MWSA Review

Chennault: A Rebel in China is a brief history of Claire Lee Chennault's pre-Flying-Tigers life. It chronicles his life from childhood in a small, extremely rural area of Louisiana in the 1890s, through his personal tragedies and his education, to his love of flying. It describes his relentless determination to become the best pursuit pilot of his time, and his frustration when he fails greatly influences the direction of Army aviation in the 1920s and '30s. The book follows him as he retires from the Army Air Corps and accepts a job in China, where his true genius could flourish. This book is for those wanting to know what influenced Chennault's personality from birth through his pre-China military service. For these lesser-known years, the book fills in considerable detail.

Review by Jamie Thompson (July 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
Before Claire Lee Chennault could achieve success with the Flying Tigers, he had to learn how to lead and what to teach. This book examines the unique influences which created this remarkable, prescient military aviation pioneer. 

From his youth working on a family farm near a small Louisiana town, the book traces the influence of growing up in the American South, where Southern generals became his heroes. His education, both as a student and as a teacher, gave confidence but left him uneasy socially.

His love of flying enabled a military career, beginning just after World War I. His 20-year career in the Army Air Corps developed his flying skills. Later work with the Flying Trapeze honed his theories on combat flying and brought him fame. But his devotion to pursuit planes and his convictions about the future of aerial warfare brought controversy. 

Cast loose from the military as a result, he went to China in the nick of time to help the Chinese Air Force oppose the Japanese invasion in 1937. He gained knowledge of Japanese tactics and equipment, and learned painful lessons there, which eventually enabled him to lead the Flying Tigers to their successes.

This book covers those formative years and illustrates Chennault’s early time in China with maps and photos.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1945333194

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 186