All the Factors of Victory

Wildenberg has written a very well researched and enjoyable biography. While having to deal with a scarcity of information from Reeves himself, Wildenburg made rational assumptions, where necessary, based on his extensive research. He provides many entertaining anecdotes about Reeves' life at sea and ashore. Of particular interest is the detail he offers on Reeves' interactions throughout his career with fellow officers, command-level naval officers, members of various boards and panels, and period politicians, including President Franklin Roosevelt. The book serves to enlighten the reader on the life, commitment and outcomes of a little-known, but highly influential, American patriot. It is a good read. --Air Force Historical Foundation Thomas Wildenberg has provided a long-needed . . . solid professional biography, telling us much about the man's motivations as well as his assignments and accomplishments. . . . Excellent. --NORMAN POLMAR in The Journal of Military History Wildenberg's detailed, easily read text is a compendium of the turn-of-the-century Navy that will be of interest to everyone. . . . The author explores this important but little-known period, including new aircraft like the Boeing and Curtiss fighters of the time. It's good reading. --PETER MERSKY in The Hook Wildenberg has mined previously neglected official and private sources to tell the story of Reeves's life and career against the background of technological innovation and bureaucratic change in the 1920s and 1930s. All the Factors of Victory is an important book that deserves the attention of all serious historians of naval aviation. --WILLIAM F. TRIMBLE, author of Admiral William A. Moffett: Architect of Naval Aviation This is an excellent book that not only tells the story of a remarkable man but covers a wide range of naval issues and disciplines although, it has to be said, aviation stands out as the first among them. Reeves was a dynamic officer who deserved his rise to the top of his profession and established carrier operating techniques that have endured the tests of conflict time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and recommend it to [anyone] with a wide range of naval and historical interests. --Australian Naval Institute Reeves made an important contribution in preparing the US Navy through the Fleet Problem experimental programme, to advance carrier warfare and make a contribution. A good read that adds to our understanding of the interwar period. --The NAVY All the Factors of Victory and the Origins of Carrier Airpower is a thought-provoking biography on the influential career of a US Naval Officer and the parallel formation of carrier airpower.... An excellent book describing a change of cultural and military history, through a determined, innovative and ground-breaking USN Officer. --Aerospace