"In the summer of 1914, as Europe teetered on the brink of war, the spectre of immediate Zeppelin raids on London and other major British towns and cities loomed large. When Winston Churchill accepted responsibility for the defence of London, he realized that Zeppelins were most vulnerable when on the ground. Despite limited resources, he believed that attack was the best form of defence. In the final four months of 1914, the Royal Naval Air Service launched four separate air attacks on Zeppelin bases in Germany: Dusseldorf/Cologne twice, Friedrichshafen and Cushaven."--Back cover.