Over the fateful summer of 1914, Europe plunged into the abyss of war. Before it did, government officials, military experts, and popular journalists spent weeks tallying the strength of nations and their war-making potential. They calculated power based on the density and strength of fortifications; the number, caliber, and range of cannon; divisions of fielded troops; and the tonnage, armor, and throw-weight of ever more imposing dreadnoughts. Only a few thought of airplanes. Compared to forts, cannon, ships, and infantry, the frail wood, wire, and fabric "aeroplanes" seen buzzing through Europe's summer skies seemed hardly more consequential than darting dragonflies.
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