Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
The Airborne Mafia: The Paratroopers Who Shaped America’s Cold War Army. |
| Authors: |
Burland, Daniel |
| Source: |
Military Review. Mar/Apr2026, Vol. 106 Issue 2, p151-154. 4p. |
| Subjects: |
Parachute troops, United States. Army, Military history, Cold War, 1945-1991, Air forces, United States armed forces, Military culture, Air warfare |
| Abstract: |
The article reviews *The Airborne Mafia: The Paratroopers Who Shaped America’s Cold War Army* by Robert F. Williams, which argues that airborne culture fundamentally influenced the entire U.S. Army during the Cold War. Williams traces the development of airborne forces from their experimental origins in the 1930s through World War II, highlighting how their unique mission and subculture shaped Army doctrine and organization, including the Pentomic division and the airmobile (air assault) concept. The book emphasizes the role of key leaders known as the "airborne mafia" in institutionalizing airborne values and strategic mobility within the Army. While the review notes Williams’s strong focus on airborne culture may underrepresent other Army subcultures and trends, it recognizes the work as a well-researched and insightful contribution to military history and organizational studies. [Extracted from the article] |
|
Copyright of Military Review is the property of US Army, Combined Arms Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| Database: |
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
