Economic dominance in aviation motivated postwar base acquisitions alongside military goals

Evidence

Importantly, achieving military dominance was not the only motivation for the growing number of bases. American leaders were also guided by political and economic considerations. Looking forward to what many assumed would be massive postwar growth in international air travel, Roosevelt and other officials were intent on supporting U.S. commercial airlines. They saw this as critical to ensuring U.S. economic dominance not just in the airline industry but also in accessing worldwide natural resources, international markets, and investment opportunities. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 78

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The military-industrial loop self-perpetuates through mutually generated needs — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the…, 190