BOOK REVIEWS A FIERY PEACE IN A COLD WAR: BERNARD SCHRIEVER AND THE ULTIMATE WEAPON BY

Review by NEW YORK: Peter J. Williams, CD RANDOM HOUSE, 2009 534 PAGES ISBN 978-0-679-42284-6

Twenty paces from (indeed, deliberately the challenges inherent in trying to determine so) the Arlington National Cemetery grave the extent of a potential adversary’s capabilities, of of the Air Force Henry (“Hap”) and even the usefulness of being able to play Arnold, who commanded the United States golf… particularly with the right partners! (US) Army Air Forces (USAAF) in the Second From an early age, “Bennie,” as he was known, World War, is that of another, somewhat lesser- was an accomplished golfer, and in later years known US Air Force (USAF) general whose often played with generals who took on a role epitaph reads simply, “Father of the Air Force’s in mentoring the young Schriever. Ballistic Missile and Space Program.” That man was General Bernard Schriever, the subject of The author admits that part of his this book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author inspiration for writing the book was coming Neil Sheehan (his work, A Bright Shining across a photo of a hitherto unknown USAF Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam, general surrounded by models of ballistic won this award in 1989). With such a strong missiles. Originally, he had intended to write pedigree (and frankly a very positive review on about the US-Soviet arms race, but after the front page of the Sunday New York Times finding the photo of Schriever, decided that the Book Review insert), I knew that this was man was so central to the story that he could something I had to read. I wasn’t disappointed. not be ignored. In compiling the book, Sheehan relied heavily on interviews, including with To be truthful, the book is no ordinary General Schriever himself. He also relied on biography, as it not only follows the fortunes several sources of archival material. If there is of the German-born Schriever, but also traces one fault I could find, it is the lack of footnotes, in some detail the origin and progress of the an omission the author freely admits in the cold war, and the fight within the US defence Source Notes portion of the book. For a less establishment to attain strategic superiority experienced writer, one could almost pass such over the former . Lest one think a fault, but I would have expected better from a that this is mere history, I found that it offers Pulitzer Prize winner. many useful lessons for modern-day defence debates on issues ranging from capability The author traces Schriever’s birth in 1910 development, project management in the face and early childhood in Germany, followed by of bureaucracy, the use of unmanned systems, emigration with his family to the US. Though

WINTER 2011 • VOL. 4, NO. 1 A FIERY PEACE IN A COLD WAR 49 a talented golfer, he was equally attracted the book, and provides many lessons for the to engineering and flying, and so joined the modern-day staff officer attempting to advance US Army Air Corps as a pilot in the 1930s. a particular issue through the staff chain. On His technical skills were quickly realized and the day he met with Eisenhower, though he was given further training in this regard, allocated only 30 minutes, Schriever was able to and was studying toward a master’s degree in get the President’s attention for an hour and 35 aeronautical engineering when the Second minutes! Schriever was equally adept at gaining World War intervened. His wartime service was additional funding, and in maintaining a high in the Pacific, where despite possessing wings, degree of independence from the Air Force Schriever spent much time in maintenance bureaucracy, in giving the US a element posts, while at the same time rising rapidly of its nuclear deterrent. When Schriever died through the ranks, a testimony to the status in 2005, he was 94, and in attendance at his he had gained as a latter day “go to guy” who funeral were nine of the 10 serving USAF was able to maintain his unit’s aircraft at four-star generals. exceedingly high readiness rates. By age 33, he was a full colonel. In summary, I found this to be an excellent book about a key—yet somewhat unknown— Schriever’s expertise was also recognized figure in US military history. One wonders by “Hap” Arnold, who personally chose how General Schriever would have fared in Schriever to head up the Air Force’s Scientific the modern-day Canadian Forces where we Advisory Group (SAG), a forward-thinking are undergoing the challenges of Defence body composed of some of the most brilliant Force Structure Review (DFSR) and the technical minds in America. This was a task Strategic Review (SR). This book is highly Schriever relished (it was “cutting the bacon,” recommended, particularly for those involved in in his Texan language), as he foresaw the capability development, project management, or impact of the atomic age, and the need to quite frankly, for those wanting an example of protect America from its enemies, mainly the how to better get their point across. Soviet Union. Here the book comes into its own with a description of the cold war and the increasing importance of atomic weapons, Colonel Peter J. Williams, an artillery officer, is which Schriever more and more realized would Director Current Operations on the Strategic have to be delivered by missiles. In this fight, Joint Staff. he ran up against several other military leaders, not the least of whom was General Curtis List of Abbreviations Lemay, head of (SAC), ICBM Intercontinental Ballistic Missile and an advocate of the manned bomber. From US United States this point on the pattern of Schriever’s career was set as he devoted himself totally to the USAF development of what would later become the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) we know today. The author challenges conventional wisdom, making the case that while there was indeed a so-called “missile gap,” it was in the Americans’ favour. Schriever’s fight to advance the cause for ICBMs needed political support, and the author’s description of how Schriever got his project on President Eisenhower’s National Security Council (NSC) agenda, and ultimately achieved Ike’s support for the project, was one of the most enjoyable parts of

50 A FIERY PEACE IN A COLD WAR WINTER 2011 • VOL. 4, NO. 1