we include Hornet. She was working up in the Chesapeake from Norfolk. Our navy had kept up a steady evolution of aircraft, something the Royal Navy had not been able to do during nearly 20 years when the RAF controlled all British aircraft procurement. Like Billy Mitchell, the RAF thought that aircraft carriers were unimportant. The RAF did, however, work hard at developing fighter planes, like the magnificent 8-gun Hurricane, the fighter that won the Battle of Britain. After 1938, the Fleet Air Arm had to rebuild itself almost from scratch. If Mitchell had had his way, the USN would have been as far behind as the FAA had been in 1939.
I wonder if anyone in court actually lived to see Billys prediction of bombing Hawaii from Japan come true and did they feel a little foolish looking back and not believing him.
General Douglas MacArthur was one of the officers on the Court Martial panel. Although he personally agreed with Mitchell's beliefs. Pearl Harbor proved that Mitchell had been 100% right. The Admirals of the "Old Navy" still adhered with the "Battleships are supreme" theory well into WWII.
And he was right about Pearl Harbor. He was right about the Japanese. And that planes will fly faster then sound.. A sad story this trial. many a dead could have been averted, had those blockheads just listened.
There is a scene in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where Picard says, "There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders."
Re. the part about airplanes flying across the ocean... we're at the point now where an airplane has flown around the world non-stop. As far as speed, the Bell X-15 exceeded the 1000 MPH mark by 4 times, and the SR-71 routinely operates at over twice that. Talked about "Nailed it!"
How sick is it that the man that predicted the cowardly Pearl Harbor attack got booted from his Army. MacArthur was already showing his true colors, and Pershing was the epitome of a stiff old man living in the past. RIP, GENERAL Mitchell!
Mitchell did NOT predict Pearl Harbor. The USN had practiced bombing Pearl in several Fleet Problems before WW2. The Royal Navy did it to the Italian fleet at Taranto. Mitchell opposed aircraft carriers, and would have take all the aircraft from the US Navy.
All military get their behaviour from past experiances. Things are little better today. Aircraft carriers are ok if you target a non-peer enemy, but any nuclear power can rid the earth of all aircraft carriers in one day, and I might add, that Ukraine has shown that non-peer countries, can also fight against modern navies now.
Think about WW2. Mitchell's long range high-level bombers never hit a moving warship. The Japanese Betts hit PoW and Repulse with torpedoes. The B-17s were useless againist the Japanese navy. @@Anashadk
You have to think that Mitchell got the last laugh at those who court martialed him, as decades later, the B-25 bomber was nick-named after him, which was the bomber that was chosen for the incredibly dangerous Doolittle Raid of April, 1942!
One of the finest I have seen in my Life as War Movies. The present state of sir power and supremacy is certainly the greatest commendation for the centric idea.
This is the third title I've seen for this (great) film. I originally saw it when it was titled "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell" It shows the forward thinking of Mitchell (for whom the North American B25 Bomber, used in the famous Doolittle Raid on Japan), and how he was screwed over!
That 30 years later would be American efforts to break the sound barrier. The Germans we already making those attempts before and during the war. And Germany had entered space (the first to do so) during the war with their V missiles that were exceeding the speed of sound.
An excellent movie. Thank you! Typical and a rotten shame what was done to Col. Mitchell. I will have to look up & see how close this movie came to the truth. Greetings from Canada!
@@nedhill1242 Gosh do you mean that harbor that is so popular with Japanese tourists where some Navy ships accidentally sank on December 7th? I was an Army aviator with a tour in Vietnam and I am familiar with the consequences that budgetary decisions, training doctrine and interservice rivalry can have for troops in combat. I am also by education and experience tolerably familiar with how large organizations tend to work. The Army is not a 100% top down organization, but it tends to require its officers to observe discipline, to follow orders and regulations. Then and now it is an offense use "contemptuous speech" against the President, elected state officials, and superior officers. Service members are limited in their freedom to make public comments on a range of topics. Mitchel was as bound by these rules as an PFC, He chose to disobey orders and to break the rules. What he should have done was to resign first. A man can be right, as he was, but still be wrong in the way he goes about selling his ideas, as he was. As a general officer, he knew better. The movie has has almost all of the details of the sinking of the battleship wrong. The Army adopted parachutes around the end of WW1. Plus many more plot devices added for storytelling.
They were very Short sighted back then. Billy Mitchell was 100% correct in all his predictions. I hope the military learned a valuable lesson from that. I also wonder what Gen. MacArthur thought about considering he was on that Panel, when Pearl Harbor actually got bombed on 12-7-1941 !
He obviously didn't learn anything. The Japanese bombed MaCArseholes aircraft as they were lined up in straight lines hours after he received warning that Pearl Harbour was bombed.
Mitchell argued that high-level bombers made it unnecessary to have aircraft carriers. The B-17 never hit Japanese warships, except in USAAF propaganda about the Battle of Midway.
The Bettys annihilated the British Force Z -- Prince of Wales and Repulse -- with torpedoes. That was their main weapon against warships. They also bombed from a lower altitude than the B-17, Note, as well, that the USAAF B-25s were ineffective at "Mitchell altitude" so they added a cluster of machine gines to the nose and "skip bombed" from near the surface. See the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.@@dougerrohmer
@@tellthemborissentyouthe Doolittle Raid did a lot, actually, according to historical info. It was the first American air raid on the Japanese islands during WWII. If only they taught history accurately nowadays. It was called the Doolittle Raid because it was named after Lt Colonel James Doolittle, who led the attack from the USS Hornet.
How many bombing missions have you made off of an aircraft carrier in hostile waters during wartime knowing you may have to ditch your plane in the ocean and not survive? Learn to show respect to those who sacraficed life and limb so you can post an uninformed opinion.
I always liked this movie, and it is a showcase for a lot of up and coming stars of the 60s and 70s...however even as a kid I knew this was a PR piece for the relatively new USAF in 1955. A force only broken out as a seperate department 8 years before....the same year the Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs were founded. Mitchell's memory is used as a martyred Nostradomus of US military foresight...and the eventual wisdom post WW2 of the creation of the DOD and USAF...as well as the security agencies like the CIA. Such other movies came out in the mid 50s too. As to history...it is sorta right, with a lot of time compression and fictional encounters or soliloquies. A lot of Mitchell's predictions are compressed into 1925 or before, but they are taken from letters and press interviews as a civilian all the way up to his death in the mid 30s. The Japanese attack was predicted in that decade not the 20s. It was already a concern of the Navy and Army as Japan had greatly expanded their aircraft carrier fleet...as did we (even without Billy Mitchell's guidance). Japan had also started alliance talks with Germany by then and was engaged in empire expansion.
QUOTE. ''Japan had also started alliance talks with Germany by then and was engaged in empire expansion.'' That would be from a Yank textbook I take it? In 50 years of study I've seen NOTHING to suggest that, (please cite if you can). Hitler was more surprised than the Yanks by Pearl Harbor, that's a verifiable fact. Hitler finally declared War on the U.S.on December 11th, because FDR was too gutless/greedy/immoral to. (FDR wanting the U.S. to continue profiting from both Warring sides, just like today's U.S. supplying Ukraine weapons while still buying Russian Oil and Uranium) FDR and his Japanese Oil embargo made sure the Japanese had no option but to take the Dutch East Indies Oil fields/neutralize Pearl Harbor. Thus FDR (inadvertently and amateurishly) dragged the Yanks into another European War attempting to stop the Japanese Economic/Military expansion into S.E.Asia. I can understand why the Yanks keep going back to the Last War they 'Won'. It was the high point of their Military Prowess and strength, since followed by near 80 years of loss, shame, humiliation, War Crimes and Global ridicule. It also explains the U.S. current Political/ Strategic missteps and madness. ''Having been shamefully late to the last two World Wars, the Yanks are determined to be early for the next.'' Peace.
@@MicMc539 The Tripartite Pact (a.k.a. "The Pact of Steel") between Germany, Italy, and Japan was signed in Berlin on September 27, 1940. Hitler declared war on these United States on December 11, 1941 because of this pact.
@@romad275 Germany's attack on Poland, Italy's attack on Libya, and Japan's attack on the U.S. and British/Dutch Empires all occurred without ANY co-ordination between members of the Tripartite Pact. None. Regarding Japans attack, Hitler preferred to keep the U.S. neutral in Europe and advised the Japs to negotiate, which they did until the Yanks left them no choice. You must know (unlike the OP), the Yanks considered the Brits as their only Naval opponent all through the 1920's-30's? Screwing the Japanese seriously started after 3 September 1939 and finally paid off 7 December 1941.
Good film about a great patriot, shame they start the film showing an aircraft that did not exist until a decade later, the Curtis SOC Seagull did not enter service until 1934, seems the US film industry shows the same disdain to historical accuracy as the US military elite did to their heroic servicemen and women.
What this and similar films did show, was the 'old fuddy duddies' in the army, and navy, who couldn't see progress with the idea of air support. Fortunately there were people like Mitchell who had great vision for the air service.
Billy Mitchell was a courageous figure who had strength in his convictions. Strategically he was visionary, but his analysis of airpower v naval power was proven wrong. Mitchell, as the movie points out, envisioned large formations of bombers saturation bombing surface fleets to destruction as if they were cities. The Pacific war proved that altitude saturation bombing of maneuvering warships with a full head of speed was almost totally ineffectual, especially if there was a layer of fighter protection. In fact it was the innovation of tactical aircraft that could perform a vertical or near vertical dive on a surface target, adjusting the dive to the ships evasive maneuvers, ( and requiring very highly skilled and trained pilots) that proved the decisive role of naval air power. This technique by the way was not an innovation of the Luftwaffe, but of the United States Navy in the mid to late 1930s, which the Luftwaffe adopted.
Again, as I said, they were sunk by land based nells but were armed with torpedoes and flew a low level torpedo profile. The horizontal bombing attack did not score any hits. @@jrt818
I'm glad to see someone else realize this, rather than just blindly singing his praises. I respect Mitchell for standing by his convictions and his visionary look on airpower, but he as many theorist was often wrong. It is a shame what happened to him, but if he had gotten his way the USN would most likely have been ill prepared to fight a war in the Pacific in 1941. He stressed above all else, a unified air force, including naval aviation, and we see how well that worked for the British in the interwar period. They went from the leading figure in naval aviation to the 3rd ranked power in that field, as the arm would become the red headed step child of the RAF. They finally got the Fleet Air Arm back shortly before the war but the damage had been done. The RN carrier arm had very few flying officers above the rank of Commander, their doctrine was almost non existent, and they severely lacked planes and crews. Even his predicted Pearl Harbor attack which everyone credits to him, ignores that he predicted that it would be done by land based aircraft; referring to carriers at the time as a sideshow. While it's one thing to stress his fight with the old traditionalist, or the battleship admirals resistant to change. What is less stressed, is how he was opposed by those founding members and visionaries within naval aviation circles.
One of the lessons we should learn from this movie, also Spitfire starring Leslie Howard and David Niven, is conventional wisdom is usually wrong. If it can be dreamed it can be invented. Militarily speaking this is why DARPA was established. One of the reasons the MOSSAD is so successful is because they are open to ideas that most intelligence agencies would consider insane.
Apart from them completely failing to note HAMAS preparing for an attack and sitting twiddling their thumbs - despite observers at the border repeatedly informing them of exercises and prep to breach the border en masse. Those observers lost their lives. Maybe they just let it happen, eh?
There is a memorial to Squadron Commander Edwin Harris Dunning DSC.RN in St Lawrence church Bradfield Essex (UK) stating "The Admiralty wish you to know what great service he performed .......demonstrating the landing of an aeroplane on a ship underway...It will make Aeroplanes indispensable to a fleet and possibly revolutionise Naval Warfare....." When I saw this memorial I thought 25 years later there was Pearl Harbour and the battle of the Midway how right they were.
@@OneGodApostolicnz had a look at Wikipedia it has Eugene Ely USA first to take off and land on a ship at anchor 1911. Dunning first to land on ship underway (at Scapa flow) 1917. And assuming Eric Melrose Brown is the same person you referred to, he claims the first to land a jet 1945. Whilst I was aware that seaplanes had taken off from ships they would land on the sea and be winched aboard. I was unaware that balloons had been launched from ships as spotters. I wouldn't have known about Dunning had I not walked the Essex Way. More info/further reading around this subject would be gratefully received.
...IT'S JUST AS WELL THAT BILLY MITCHELL DIDN'T LIVE TO SEE WW2: THERE'S A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH SATISFACTION YOU CAN TAKE OUT OF SAYING: "I TOLD YOU SO!" AND THE SAME COULD BE SAID ABOUT GENERAL PATTON, AND THE 'COLD WAR'!!!
Most that served were probably retired by the time the USA “officially” entered or got “officially involved” in WWII. However, like many of the Allies, there were many “humanitarian aide missions” and “non-involvement missions” to deliver supplies, material and other resources to the aide of the Allied forces fighting or already involved in WWII in the earlier years of the war. If I recall correctly, the US, and other Allied countries were accused by Axis powers that some of the “humanitarian aide” supplies and material deliveries were used as a cover to conduct secret military operations, in particular, intelligence gathering operations.
Most that served were probably retired by the time the USA “officially” entered or got “officially involved” in WWII. However, like many of the Allies, there were many “humanitarian aide missions” and “non-involvement missions” to deliver supplies, material and other resources to the aide of the Allied forces fighting or already involved in WWII in the earlier years of the war. If I recall correctly, the US was accused by Axis powers that some of the “humanitarian aide” supplies and material deliveries were used as a cover to conduct secret military operations, in particular, intelligence gathering operations.
The movie points out the obvious incompetence of the military elite at the time. History bears out much of what Mitchell was stating. A well done version of how the military railroaded Mitchell with their pompous rules and regulations. It's actually amazing that we succeeded in the face of such stupidity. Thanks for sharing the video.
The worst of it is, it continues to today.
And it hasn’t changed much as stupidity still hails big today.
@@howardjolley2215Yes, but the issue is much larger as the country becomes increasingly under the control of government and private bureaucracies e.g. elitist schools. And no IM NOT Maga I’m a very liberal liberal. Have faith and trust in American ability. Unfettered to as little a degree as possible by bureaucracies.
And stupidity still reigns supreme in our leadership
Gosh let's every mid level military guy have unlimited funds to play about with his pet project and lie and steal military supplies to prove his point. Because he knows he is right. And deify the chain of command.... what could possibly go wrong. The rewriting of history is strong with this one.
The foresight of this man.
A man before his time.
I watched this movie a few years back. Gary Cooper presents a masterfully subtle performance. Based on a true story, it exemplifies one man's belief versus stalwart opposition to his vision of the future.
The best take away from the diologue - " Think for yourself, and say what you think.". A piece of wisdom that seems to have gone missing in America today. Don't just blindly accept the Media's " spin" on world events. Go to at least 2 reputable authorities, outside the usual opinion makers, and listen to the independent voices.
I was in the Civil Air Patrol as a cadet. One of our milestone awards is called the Billy Mitchell award for the rank C/2ndLT.
My father, an Air Force colonel, loved this movie.
Rod Steiger the prosecutors expert assistant at the trial gets Best Actor award from me. Enjoyed this movie and cast.👍
(Mitchell died in 1936 not in time to see his vindication five years later.
But he is remembered now as the real founder of the modern American Air Force.)
Steiger was so good. I just rewatched two of his best, In The Heat of the Night and his phenomenal portrayal of a psychotic movie producer in The Big Knife (Ida Lupino/Jack Palance). He became the people he played and never got the credit he deserved.
Any movie with Gary Cooper is a good movie, period! Some of the older actors made nothing but good movies, a very far cry from today. Billy Mitchell was a true American soldier, hero, icon .. men like him don't exist today, in my opinion. He was instrumental in procuring funding for the air corps and in honor of his many achievements, the B-25 "Mitchell" was named after him. That's another story in history. This is a good movie to watch if a person has an interest in this subject, there sure are a lot of familiar faces .. young faces .. in the cast!
I rather think that Cooper is miscast in this role: Col. Mitchell, aged 46, was a seemingly assured peacock of a military man with a chest full of medals, whereas Cooper's a rather tired-looking 54 here -- and he acts it.
- -
Carry Pooper!
I watched the whole of "A Skyward Rebellion". My time spent watching it (1hour 37 minutes 33 seconds) was well spent. It was part of my education. Mitchell was a sober visionary, who was proved right by subsequent events. The Mitchell bomber must have been an acknowledgement of his foresight!
Wow what a great film. I can’t believe that this movie isn’t played on TV late at night.
Great Movie and Actors....
What a foresight that happened and still evolving to happen.... A Man with the VISION and vision of restrictions....
Wow, there were a lot of big names in this. Both real life men whose real contributions still resonate in our military today. And also a lot of great actors who went on to become big names in the big screen. I've heard about this movie for years and regrettably didnt get a chance to see it before now. Glad to finally watch it.
my god the cast in movie is absolutely star-studded.
To those who don’t know…there is some great old films like this on utube at your convenience
For me this is the most interesting film I have watched for years. Based on a true story
This is a great movie. Mitchell was a visionary long before it ever happened. Without him, we would have lost WWII had he had not fought for air power.
Based on true events, but . . . 'Hollywoodfied'. Still an enjoyable film, thanks for posting it.
The correct title for this movie is "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell" as previously noted. This is the best quality I have seen so ultimately, I can forgive the person that uploaded it. Gotta love these old movies.
It is NOT the duty of an officer to give unquestioned obedience, such a thing leads to things like the My Lai Massacre. Officers are expected to use their own judgment on whether their orders are legal, as are all other soldiers. The prosecutor is who's in the wrong.
And still it happens.
Lt Calley was a scapegoat.
Billy Mitchell was a visionary and a great patriotic leader.
There has always been resistance to military genius. Why I myself as a young Sailor put in a Request Chit to "Paint Hanger 1 at Moffett Field California a Light Golden Brown, so as to disguise it as a large Hostess Twinkie from the air". Of course, the short-sighted leaders in the command rejected my request.
I feel for you Billy Mitchell, I understand your frustrations.
...YOU STINK!!!
Brilliant idea. Because Twinkies last forever.
The swamp has been around for a long time. The good lord blesses America with men like this from time to time.
It wasn’t the swamp that failed America in the 1930s; it was the isolationists, the Trump voters of that time.
He who doesn’t learn from history is doomed to repeat it.
The swamp protects you. trump wants to return to rule by the rich with no “swamp” to protect us.
What us the swamp. It is the law and regulatory regime that Trump wants to destroy so that he will have total power. The choice is America or TRUMP.
Darren McGavin, Jack Lord, Peter Graves, Elizabeth Montgomery. All future stars of the own TV shows. Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Hawaii Five O, Mission Impossible and Bewitched.
Hawaii50myUnclewroteepisodes4, PeterGraves"made"missionimpossable&bewhiched_wasthemostdemonicshowthatairedwheniwasakid..itwastheprecurcertothedemonshowsoftoday.
The proper title of this film is "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell" from 1955, and that's a young Elizabeth (Bewitched) Montgomery as Margaret.
And Rod Stiger was a prosecuting attorney.
And Jack Lord, Mac garret of Hawaii 5 O. As the naval officer killed in a crash of an airship. That was Elizabeth Montgomery's first movie role. Two small roles in this film that would later be some of the biggest names in television. Also Peter Graves, and Darren McGavin, one of my personal favorites.
*fBilly Mitchel WAS RIGHT!* (and the Japanese heard him loud and Clear) Yamamoto was assigned to another tour in the United States, first as an aide to an admiral and then as a naval attaché in Washington (1926-28) so he was in DC when these events took place and he was a student at HARVARD from 1919 to 1921 Years later, as a naval attaché at the Japanese embassy in Washington, D.C. he would have been VERY aware of the Mitchel Sandal and the warnings that were posted in the newspapers at the time
I found the accusation that the Japanese would attack was a little reaching in the movie. But that is definitely the public knowledge that Yamamoto took inspiration from. Perhaps as a greater irony to the nation attacked. As well as a military man appreciating another who's nation would not listen to the obvious.
@@geronimo5537 Yamamomo was an avid poker player according to those who knew him at Harvard so it is quite plausible they he would have played poker with the navy and army guys as they did run in similar social circles at the time.
Loved this entire cast. Ralph Bellamy, Peter Graves, Elizabeth Montgomery, and most of the rest. Fred Clark was great in Twilight Zone.
Ah, this movie is actually titled “The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell”; 1955, staring Gary Cooper.
A very good movie. Gary Cooper is at his best in this movie.
I love how Dimitri Tiomkin's music is instantly recognizable.
Would like to know how these same officers in the 1940s thought and what they felt about what Mitchell had said
EXCELLENT MOVIE. LOVED THE MOVIE . LOVED THAT BILLY FOUGHT FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED.👍🙏🇨🇦
As others pointed out, the actual title is "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell," 1955. IMDB doesn't even list "Skyward Rebellion" as an alternate title in some markets.
Would you prefer the correct title and NOT available on YT?
My father remembered being on deck of the Sub Tender Orion watching the Navy's brand new F2H Banshees making mock attack runs on the ships. The AA crews could hardly track their guns fast enough as the jets flew over. My father just shook his head knowing the ships were just floating targets.
Shows the udder incompetence of our military leaders of that time, unfortunately their names have been lost to history, their names should forever be used to describe failure and incompetence.
@user-vr7eh5zf9b....I am not quite sure who you are referring to, but the military leaders of that time who were against Mitchell's ideas are well known. If you want to listen to a good factual account of the life of Billy Mitchell, I suggest you look up a TH-camr : Ward Carroll. He is a retired navy F-14 backseat navigator, weapons officer and has a great channel. Mr. Carroll just did a factual episode about Billy Mitchell and his court Martial.
I still don't understand how the military was caught flat-footed at Pearl Harbor in 1941, since the a Japanese attack was a virtual repeat on their attack on the Russians in 1905.
@@xzqzq , when at peace, a surprise attack has a big chance. USA was not at war, there was a group of planes expected to return to Hawaii around that time, so no radar alert, etc.
Doesn't compare at all with 1905, except in strategical consideration of crippling the nearest fleet so Japan obtains time to achieve the land offensive without naval problems, then deal with the second fleet, etc. But while Russia lost 2 fleets and peaced out, USA lost hundreds of ships in WW2 and built thousands more.
Wow, what a movie! Thank you for the upload!
Today, Mitchell would be protected as whistleblower and cherished.
But Secretary of Defense has denied his posthumous promotion as late as in '40-s - well after his opinions were avenged, well after B-25 was named after him.
This movie puts forward the exemplary man, who put his integrity and the values of the service above his career and personal matters.
Baloney. Mitchell was wrong every which way. For one, he opposed aircraft carriers.
@@redskindan78 Why would oppose carriers if he foresaw Japan using them?
I'm not sure what you mean. Mitchell argued that the US did not need carriers because long range bombers could protect the continental US against any enemy. Could the USAAF B-17 force have protected Pearl Harbor against the Japanese Strike Force? @@christophercoupe5006
Baloney sandwiches! Your certainly WackoDan,not redskindan
Mitchell did not foresee anyone using aircraft carriers. The USN, the IJN, and the RN (against hostility from the RAF) believed in aircraft carriers. How many Japanese warships did the B-17 sink? A movie is not meant to be a history book. Mitchell firmly believed in high-level long-range bombers@@christophercoupe5006
Using the arguments that Major Allen Gullion used in regards to obedience to duty and to unquestioningly obeying orders he would have been an excellent Defense Attorney for every defendant at the Post WW2 Nuremberg trials.
@1:07:50 Did anyone else notice that the pilots, Billy Mitchell and Hap Arnold, are not wearing the high collar uniform but instead the fold-down collar with dress shirt and necktie because the high collar rubbed the neck raw on pilots in the cockpit when they looked around (this was before the radar days)?
What a cast. What a story. How accurate his insight was.
Thoroughly enjoyed this film. Thought Cooper and Steiger were good. Thanks👍👍👍
The court martial was unfair..Mr Mitchell was right all along
The real name of this film is The Court Martial of BIlly Mitchell. The man was ahead of his time.
WAY ahead . . . ! And like most all prophets, despised in his own 'village'.
Billy Mitchell did predict Japan attacking the United States after touring Japan in 1910 due to the lack of resources. He also predicted rockets (V1-V2) to attack cities in future wars
Elizabeth Montgomery too ;
She was nice, too. See my earlier comment.
Wow! Superb movie. Old is always gold
Except Biden, he is silver, thirty pieces to be exact.
They laughed at him when he said that submarines would attack Pearl harbor or we would be attacked by the Japanese😊😅😂.
It's only fitting that the only aircraft capable of making it to Japan in order to make a retaliatory first strike on the Homeland was the b-25 Mitchell piloted by Dolittle 🇺🇸👍
Yeah even TOP Brass can be very obtuse, traitorous to but own ego before Country safety.
This film is packed with stars!
Then I recommend Dive Bomber (1940). Error Flynn, Fred McMurray, Ralph Belamy and a very young USS Enterprise in her only pre-war appearance on color film.
@@vincejackson730. Thank you. I will definitely look for this.
@@vincejackson730. I don’t know all their real names but Samantha from bewitched, Steve from Hawaii 5 O, the older duke brother from Trading places, its just a few faces. I’ve never seen a more star packed film that this.
@1-st-CAV Then you will have a treat. Watch It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Full of comedic legends. Jerry Lewis, Milton Berle, The Three Stooges (with Curly Joe), to name a few.
@@vincejackson730 Error Flynn
The military of all the branches has changed in many ways for the betterment of the services. Much of this change was brought about by men and women like William Michael. Our nation will always owe a great debt to these people that take duty to this nation above all else. duty, honor, country.
Rod Stager towards the end blew my mind
Incredible that this is very true, air power was fought against over and over, basically only Japan took it seriously for oceans and Germany took it serious for their blitzkrieg. America had to fight for every millimeter of invention for the airpower and only once war actually broke out MAJOR improvements were made at breakneck speed. The British had some good luck with their engines and built good airframes around it, but they were an island nation and threw money into it where other allied powers wouldn't.
USN had built eight aircraft carriers by December, 1941, if we include Hornet. She was working up in the Chesapeake from Norfolk. Our navy had kept up a steady evolution of aircraft, something the Royal Navy had not been able to do during nearly 20 years when the RAF controlled all British aircraft procurement. Like Billy Mitchell, the RAF thought that aircraft carriers were unimportant. The RAF did, however, work hard at developing fighter planes, like the magnificent 8-gun Hurricane, the fighter that won the Battle of Britain. After 1938, the Fleet Air Arm had to rebuild itself almost from scratch. If Mitchell had had his way, the USN would have been as far behind as the FAA had been in 1939.
AMAZING!! This movie is exactly like "The Cort-Marshel of Billy Mitchell", now isn't that something?
Mitchell called it right, he saw aviation as changing the face of naval warfare, and they damn near crucified him.
Nothing has change, they still do the same today.
They did. Destroyed his career, and tried to ruin his reputation.
I wonder if anyone in court actually lived to see Billys prediction of bombing Hawaii from Japan come true and did they feel a little foolish looking back and not believing him.
General Douglas MacArthur was one of the officers on the Court Martial panel. Although he personally agreed with Mitchell's beliefs. Pearl Harbor proved that Mitchell had been 100% right. The Admirals of the "Old Navy" still adhered with the "Battleships are supreme" theory well into WWII.
And he was right about Pearl Harbor.
He was right about the Japanese.
And that planes will fly faster then sound..
A sad story this trial. many a dead could have been averted, had those blockheads just listened.
The Margarette charactor at 13:00 is Elizebeth Montgomery of Bewitched.
I had no idea there was a movie made with Samantha Stevens, Carl Kolchak, Jim Phelps and John Robinson in it. 😁👍
Don't forget "Hawaii Five-O"Jack Lord and "Mission Impossible" Peter Graves
Elizabeth Montgomery was one hot tamale.
... The letter dated December 14th 1923 ( Timestamp: 1:26:32 ) predicted the Attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941
There is a scene in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where Picard says, "There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders."
1:26:10 “… you seem to write that Pearl Harbor has no adequate defense against air defense”. 😂
Re. the part about airplanes flying across the ocean... we're at the point now where an airplane has flown around the world non-stop.
As far as speed, the Bell X-15 exceeded the 1000 MPH mark by 4 times, and the SR-71 routinely operates at over twice that.
Talked about "Nailed it!"
How sick is it that the man that predicted the cowardly Pearl Harbor attack got booted from his Army. MacArthur was already showing his true colors, and Pershing was the epitome of a stiff old man living in the past. RIP, GENERAL Mitchell!
Mitchell did NOT predict Pearl Harbor. The USN had practiced bombing Pearl in several Fleet Problems before WW2. The Royal Navy did it to the Italian fleet at Taranto. Mitchell opposed aircraft carriers, and would have take all the aircraft from the US Navy.
All military get their behaviour from past experiances. Things are little better today. Aircraft carriers are ok if you target a non-peer enemy, but any nuclear power can rid the earth of all aircraft carriers in one day, and I might add, that Ukraine has shown that non-peer countries, can also fight against modern navies now.
Think about WW2. Mitchell's long range high-level bombers never hit a moving warship. The Japanese Betts hit PoW and Repulse with torpedoes. The B-17s were useless againist the Japanese navy. @@Anashadk
Wait, what? This was "the trial of Billy Mitchell". Ok, whatever...great flick! Thx 😊
You have to think that Mitchell got the last laugh at those who court martialed him, as decades later, the B-25 bomber was nick-named after him, which was the bomber that was chosen for the incredibly dangerous Doolittle Raid of April, 1942!
Chuckling in the cemetery.
Thank you very much for the movie. 👍
So many soon to be stars of television! Good show!
"The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell" 1955..... 👏
One of the finest I have seen in my Life as War Movies. The present state of sir power and supremacy is certainly the greatest commendation for the centric idea.
Oh what a great actor Rod Steiger was!
Thanks for sharing it! I always enjoy watching Great Movies though. 👍👌👏
And of course, I'm a subscriber!
Thanks Again Though.
This is the third title I've seen for this (great) film.
I originally saw it when it was titled "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell"
It shows the forward thinking of Mitchell (for whom the North American B25 Bomber, used in the famous Doolittle Raid on Japan), and how he was screwed over!
Gary Cooper is the perfect every man hero.
He can take it.
As Warden Hodges said in an episode of Dads Army;- "I knew it was some PERISHING General!!!".
Billy Mitchell was a relative of my mother. She talked about him all the time.
This takes place in 1925. Just think 25-30 years later starting the test flights for breaking the sound barrier.
That 30 years later would be American efforts to break the sound barrier. The Germans we already making those attempts before and during the war. And Germany had entered space (the first to do so) during the war with their V missiles that were exceeding the speed of sound.
@@maytagmark2171 Well sound barrier already broken the V-2 rockets.
I said that.
@@flybobbie1449
I liked the irony of a Japanese officer watching ths battleship test.
I think they did that on purpose, to show that Japan took air power very seriously.
Movie real name is "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell"
An excellent movie. Thank you! Typical and a rotten shame what was done to Col. Mitchell. I will have to look up & see how close this movie came to the truth. Greetings from Canada!
50-50 facts and entertainment
General Mitchell and his predictions were correct. You have heard of Pearl Harbor and December 7, 1941?
@@nedhill1242 Gosh do you mean that harbor that is so popular with Japanese tourists where some Navy ships accidentally sank on December 7th? I was an Army aviator with a tour in Vietnam and I am familiar with the consequences that budgetary decisions, training doctrine and interservice rivalry can have for troops in combat. I am also by education and experience tolerably familiar with how large organizations tend to work. The Army is not a 100% top down organization, but it tends to require its officers to observe discipline, to follow orders and regulations. Then and now it is an offense use "contemptuous speech" against the President, elected state officials, and superior officers. Service members are limited in their freedom to make public comments on a range of topics.
Mitchel was as bound by these rules as an PFC, He chose to disobey orders and to break the rules. What he should have done was to resign first.
A man can be right, as he was, but still be wrong in the way he goes about selling his ideas, as he was. As a general officer, he knew better.
The movie has has almost all of the details of the sinking of the battleship wrong. The Army adopted parachutes around the end of WW1. Plus many more plot devices added for storytelling.
Go Canadians ! ! !
Kinda ironic hat it was Mitchell bombers that the Doolittle Raiders flew to Japan to make the first American attack on Japan itself
I’ll bet very few people even know what U a talking about. I’ve ran into kids who have no idea about the USS Oklahoma or the USS Missouri.
@@halojump123 Or what WW2 was all about.
We need a billy Mitchell today
love these classics
Interesting movie. The matters of human imperfection it highlights make it kind of timeless.
This is really " The Court Marshall of Billy Mitchell" in an envelope window
Darren Mcgavin, Night Stalker, awesome.
They were very Short sighted back then. Billy Mitchell was 100% correct in all his predictions. I hope the military learned a valuable lesson from that. I also wonder what Gen. MacArthur thought about considering he was on that Panel, when Pearl Harbor actually got bombed on 12-7-1941 !
Exactly20yrs
He obviously didn't learn anything. The Japanese bombed MaCArseholes aircraft as they were lined up in straight lines hours after he received warning that Pearl Harbour was bombed.
Mitchell argued that high-level bombers made it unnecessary to have aircraft carriers. The B-17 never hit Japanese warships, except in USAAF propaganda about the Battle of Midway.
@@redskindan78 That's true, but it's also true that Japanese Betty bombers hit ships fairly regularly. Did they bomb from a lower altitude?
The Bettys annihilated the British Force Z -- Prince of Wales and Repulse -- with torpedoes. That was their main weapon against warships. They also bombed from a lower altitude than the B-17, Note, as well, that the USAAF B-25s were ineffective at "Mitchell altitude" so they added a cluster of machine gines to the nose and "skip bombed" from near the surface. See the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.@@dougerrohmer
I thought I saw Jack Lord in a cameo. Peter Graves and Darren McGavin? This film is overloaded with future stars.
You did! As that Lt. Commander in Pajamas.
Was that Elizabeth Montgomery, Margaret the wife of Zach the naval officer from Washington D.C.?
I think you're right!@@markroeder2491
@@markroeder2491Yes.
Jack Lord was "Commander Lansdowne" in the first scene
The B-25 that carried out the successful Doolittle Raid was named B-25 Mitchell in honor of Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell.
Doolittle? They should have called it Do Nothing.
@@tellthemborissentyouthe Doolittle Raid did a lot, actually, according to historical info. It was the first American air raid on the Japanese islands during WWII. If only they taught history accurately nowadays. It was called the Doolittle Raid because it was named after Lt Colonel James Doolittle, who led the attack from the USS Hornet.
How many bombing missions have you made off of an aircraft carrier in hostile waters during wartime knowing you may have to ditch your plane in the ocean and not survive?
Learn to show respect to those who sacraficed life and limb so you can post an uninformed opinion.
I always liked this movie, and it is a showcase for a lot of up and coming stars of the 60s and 70s...however even as a kid I knew this was a PR piece for the relatively new USAF in 1955. A force only broken out as a seperate department 8 years before....the same year the Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs were founded.
Mitchell's memory is used as a martyred Nostradomus of US military foresight...and the eventual wisdom post WW2 of the creation of the DOD and USAF...as well as the security agencies like the CIA. Such other movies came out in the mid 50s too.
As to history...it is sorta right, with a lot of time compression and fictional encounters or soliloquies. A lot of Mitchell's predictions are compressed into 1925 or before, but they are taken from letters and press interviews as a civilian all the way up to his death in the mid 30s.
The Japanese attack was predicted in that decade not the 20s. It was already a concern of the Navy and Army as Japan had greatly expanded their aircraft carrier fleet...as did we (even without Billy Mitchell's guidance). Japan had also started alliance talks with Germany by then and was engaged in empire expansion.
QUOTE. ''Japan had also started alliance talks with Germany by then and was engaged in empire expansion.''
That would be from a Yank textbook I take it?
In 50 years of study I've seen NOTHING to suggest that, (please cite if you can).
Hitler was more surprised than the Yanks by Pearl Harbor, that's a verifiable fact.
Hitler finally declared War on the U.S.on December 11th, because FDR was too gutless/greedy/immoral to.
(FDR wanting the U.S. to continue profiting from both Warring sides, just like today's U.S. supplying Ukraine weapons while still buying Russian Oil and Uranium)
FDR and his Japanese Oil embargo made sure the Japanese had no option but to take the Dutch East Indies Oil fields/neutralize Pearl Harbor.
Thus FDR (inadvertently and amateurishly) dragged the Yanks into another European War attempting to stop the Japanese Economic/Military expansion into S.E.Asia.
I can understand why the Yanks keep going back to the Last War they 'Won'.
It was the high point of their Military Prowess and strength, since followed by near 80 years of loss, shame, humiliation, War Crimes and Global ridicule.
It also explains the U.S. current Political/ Strategic missteps and madness.
''Having been shamefully late to the last two World Wars, the Yanks are determined to be early for the next.''
Peace.
@@MicMc539 quite a diatribe...but Japan started alliance discussions with Germany in 1935.
@@STho205 ''Some guy on the Internet'' is your cite?
Dumbocracy in action.
Peace.
@@MicMc539 The Tripartite Pact (a.k.a. "The Pact of Steel") between Germany, Italy, and Japan was signed in Berlin on September 27, 1940. Hitler declared war on these United States on December 11, 1941 because of this pact.
@@romad275
Germany's attack on Poland, Italy's attack on Libya, and Japan's attack on the U.S. and British/Dutch Empires all occurred without ANY co-ordination between members of the Tripartite Pact.
None.
Regarding Japans attack, Hitler preferred to keep the U.S. neutral in Europe and advised the Japs to negotiate, which they did until the Yanks left them no choice.
You must know (unlike the OP), the Yanks considered the Brits as their only Naval opponent all through the 1920's-30's?
Screwing the Japanese seriously started after 3 September 1939 and finally paid off 7 December 1941.
Good film about a great patriot, shame they start the film showing an aircraft that did not exist until a decade later, the Curtis SOC Seagull did not enter service until 1934, seems the US film industry shows the same disdain to historical accuracy as the US military elite did to their heroic servicemen and women.
What this and similar films did show, was the 'old fuddy duddies' in the army, and navy, who couldn't see progress with the idea of air support. Fortunately there were people like Mitchell who had great vision for the air service.
Such great actors!
Just goes to show that courts have never been just or seeking the truth, and that power/money corrupts.
EXCELLENT MOVIE!!!!! GREAT ACTÒRS!!
Billy Mitchell was a courageous figure who had strength in his convictions. Strategically he was visionary, but his analysis of airpower v naval power was proven wrong. Mitchell, as the movie points out, envisioned large formations of bombers saturation bombing surface fleets to destruction as if they were cities. The Pacific war proved that altitude saturation bombing of maneuvering warships with a full head of speed was almost totally ineffectual, especially if there was a layer of fighter protection. In fact it was the innovation of tactical aircraft that could perform a vertical or near vertical dive on a surface target, adjusting the dive to the ships evasive maneuvers, ( and requiring very highly skilled and trained pilots) that proved the decisive role of naval air power. This technique by the way was not an innovation of the Luftwaffe, but of the United States Navy in the mid to late 1930s, which the Luftwaffe adopted.
The Proximity Fuse and Radar had not yet invented either.
Land-based bombers did sink HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse.
Again, as I said, they were sunk by land based nells but were armed with torpedoes and flew a low level torpedo profile. The horizontal bombing attack did not score any hits. @@jrt818
I'm glad to see someone else realize this, rather than just blindly singing his praises. I respect Mitchell for standing by his convictions and his visionary look on airpower, but he as many theorist was often wrong. It is a shame what happened to him, but if he had gotten his way the USN would most likely have been ill prepared to fight a war in the Pacific in 1941. He stressed above all else, a unified air force, including naval aviation, and we see how well that worked for the British in the interwar period. They went from the leading figure in naval aviation to the 3rd ranked power in that field, as the arm would become the red headed step child of the RAF. They finally got the Fleet Air Arm back shortly before the war but the damage had been done. The RN carrier arm had very few flying officers above the rank of Commander, their doctrine was almost non existent, and they severely lacked planes and crews. Even his predicted Pearl Harbor attack which everyone credits to him, ignores that he predicted that it would be done by land based aircraft; referring to carriers at the time as a sideshow.
While it's one thing to stress his fight with the old traditionalist, or the battleship admirals resistant to change. What is less stressed, is how he was opposed by those founding members and visionaries within naval aviation circles.
One of the lessons we should learn from this movie, also Spitfire starring Leslie Howard and David Niven, is conventional wisdom is usually wrong. If it can be dreamed it can be invented. Militarily speaking this is why DARPA was established. One of the reasons the MOSSAD is so successful is because they are open to ideas that most intelligence agencies would consider insane.
Apart from them completely failing to note HAMAS preparing for an attack and sitting twiddling their thumbs - despite observers at the border repeatedly informing them of exercises and prep to breach the border en masse. Those observers lost their lives. Maybe they just let it happen, eh?
My step-great-grandfather. The military is only as good as the people who lead it..
The US has more generals now than at the peak of World War II. LOL, WHY?
@@halojump123 More generals and admirals, Many taking up space in the Pentagon. If Elon was to audit the Pentagon, most would be retired quickly.
There is a memorial to Squadron Commander Edwin Harris Dunning DSC.RN in St Lawrence church Bradfield Essex (UK) stating "The Admiralty wish you to know what great service he performed .......demonstrating the landing of an aeroplane on a ship underway...It will make Aeroplanes indispensable to a fleet and possibly revolutionise Naval Warfare....."
When I saw this memorial I thought 25 years later there was Pearl Harbour and the battle of the Midway how right they were.
Was actually Scotsman in RAF Eric "winkle" Brown who was first to land and take off from a carrier.
@@OneGodApostolicnz had a look at Wikipedia it has Eugene Ely USA first to take off and land on a ship at anchor 1911. Dunning first to land on ship underway (at Scapa flow) 1917. And assuming Eric Melrose Brown is the same person you referred to, he claims the first to land a jet 1945.
Whilst I was aware that seaplanes had taken off from ships they would land on the sea and be winched aboard. I was unaware that balloons had been launched from ships as spotters.
I wouldn't have known about Dunning had I not walked the Essex Way. More info/further reading around this subject would be gratefully received.
Yes. Naval aircraft string from aircraft carriers. NOT Mitchell's beloved long-range bombers.
...IT'S JUST AS WELL THAT BILLY MITCHELL DIDN'T LIVE TO SEE WW2: THERE'S A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH SATISFACTION YOU CAN TAKE OUT OF SAYING: "I TOLD YOU SO!"
AND THE SAME COULD BE SAID ABOUT GENERAL PATTON, AND THE 'COLD WAR'!!!
Yes,General George Patton and Billy Michelle... Made out of the same cloth, Great Americans.
Mitchell had no use for USN air, and for aircraft carriers. He insisted that long range bombers could protect the US out across oceans.
As usual old men in Washington rolling the dice with the lives of young men.
Every nation does that. Don't be proud. They're doing it in your name.
@juliehoffman6292, education is not a shameful thing, willful ignorance is. ALL nations practice this.
Trump the former and Leroy, Tyrone and Gonzalez the latter.
Incredible how green and park like the scenes were of old D.C. by the Reflecting Pool.
I noticed that too beautiful
did you see that little Japanese officer taking notes? You can bet he knew Billy was right.
You have to wonder what these guys who were involved in his courts marshaling thought and how low they felt when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
Especially MacArthur
Some of them were probably dead before the Peral Harbor attack.
Most that served were probably retired by the time the USA “officially” entered or got “officially involved” in WWII. However, like many of the Allies, there were many “humanitarian aide missions” and “non-involvement missions” to deliver supplies, material and other resources to the aide of the Allied forces fighting or already involved in WWII in the earlier years of the war. If I recall correctly, the US, and other Allied countries were accused by Axis powers that some of the “humanitarian aide” supplies and material deliveries were used as a cover to conduct secret military operations, in particular, intelligence gathering operations.
Most that served were probably retired by the time the USA “officially” entered or got “officially involved” in WWII. However, like many of the Allies, there were many “humanitarian aide missions” and “non-involvement missions” to deliver supplies, material and other resources to the aide of the Allied forces fighting or already involved in WWII in the earlier years of the war. If I recall correctly, the US was accused by Axis powers that some of the “humanitarian aide” supplies and material deliveries were used as a cover to conduct secret military operations, in particular, intelligence gathering operations.