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.

Rebuilding for Space

During the agony of Vietnam, there was no let up in the Cold War. The Soviet Union advanced its weapons technology with ever more accurate and powerful ICBMs even as it pushed forward an advanced space program. The United States Air Force struggled to transform the lessons learned in Vietnam to develop new and more effective weapons like the F-15 and F-16 that would serve well in both large and small wars. There was a complete managerial revolution within the Air Force as it embarked upon new and harder Red Flag style training and new methods of leadership.

Vocabulary

• initiative
• productivity
• altitude
• procure
• fusillade
• prudent
• euphoria
• integrated
• immunity
• magnitude
• escalate
• deployment
• fruition
• rebuffed
• exotic
• esoteric
• exploit
• notoriety
• denigrate
• exotic

Discussion Questions

1. Disagreements about the United States involvement in the Vietnam War created large-scale social disturbances. How did the social effects of the Vietnam affect members of the military, particularly the United States Air Force?
2. The rate of performance for the United States military was lower in the Vietnam War than in the Korean War. How did the air experiences in Vietnam lead to a restructuring of the United States Air Force?
3. After the Vietnam War, women became a part of the USAF. How have women contributed to the USAF since their admission?
4. What are some of the changes implemented by the USAF since the Vietnam War?
5. The USAF developed a new training program called Red Flag. What was the purpose of the Red Flag program, and how did it contribute to greater efficiency?
6. Electronics have been called both the "sword and the shield" of the military. How did the electronic revolution change the USAF? How did it influence the Cold War?
7. How did the budget concerns of the 1970s affect the USAF?

Extended Activities

1. Create a recruitment poster that is specifically designed to encourage women to enlist in the USAF.
2. Design a fighter jet for the future. What improvements would your plane have that could improve the performance of the USAF?