F
ollowing the Second World War, the claim was made by Walt Disney
and Alexander P. de Seversky that the film Victory Through Air Power
(1943), based on the book of the same name, was viewed by Winston
Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt at the Quebec Conference. This viewing,
the claim continues, helped to increase the support the two leaders gave to
strategic air power in defeating the Axis. The story has been repeated by Disney
historians ever since. But is it true?
The Artist and the Aviator:
The Case for Churchill and
Roosevelt Viewing
Victory Through
Air Power By Paul F. Anderson
I
n April 1942 the book Victory Through Air Power by
Major Alexander P. de Seversky was published with
little fanfare, but within a month it appeared on the
New York Times bestseller list. By August it had reached
number one—so popular it prompted a paperback reis-
sue, practically unheard of at the time. Interest continued
at a fever pitch, and it was condensed for publication in
Reader’s Digest and serialized in newspapers. By fall, Gal-
lup’s Audience Research Institute estimated five million
people had read the book in one form or another.
The book’s popularity was in large part due to timing.
It was the early stages of the war for the United States, and
the country had faced many setbacks. The book offered
bold solutions, a self-help manual for a frustrated public
on how to win the war. The “secret” was long-range air
power.
One American totally won over by Seversky’s argu-
ment was Walt Disney. In 1941 Walt had caught the fly-
ing fever on a goodwill trip to South America, done at the
behest of the US Government. “I had decided to make a
picture on the history of aviation,” recalled Walt in 1942,
and “when I read...Victory Through Air Power, I was im-
pressed with Major Seversky’s clear vision of the present
and future role of air power.”^1Within a month Walt instructed that the film rights
be purchased with the caveat that all inquiries eliminate
the Disney name. Straightaway the rights were secured,
and Walt contacted Seversky to serve as a consultant. At
first the major was puzzled when his secretary informed
him that Walt Disney was on the phone; the aviator could
not figure out why Mickey Mouse was interested in air
power. After a short explanation, Seversky learned that
Walt was a student of aviation and was enthralled by the
book’s theories. There followed a thirteen-month collab-
oration during which the artist and the aviator dedicated
themselves to making a film about what they unreserved-
ly believed was the strategy for winning the war.The ClaimA
decade after the war ended, a story began to sur-
face that at one of the most desperate times for
the Allied powers during the war, the film version
of Victory Through Air Power had influenced some very im-
portant people during the 1943 Quebec Conference and
helped to shape the outcome of the war. The people were
Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Frank-
lin D. Roosevelt. But the evidence supporting this claim is
anecdotal and comes primarily from Seversky and Disney
sources. It would not be the first time the Disney publici-F
ollowing the Second World War, the claim was made by Walt Disney
and Alexander P. de Seversky that the film Victory Through Air Power
(1943), based on the book ofthe same name, was viewedby Winston
Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt at the Quebec Conference. This viewing,
the claim continues, helped to increase the support the two leaders gave to
strategicairpowerindefeatingtheAxis.ThestoryhasbeenrepeatedbyDisney
historianseversince.Butisit true?
The Artist and the Aviator:
The Case for Churchill and
Roosevelt Viewing
Victory Through
Air Power By Paul F. Anderson
I
n April 1942 the book Victory Through Air Power by
Major Alexander P. de Seversky was published with
little fanfare, but within a month it appeared on the
New York Times bestseller list. By August it had reached
number one—so popular it prompted a paperback reis-
sue, practically unheard of at the time. Interest continued
at a fever pitch, and it was condensed for publication in
Reader’s Digest and serialized in newspapers. By fall, Gal-
lup’s Audience Research Institute estimated five million
peoplehadreadthebookinoneformoranother.
The book’s popularity was in large part due to timing.
It was the early stages of the war for the United States, and
the country had faced many setbacks. The book offered
bold solutions, a self-help manual for a frustrated public
on how to win the war. The “secret” was long-range air
power.
One American totally won over by Seversky’s argu-
ment was Walt Disney. In 1941 Walt had caught the fly-
ing fever on a goodwill trip to South America, done at the
behest of the US Government. “I had decided to make a
picture on the history of aviation,” recalled Walt in 1942,
and “when I read...Victory Through Air Power, I was im-
pressed with Major Seversky’s clear vision of the present
and future role of air power.”^1Within a month Walt instructed that the film rights
be purchased with the caveat that all inquiries eliminate
the Disney name. Straightaway the rights were secured,
and Walt contacted Seversky to serve as a consultant. At
first the major was puzzled when his secretary informed
him that Walt Disney was on the phone; the aviator could
not figure out why Mickey Mouse was interested in air
power. After a short explanation, Seversky learned that
Walt was a student of aviation and was enthralled by the
book’s theories. There followed a thirteen-month collab-
oration during which the artist and the aviator dedicated
themselves to making a film about what they unreserved-
ly believed was the strategy for winning the war.The ClaimA
decade after the war ended, a story began to sur-
face that at one of the most desperate times for
the Allied powers during the war, the film version
of Victory Through Air Power had influenced some very im-
portant people during the 1943 Quebec Conference and
helped to shape the outcome of the war. The people were
Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Frank-
lin D. Roosevelt. But the evidence supporting this claim is
anecdotal and comes primarily from Seversky and Disney
sources. It would not be the first time the Disney publici-