Technogeopolitics and the struggle for control of world air routes, 1910–1928

This paper introduces and encourages the use of technogeopolitics, the recursive relationship between technology and geopolitics, as a lens for analysis. Through this lens the paper examines the role of Britain, the United States, Germany and France at three international aerial conferences held in 1910, 1919 and 1928. At these conferences, the four nationsʹ geopolitical positions are strongly influenced by each nationʹs current level of aviation technology. Similarly, the level of technology each nation has developed at each conference is representative of the nationʹs choice to invest, or not invest, in aviation technology, creating a technogeopolitical relationship. Key issues at each conference revolve around the concepts of aerial sovereignty and freedom of the air, the inclusion and exclusion of nations from aerial trading blocs, cross-Atlantic aerial relationships and the rise of US commercial air power in the Western Hemisphere reflecting each nationʹs attempt to assume control of the air in particular geographical regions around the world, usually at the expense of other nations.