tion>
Governing From the Skies
A Global Historyof Aerial Bombing
THOMAS HIPPLER
Translated by David Fernbach
For Étienne Balibar
Published with the support of the Triangle research unit
(UMR 5206 of the CNRS) and of Sciences Po Lyon
The translation of this book was supported by
the Centre national du livre (CNL)
This English-language edition published by Verso 2017
Originally published as Le gouvernement du ciel:
Histoire globale des bombardements aériens
© Les Prairies Ordinaires 2014
Translation © David Fernbach 2017
All rights reserved
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Verso
UK: 6 Meard Street, London W1F 0EG
US: 20 Jay Street, Suite 1010, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Verso is the imprint of New Left Books
ISBN-13: 978-1-78478-595-6
ISBN-13: 978-1-78478-598-7 (US EBK)
ISBN-13: 978-1-78478-597-0 (UK EBK)
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hippler, Thomas, 1972– author. | Fernbach, David, translator.
Title: Governing from the skies : a global history of aerial bombing / Thomas
Hippler ; translated by David Fernbach.
Other titles: Gouvernement du ciel. English
Description: New York : Verso, [2017]
Identifiers: LCCN 2016033495 (print) | LCCN
2016033523 (ebook) | ISBN
9781784785956 (hbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN
9781784785987 ()
Subjects: LCSH: Bombing, Aerial – History.
Classification: LCC UG630 .H58613 2017 (print) |
LCC UG630 (ebook) | DDC
358.4/2409 – dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016033495
Typeset in Sabon by MJ&N Gavan, Truro, Cornwall
Printed in the US by Maple Press
Contents
Acknowledgements
Prologue
1Land, Sea, and Air
2Towards Perpetual Peace
3The Knights of the Sky
4The Colonial Matrix
5Civilization, Cosmopolitism, and Democracy
6People and Populace
7Philosophy of the Bomb
8Making and Unmaking a People
9‘Revolutionary War’ beneath the Nuclear Shield
10World Governance and Perpetual War
Notes
Index
My thanks first of all to Nicolas Vieillescazes, not only for his support and encouragement throughout the writing of this book, but above all for the impeccable editorial work he contributed. Whatever people may say, publishing houses do still have editors! Several people have made it possible for this book to be born, each in their own way, and at different stages and moments. I particularly have to thank Jérémie Barthas for materialism in theory; Adila Benedjai-Zou for soft drinks and Sundays; Axel Berger for table tennis and revolution; Antje Bonhage for Berlin; Chiara Bottici for the radical Enlightenment; Aurélie Blanchard for art, architecture, and whisky sour; Sebastian Budgen for a mine of information; Benoît Challand for New York; Grégoire Chamayou for ‘patterns of life’; Xavier Chatel for world politics and good meals; Antony Dabila for strategy; Thomas Deltombe for weapons; François Dumasy for Rome; Alexander Gumz for poetry; Isik Gurleyen for international relations theory and Turkey; Wolfgang Hardtwig for all his advice and support; Klaus, Petra, Annika, and Benjamin Hippler for their unfailing support; Vincent Jacques for overcoding and axiomatics; Oliver Janz for the invitation; Sara Jassim for graphic design; Razmig Keucheyan for his support and discussions on internationalism; Dieter Langewiesche for his criticism; Anne Lepoittevin for the razor and the latitanza; Chantal Malambri for Situationism; Nicola Marcucci for the title and for Berlin nights; Élise Marrou for philosophy and the Loire; Sarah Mazouz for intersectionality; Aïcha Messina for Chile; Pino Messina for Umbria; Roberto Nigro for many things over many years; Vannina Olivesi for dance and sushi; Germinal Pinalie for a volcano of ideas; Hélène Quiniou for the art of formulation; Mathieu Rigouste for the arms industry; Kahena Sanaâ for the pauses; Delphine Simon for theatre, wine, and all the good moments spent during the writing of this book; Arnault Skornicki for the social history of political ideas; Jörg Stickan for beer and literature; Hew Strachan for the First World War; Bo Strath for his kindness and benevolence; Savina Tarsitano for Calabria; Spiros Tegos for Athens; Julien Théry for his evenings; Benno Teschke for geopolitics; Chloé Thomas for
