Notices of the American Mathematical Society

Operations research grew out of the application of the scientific method to certain problems of war during World War II. This book tells the story of how operations research became an important activity in the Eighth Air Force. The author emphasizes the people involved in these historical events, rather than the technical matters with which they dealt. Focusing on a time of great importance in the history of this century, the book reveals the vital role this group of civilian scientists played in the defeat of Germany.