DOCSLIB.ORG

French Army 1940 PDF Book

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
French Army 1940 PDF Book FRENCH ARMY 1940 PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Andre Jouineau | 64 pages | 19 Mar 2011 | HISTOIRE & COLLECTIONS | 9782352501794 | English | Paris, France French Army 1940 PDF Book On June 30, he and a comrade flew to the British base at Gibraltar and from there sailed to Liverpool where they arrived on July 13 and joined the RAF. Mortars 51 27 light, 24 heavy 7 9 light, 8 heavy? SF Tafel — via catalog. It had the virtue of being unlikely from a defensive point of view , as the Ardennes was heavily wooded and implausible as a route for a mechanized invasion. After a campaign lasting less than two months France was forced to sue for peace and an armistice was signed on 22 June However, von Rundstedt would have none of it and refused to confirm the order. The RAF also provided air cover, denying the Luftwaffe an opportunity to attack the shipping. If there is one section of the Battle of France where the French are unfairly critiqued, other than the idea of cowardly behavior present in anti-French popular stereotypes, it is in regards to their tanks. The Free French airmen were part of the first casualties of Day-D. But the Battle of France did not end here. Both in the south and the north they could in reality muster but a handful of tanks. This might lead to a strategic collapse of the enemy, avoiding the relatively high number of casualties normally caused by a Kesselschlacht cauldron battle. U of California Press. It all made perfect sense, and the French had planned, examined, and analyzed it for two decades. Thus, every French army had aviation assets assigned directly to support and defend it, instead of being placed directly under the air force's command. Portals Access related topics. That only left the centre. Air War Over France, — The British also lost ships to Luftwaffe bombing in Dynamo, including eight destroyers and eight troopships. The bridges over the canal were seized by German paratroopers. There was also a lack of motivation. Gamelin and the other French commanders doubted that they could move any further forward before the Germans arrived. Tanks Break Through! A further 2, men suffered from frostbite during the campaign. Main article: Army of Africa France. Tooze, Adam In a sombre meeting with the French commanders, Churchill asked General Gamelin, "Where is the strategic reserve? The very French effort to attempt to deal with perceived numerical inferiority, gave then numerical inferiority where it counted. And yet the Battle of France hung upon it, depended upon it, required it. Baliszewski, Dariusz 19 September The possibility of Soviet assistance to Poland had ended with the Munich Agreement of , after which the Soviet Union and Germany eventually negotiated the Nazi—Soviet Pact , which included an agreement to partition Poland. Weygand expected these new formations to replace the cavalry. Random House. If the French army was generally equipped sufficiently in regards to its material, in anti-aircraft weaponry, its deficiency was crippling. Thus, the French army adopted an operational mindset that implied defensive operations, fighting a slow, grueling war with the Germans where its army could increase in its fighting proficiency and training over time. Starting with Operation Catapult on 3 July , the British took pre-emptive actions to seize French vessels. Panzergruppe Kleist had more than 41, vehicles, which had only four march routes through the Ardennes. Fennell, Jonathan Taylor, A. Germany : 27, dead [e] , wounded 18, missing [6] [7] [8] 1, aircrew killed [9] 1, aircraft lost [6] [10] — [11] tanks lost [f] , total casualties Italy : 6,—6, [g]. While it caused certain shortcomings, it fit into a logical French doctrine, and was probably worth more than it cost. Closer examination reveals the army had to wait 45—75 minutes for Ju 87 units and ten minutes for Henschel Hs s. With so many tanks available the French could still concentrate a considerable number of light, medium and heavy tanks in armoured divisions, which in theory were as powerful as German panzer divisions. Hitler miscalculated Franco-British reactions to the invasion of Poland in September , because he had not realised that a shift in public opinion had occurred in mid Combat on the island was characterized by close-in fighting, use of flamethrowers , well-ranged German artillery, and the liberal use of mines. French Army 1940 Writer He who sent the message would labor under the illusion that it had arrived and would be acted upon, and the recipient would never know that it had been sent in the first place. The Gaur Polaire blew eight bridges on the RC 7 route coloniale 7 , assaulted Japanese detachments and convoys, blew airstrip holds and storages of the Khan Kai camp and also destroyed a fuel and vehicles storage. World War II. Only a few French infantry were involved in the Allied landing operations on June 6, By the time of the Battle of France, French estimates of German troops continued to be much larger than in reality. The 7th Panzer Division raced ahead, Rommel refusing to allow the division rest and advancing by day and night. Intelligence indicated that the Oasis was defended by two defensive lines based around the El Tag fort which included barbed wire, trenches, machine guns and light AA anti-aircraft defences. GQG considered that the Second and Ninth armies had the easiest task of the army group since they were dug in on the west bank of the Meuse on ground that was easily defended and behind the Ardennes and would have plenty of warning of a German attack in the centre of the French front. This led to an engagement between the battleships and cruisers and the forts. And yet many French divisions simply shattered, collapsed, dissolved, and the Germans took huge lines of prisoners when crossing at lightning speed from the breakthroughs along the Meuse to the Channel. Unable to reach Dunkirk , Cherbourg, or any of the other evacuation ports and having exhausted their supplies and ammunition, Maj. Having completed thorough photographic reconnaissance , they destroyed 83 of the aircraft of the Aeronautique Militaire within the first 24 hours of the invasion. The original German plan closely resembled Gamelin's expectations. Of course the Germans might try to overcome the Meuse position by using infantry. Die for Danzig? The patrol took cover among some rocks in a small wadi at Gebel Sherif and camouflaged the trucks, before preparing to have lunch. French tanks had smaller crews; the commander had to load the main gun, distracting him from observation and tactical deployment. The Battle of Arras achieved surprise and initial success against overstretched German forces but failed in its objective. The German forces in the west in May and June deployed some 2, tanks and 7, guns. Dunkirk: The Necessary Myth. Tanks Break Through! After the evacuation at Dunkirk, while Paris was enduring a short-lived siege, part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division was sent to Brittany but was withdrawn after the French capitulation. The French commander-in-chief, Maurice Gamelin also believed the area to be safe from attack, noting it "never favoured large operations". But this was a feint. Overwhelming the Netherlands and sweeping through a weak spot in the French line at Sedan, its fast moving tank divisions arrived at the sea, enclosing French, British, and Belgian troops in a massive pocket which they either evacuated from, losing their heavy equipment, or were forced to surrender in. In , the CSG decided on 41 active divisions, plus five Algerian and three colonial divisions, with a mobilisation potential of 80 divisions. Roughly thirty-two Italian divisions faced just four French divisions. In the French units had bended, groaned, suffered, but had never broke like those of something very differently had infected their mentality. Reynaud was, however, inconsolable. French Army 1940 Reviews The main approach route was blocked by Fort Eben-Emael, a large fortress then generally considered the most modern in Europe, which controlled the junction of the Meuse and the Albert Canal. The French army never deviated from the belief that the loss of the agricultural, mining and industrial resources could never be repeated. London: I. French guns wouldn't be as bad as the numbers entail in engaging troops in the open due to shrapnel effects, which the 75mm would have more of proportionately, but there can be no doubt that the light artillery of a German division would be substantially better than its French equivalent. See also: Order of battle for the Battle of France. All of them could recover: France could not. Between 21 and 23 August, the French slowly squeezed the Germans back into the inner city in a series of almost continuous street fights. It all made perfect sense, and the French had planned, examined, and analyzed it for two decades. The Blitzkrieg Legend English trans. Dunkirk: Fight to the Last Man. Even worse was the defeatism and passivity in the French high command, where Joffre, whatever his other faults and there were many , had the resolve of steel and will to not give up when fighting seemed most chaotic and hopeless: by contrast, his successor, Maure Gamelin, had quickly been plunged into a state of depression by the German offensive. Assolent shot down another. In addition to the infantry tanks, the French had 3 DCRs and 3 DLMs the infantry and cavalry armored divisions respectively , both consisting of large numbers of tanks and powerfully equipped, although the DCRs were excessively tank heavy. On 10 January , a German aircraft landed at Maasmechelen in Belgium, carrying plans for the invasion.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Economic Importance of the Belgian Ports : Flemish Maritime Ports, Liège Port Complex and the Port of Brussels – Report 2006
    Economic importance of the Belgian ports : Flemish maritime ports, Liège port complex and the port of Brussels – Report 2006 Working Paper Document by Saskia Vennix June 2008 No 134 Editorial Director Jan Smets, Member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Belgium Statement of purpose: The purpose of these working papers is to promote the circulation of research results (Research Series) and analytical studies (Documents Series) made within the National Bank of Belgium or presented by external economists in seminars, conferences and conventions organised by the Bank. The aim is therefore to provide a platform for discussion. The opinions expressed are strictly those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bank of Belgium. Orders For orders and information on subscriptions and reductions: National Bank of Belgium, Documentation - Publications service, boulevard de Berlaimont 14, 1000 Brussels Tel +32 2 221 20 33 - Fax +32 2 21 30 42 The Working Papers are available on the website of the Bank: http://www.nbb.be © National Bank of Belgium, Brussels All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational and non-commercial purposes is permitted provided that the source is acknowledged. ISSN: 1375-680X (print) ISSN: 1784-2476 (online) NBB WORKING PAPER No. 134 - JUNE 2008 Abstract This paper is an annual publication issued by the Microeconomic Analysis service of the National Bank of Belgium. The Flemish maritime ports (Antwerp, Ghent, Ostend, Zeebrugge), the Autonomous Port of Liège and the port of Brussels play a major role in their respective regional economies and in the Belgian economy, not only in terms of industrial activity but also as intermodal centres facilitating the commodity flow.
    [Show full text]
  • The Night Operation on the Passchendaele Ridge, 2Nd December 1917
    Centre for First World War Studies A Moonlight Massacre: The Night Operation on the Passchendaele Ridge, 2nd December 1917 by Michael Stephen LoCicero Thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of History and Cultures College of Arts & Law June 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Abstract The Third Battle of Ypres was officially terminated by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig with the opening of the Battle of Cambrai on 20 November 1917. Nevertheless, a comparatively unknown set-piece attack – the only large-scale night operation carried out on the Flanders front during the campaign – was launched twelve days later on 2 December. This thesis, a necessary corrective to published campaign narratives of what has become popularly known as „Passchendaele‟, examines the course of events from the mid-November decision to sanction further offensive activity in the vicinity of Passchendaele village to the barren operational outcome that forced British GHQ to halt the attack within ten hours of Zero. A litany of unfortunate decisions and circumstances contributed to the profitless result.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of British Tactical and Operational Tank Doctrine and Training in the First World War
    The evolution of British tactical and operational tank doctrine and training in the First World War PHILIP RICHARD VENTHAM TD BA (Hons.) MA. Thesis submitted for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy by the University of Wolverhampton October 2016 ©Copyright P R Ventham 1 ABSTRACT Tanks were first used in action in September 1916. There had been no previous combat experience on which to base tactical and operational doctrine for the employment of this novel weapon of war. Training of crews and commanders was hampered by lack of vehicles and weapons. Time was short in which to train novice crews. Training facilities were limited. Despite mechanical limitations of the early machines and their vulnerability to adverse ground conditions, the tanks achieved moderate success in their initial actions. Advocates of the tanks, such as Fuller and Elles, worked hard to convince the sceptical of the value of the tank. Two years later, tanks had gained the support of most senior commanders. Doctrine, based on practical combat experience, had evolved both within the Tank Corps and at GHQ and higher command. Despite dramatic improvements in the design, functionality and reliability of the later marks of heavy and medium tanks, they still remained slow and vulnerable to ground conditions and enemy counter-measures. Competing demands for materiel meant there were never enough tanks to replace casualties and meet the demands of formation commanders. This thesis will argue that the somewhat patchy performance of the armoured vehicles in the final months of the war was less a product of poor doctrinal guidance and inadequate training than of an insufficiency of tanks and the difficulties of providing enough tanks in the right locations at the right time to meet the requirements of the manoeuvre battles of the ‘Hundred Days’.
    [Show full text]
  • The German Army, Vimy Ridge and the Elastic Defence in Depth in 1917
    Journal of Military and Strategic VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2 Studies “Lessons learned” in WWI: The German Army, Vimy Ridge and the Elastic Defence in Depth in 1917 Christian Stachelbeck The Battle of Arras in the spring of 1917 marked the beginning of the major allied offensives on the western front. The attack by the British 1st Army (Horne) and 3rd Army (Allenby) was intended to divert attention from the French main offensive under General Robert Nivelle at the Chemin des Dames (Nivelle Offensive). 1 The French commander-in-chief wanted to force the decisive breakthrough in the west. Between 9 and 12 April, the British had succeeded in penetrating the front across a width of 18 kilometres and advancing around six kilometres, while the Canadian corps (Byng), deployed for the first time in closed formation, seized the ridge near Vimy, which had been fiercely contested since late 1914.2 The success was paid for with the bloody loss of 1 On the German side, the battles at Arras between 2 April and 20 May 1917 were officially referred to as Schlacht bei Arras (Battle of Arras). In Canada, the term Battle of Vimy Ridge is commonly used for the initial phase of the battle. The seizure of Vimy ridge was a central objective of the offensive and was intended to secure the protection of the northern flank of the 3rd Army. 2 For detailed information on this, see: Jack Sheldon, The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914-1917 (Barnsley: Pen&Sword Military, 2008), p. 8. Sheldon's book, however, is basically a largely indiscriminate succession of extensive quotes from regimental histories, diaries and force files from the Bavarian War Archive (Kriegsarchiv) in Munich.
    [Show full text]
  • The Birth of Airpower, 1916 the Character of the German Offensive
    The Birth of Airpower, 1916 359 the character of the German offensive became clear, and losses reached staggering levels, Joffre urgently demanded as early a start as possible to the allied offensive. In May he and Haig agreed to mount an assault on I July 'athwart the Somme.' Long before the starting date of the offensive had been fixed the British had been preparing for it by building up, behind their lines, the communications and logistical support the 'big push' demanded. Masses of materiel were accumulated close to the trenches, including nearly three million rounds of artillery ammuni­ tion. War on this scale was a major industrial undertaking.• Military aviation, of necessity, made a proportionate leap as well. The RFC had to expand to meet the demands of the new mass armies, and during the first six months of 1916 Trenchard, with Haig's strong support, strove to create an air weapon that could meet the challenge of the offensive. Beginning in January the RFC had been reorganized into brigades, one to each army, a process completed on 1 April when IV Brigade was formed to support the Fourth Army. Each brigade consisted of a headquarters, an aircraft park, a balloon wing, an army wing of two to four squadrons, and a corps wing of three to five squadrons (one squadron for each corps). At RFC Headquarters there was an additional wing to provide reconnais­ sance for GHQ, and, as time went on, to carry out additional fighting and bombing duties.3 Artillery observation was now the chief function of the RFC , with subsidiary efforts concentrated on close reconnaissance and photography.
    [Show full text]
  • Designer Notes
    France ’40 – Designer Notes Table of Contents I. Design Notes Designer's Notes – France ‘40 by David Guégan Campaign Scenario Notes and Additional Thoughts by Glenn Saunders French Army Abbreviations II. The Scenarios Scenario List Scenario Overviews Historical Timeline of Events III. Bibliography I. Design Notes Panzer Campaigns: France ‘40 By David Guégan From History to Creating the Game Since the introduction of the first Panzer Campaigns Series game in 1999, Smolensk '41, the debate and speculation upon future game titles amongst our loyal patrons grew not only in its depth of the recreated battlefield but also its breadth. The title, Sedan ’40, was frequently suggested, but the responses on the forums were usually "too big, too many units, or not enough information." When HPS Simulations produced Kursk ’43, I knew the Panzer Campaigns Series had the breadth and the title was broadened to France ’40. So, how did I get it started? I have been a player of the Panzer Campaigns Series since 2000. Being French, I have always wanted to see the 1940 France Campaign recreated. I decided to contact John Tiller in late 2003 and ask him if he would be interested. After a few e-mails exchanges, I was able to convince him with my knowledge, research on the battles that took place and the Order of Battle for the French and Belgians I had compiled, we could recreate the Battle of France in the breadth and depth it deserved. After reading Blitzkrieg-Legend by Colonel Karl-Heinz Frieser, I was comfortable we could make an interesting game.
    [Show full text]
  • Fallen 1914 - 1918
    THE FALLEN 1914 - 1918 part two shenington THE FALLEN 1914-1918 About “The Fallen” – Part Two The author of The Fallen, a tribute to the men from Alkerton and Shenington who fell in the two world wars, is Alistair Cook of Tysoe Hill Cottage in Shenington. When former Shenington Green editor Carole Young appealed for information on the six men named on the Alkerton war memorial, Alistair, a confirmed ‘non-historian,’ decided to pursue a fascination cultivated over long dog walks: namely, the lost stories behind the many names engraved on the large chunks of stone that take pride of place in our local villages. The Fallen, Part Two follows the publishing of Part One in the December 2015 issue of the Shenington Green. Part one covered the stories of the men remembered on the Alkerton war memorial; part two honours the men whose names are listed on a plaque in Shenington church and Richard Coles, a young Shenington soldier whose name is honoured on a small wooden plaque hanging just below it. The Fallen was inspired by the stories of Epwell’s soldiers killed in the wars, compiled by local historian Eric Kaye, who also wrote the story of the Edgehill airfield. Alistair spent weeks finding the soldiers’ respective regimental details, where they are buried, what they had done, where they lived and the actions that took place on or around the dates they fell. This was all achieved with the help of the internet and a visit to the National Archives in Kew where Alistair was allowed access to all records, free of charge.
    [Show full text]
  • The Thunder Anthony Beaucamp-Protor Farewell Uncle
    Military Despatches Vol 49 July 2021 The Aces The top fighter pilots of World War I Farewell Uncle Syd We pay tribute to Uncle Syd Ireland, the last South African signaller of World War II The Thunder Poland‘s Special Forces unit, JW GROM Anthony Beaucamp-Protor South Africa’s leading fighter ace of World War I and recipient of the Victoria Cross For the military enthusiast Military Despatches CONTENTS YouTube Channel July 2021 Page 14 Click on any video below to view Army Speak 101 The SADF had their own language. A mixture of Eng- lish, Afrikaans, slang and tech- no-speak that few outside the military could hope to under- stand. Paratrooper Wings Most armies around the world Elite Military Quiz also had their own slang terms. Units Quiz Most military paratroopers In this video we look at some Most military forces have an are awarded their jump wings of them. elite unit or regiment or a spe- Special Forces - JW GROM after they have qualified. cial forces component. In this quiz we show you 15 In this quiz we show you 15 different wings and you tell us and you tell us who they are and 30 where they are from. where they are from. Features 18 Battle of Britain - a few facts 6 The Battle of Britain lasted Top Ten WWI Fighter Pilots from 10 July – 31 October 1940 The Top Ten fighter aces of and was the first major mili- New videos World War I. tary campaign in history to be each week fought entirely in the air.
    [Show full text]
  • Description of a Test Case: Impact of an Archimedes Screw Hydropower Plant on the Local Fish Population
    Description of a Test Case: Impact of an Archimedes screw hydropower plant on the local fish population Shipping canal and ship lock complex of Ham (Kwaadmechelen) - Belgium Picture: De Vlaamse Waterweg NV Prepared by Ine Pauwels (INBO) and Jeffrey Tuthan (TUT) Logo’s ? Table of Contents 1. Description of the Test-Case ........................................................................................................... 3 1.1. Description of the water bodies related to the hydropower plant (HPP) and ship lock complex of Ham (Kwaadmechelen, Belgium). .................................................................................... 3 1.1.1. Ecological and biological status ....................................................................................... 5 1.1.2. Hydrology of the Albert canal and Meuse river .............................................................. 5 1.1.3. Main pressures ................................................................................................................ 8 1.2. Presentation of the HPP .......................................................................................................... 9 1.2.1. Rationale .......................................................................................................................... 9 1.2.2. Location ......................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.3. Main characteristics .....................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Wigan Borough Remembers
    Produced by Wigan Museums & Archives Issue No. 67 August-November 2014 £2 WWiiggaann BBoorroouugghh RReemmeemmbbeerrss:: FFiirrsstt WWoorrlldd WWaarr CCoommmmeemmoorraattiivvee SSppeecciiaall EEddiittiioonn Visit Wigan Borough Museums & Archives ARCHIVES & MUSEUMS ARCHIVES & MUSEUMS Write 1000 words - Win £100! Contents Letter from the Do you have a passion for local history? Is there a local history topic that you would love to 4-5 The Fallen see featured in Past Forward? Then why not take part in 6-7 The 5th Battalion Editorial Team Wigan Borough Environment The Manchester and Heritage Network’s Local Regiment (1908-1914) Welcome to PAST Forward and this special History Writing Competition? Local History Writing 8 News from the extended commemorative edition of the magazine. Competition Archives/Local Studies At the Archives & Museums, our staff and volunteers have spent many 1st Prize - £100 9 Collections Corner long hours working on collections, documenting and digitising 2nd Prize - £75 10-11 Deadman's Penny sources and making sure that researchers are able to share in telling 3rd Prize - £50 the stories of Wigan Borough and the Great War. Since asking for Five Runners-Up Prizes of £25 12-13 Postcard from Africa contributions about the First World War, we’ve been overwhelmed The Essay Writing Competition 14-15 Brothers in War with the response we have received from readers old and new, all is kindly sponsored by Mr and with histories to tell and the lives of men and women to remember. Mrs J. O'Neil. 16-17 From Playing Field to Battlefield Criteria in Past Forward Issue 68. • Electronic submissions are • It will not be possible for articles We wanted to create something that would offer a record for the Other submissions may also be preferred although handwritten to be returned.
    [Show full text]
  • TNP3 / SUBPROJECT 2: Languages for Enhanced Opportunities on the European Labour Market
    TNP3 / SUBPROJECT 2: Languages for enhanced opportunities on the European labour market NATIONAL REPORT ON BELGIUM Limburgs Universitair Centrum Updated: Universiteit Hasselt, 13.03.2007 1 INTRODUCTION Belgium is located in the heart of Northern Europe and has 10.309.725 inhabitants1 and a total surface area of 32.545 km². Founded in 1831, Belgium is a constitutional, hereditary monarchy. Today Belgium is a true federal state, reorganized into three Regions: Flanders (13.522 km2, 5.972.781 inhabitants), Wallonia (16.844 km2, 3.358.560 inhabitants) and the Brussels Capital Region (161,4 km2, 978.384 inhabitants) and three Communities (French, Dutch and German speaking population) each with their own legislative and executive competences. The regions are competent for all territory-linked matters (economy, envirnment, …), whereas the communities are responsible for all person- linked matters (education, culture, …). The Flemish region and Dutch-speaking community have formed one government: the Flemish government (residence in Brussels). The other regions and communities, have separate governments. As a result of this, Belgium counts 6 governments (federal state, region of Brussels and of Wallonia, French-speaking and German-speaking communities and the Flemish government). The actual population growth rate is 0.16% with a birth rate of 10.59 births/1,000 population and the net migration rate amounts to 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population. For males life expectancy at birth is 75.42 years, whereas for female it is 81.67 years (2004 est.). 2 ECONOMY - EMPLOYMENT 2.1 GENERAL INFORMATION Belgium may only represent 1 % of the total surface of the European Union2 and 2.7 % of the European population; the economic position of Belgium in the EU is nevertheless a lot more significant.
    [Show full text]
  • © Osprey Publishing • © Osprey Publishing • HITLER’S EAGLES
    www.ospreypublishing.com © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com HITLER’S EAGLES THE LUFTWAFFE 1933–45 Chris McNab © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com CONTENTS Introduction 6 The Rise and Fall of the Luftwaffe 10 Luftwaffe – Organization and Manpower 56 Bombers – Strategic Reach 120 Fighters – Sky Warriors 174 Ground Attack – Strike from Above 238 Sea Eagles – Maritime Operations 292 Ground Forces – Eagles on the Land 340 Conclusion 382 Further Reading 387 Index 390 © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com INTRODUCTION A force of Heinkel He 111s near their target over England during the summer of 1940. Once deprived of their Bf 109 escorts, the German bombers were acutely vulnerable to the predations of British Spitfires and Hurricanes. © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com he story of the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) has been an abiding focus of military Thistorians since the end of World War II in 1945. It is not difficult to see why. Like many aspects of the German war machine, the Luftwaffe was a crowning achievement of the German rearmament programme. During the 1920s and early 1930s, the air force was a shadowy organization, operating furtively under the tight restrictions on military development imposed by the Versailles Treaty. Yet through foreign-based aircraft design agencies, civilian air transport and nationalistic gliding clubs, the seeds of a future air force were nevertheless kept alive and growing in Hitler’s new Germany, and would eventually emerge in the formation of the Luftwaffe itself in 1935. The nascent Luftwaffe thereafter grew rapidly, its ranks of both men and aircraft swelling under the ambition of its commander-in-chief, Hermann Göring.
    [Show full text]