INTRODUCTION

he use of airborne weapons in combat characterizes armed con­flict since the end of the 19th Century, and especially since the start of the 20th Century. Today the significance of airborne weap­onry has grown to the point where it plays a decisive role in the outcome of armed and political crises.

This book is dedicated to 100-anniversary from the first control humans‘ flight, aims to clarify the genesis of air power, uncover its essence, and trace the evolution in this term during certain stages of its currency. Official historiography, memoirs, and scientific pa­pers form the base for research.

Subject of the study is air power: how the term emerged, what was meant by it as it developed historically, how it influenced the formulation of doctrines for the utilization of airforces and national air potential as a whole, and how it made its debut in the years prior to 1914. The very new moment is a special part for creation of Air Power in Balkan countries and meaning of new components for the military operations in Balkan wars (1912-1913).

A well-known rule in science is that a phenomenon cannot be understood and studied in each of its aspects. Thus this book seeks to contribute to further clarification of terminology and processes: a clarification which would assist a future streamlining in the devel­opment of national air potential on the road to integration into col-

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lective security systems. Ultimately, arrival at a uniform terminolo­gy, and its clarification and amplification are the first steps to genu­ine integra