In The Giant Unleashed 1943-1960, we trace the role of US air power during the last three years of World War II, its emergence as a global air power in 1946, and its subsequent role and strategy during the Cold War. THE ROAD TO VICTORY 1943-1945 In this chapter, the strength of US air power reaches a new peak, to more than 2.4 million men and approximately 80,000 aircraft. Bombers took the war to the heartland of Germany and Japan in daily bombing raids, while the control of the air by US fi ghters provided essential cover to ground troops in the European and Pacifi c theaters of operations. Air War Across the Globe * The Italian Campaign * Raid Over Ploesti * The B-29 Superfortress * Prelude to Invasion * D-Day: The Beginning of the End * Victory in Europe * Countdown to Tokyo KOREA & THE COLD WAR 1946-1960 In this chapter, we examine the role of US air power during the Cold War. In 1947, the Army Air Force was reorganized into a separate branch of the military known as the US Air Force. When war broke out in Korea, US air power played a pivotal role in slowing down the communist advance and defending the Pusan perimeter until reinforcements could arrive. During this period, the Strategic Air Command was organized as the primary instrument of American nuclear deterrence. A New Air Force * The Cold War Begins * Confl ict in Korea * Advance to the Yalu * Korea: The Final Phase * The Missile Age * NATO and the Strategic Air Command Approx run time: 3 hrs, 12 min. NTSC, B&W.