The Luftwaffe: a Complete History, 1933-45 Free
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FREE THE LUFTWAFFE: A COMPLETE HISTORY, 1933-45 PDF E. R. Hooton | 304 pages | 01 Nov 2010 | Crecy Publishing | 9781906537180 | English | Manchester, United Kingdom Organization of the Luftwaffe - Wikipedia Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It was also the official name for the Nazi air force founded in Photo: The aircrew of a Heinkel bomber look out on an accompanying plane, circa Londoners recall the growing spirit on the streets. Richard Holmes explains how the bombing campaigns escalated. He also interviews Ernst Wedding, an ex-German bomber pilot, about the war in the sky. Richard Holmes describes how German planes dropped the first bombs on central London. The sea rescue of a ditched RAF fighter crew after a dogfight above the British coast. After the defeat of the The Luftwaffe: A Complete History Reich, The Luftwaffe: A Complete History Luftwaffe was disbanded in Luftwaffe is also the generic term in German speaking countries for any national military aviation service, and the names of air forces The Luftwaffe: A Complete History other countries are 1933-45 translated into German as "Luftwaffe" e. Royal Air Force is often translated as "britische Luftwaffe". Since "Luft" translates into English as "air", and "Waffe" may be translated into English as either "weapon" or "arm", "Air Arm" may be considered the most literal English translation of Luftwaffe cf. Fleet Air Arm. After the defeat of Germany in WW I, the service was dissolved in under the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles. During the interwar period, German pilots trained in violation of the treaty in secret. Throughout the history of the Third Reich, the Luftwaffe had only two commanders-in-chief. When the Second World War began, the Luftwaffe was one of the most technologically advanced air forces in the world. In the summer ofthe Luftwaffe contributed to the unexpected success in the Battle of France. During the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe, despite causing severe damage to the Royal Air Force's infrastructure and British cities during the subsequent Blitz, did not achieve 1933-45 superiority. The Defence of the Reich campaign gradually destroyed the Luftwaffe's fighter arm. Despite its belated use of advanced turbojet and rocket propelled aircraft for The Luftwaffe: A Complete History destroyer duties, it was overwhelmed by Allied numbers and a lack of trained pilots and fuel. A last-ditch attempt, known as Operation Bodenplatte, to win 1933-45 superiority in January failed. After the Bodenplatte effort, the Luftwaffe had ceased to be an effective fighting force. This entry is from Wikipediathe user-contributed encyclopedia. If you find the content in the 'About' section factually incorrect, defamatory or highly offensive you can edit this article at Wikipedia. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving. History History Luftwaffe. Introduction Luftwaffe. Highlights from BBC programmes Video 21 play Daytime bombing raids stop Londoners remember Londoners recall the growing spirit on the streets. Read more at Wikipedia This entry is from Wikipediathe user-contributed 1933-45. People Adolf Hitler. Related programmes. Luftwaffe - Wikipedia During the interwar period, German pilots were trained secretly in violation of the treaty at Lipetsk Air Base in the Soviet Union. With the rise of the Nazi Party and the repudiation of the Versailles Treaty, the Luftwaffe ' s existence was publicly acknowledged on 26 Februaryjust over two weeks before open defiance of the Versailles Treaty through German re-armament and conscription would be announced on 16 March. Partially as a result of this combat experience, the Luftwaffe had become one of the most sophisticated, technologically advanced, and battle- experienced air forces in the world when World War II broke out in The Luftwaffe proved instrumental in the German victories across Poland and Western Europe in and During the Battle of Britainhowever, despite inflicting severe damage to the RAF 's infrastructure and, 1933-45 the subsequent Blitzdevastating many British cities, the German air force failed to batter The Luftwaffe: A Complete History beleaguered British into submission. FromAllied bombing campaigns gradually destroyed The Luftwaffe: A Complete History Luftwaffe ' s fighter arm. From latethe Luftwaffe used its surplus ground support and other personnel to raise Luftwaffe Field Divisions. Despite its belated use of advanced turbojet and rocket propelled aircraft for the destruction of Allied bombersthe Luftwaffe was overwhelmed by the Allies' superior numbers and improved tactics, and a lack of trained pilots and aviation fuel. In Januaryduring the closing stages of the Battle of the Bulgethe Luftwaffe made a last-ditch effort to win air superiorityand met with failure. With rapidly dwindling supplies of petroleum, oil, and lubricants after this campaign, and as part of the entire combined Wehrmacht military forces as a whole, the Luftwaffe ceased to be an effective fighting force. After the defeat of Germany, the Luftwaffe was disbanded in During World War II, German pilots claimed roughly 70, aerial victories, while over 75, Luftwaffe aircraft were destroyed or significantly damaged. Of these, nearly 40, were lost entirely. The Luftwaffe was deeply involved in Nazi war crimes. By the end of the war, a significant percentage of aircraft production originated in concentration campsan industry employing tens of thousands of prisoners. The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe organized Nazi human experimentationand Luftwaffe ground troops committed massacres in ItalyGreeceand Poland. After the defeat of Germany, the service was dissolved on 8 May The Luftwaffe: A Complete History the conditions of the Treaty of Versailleswhich also mandated the destruction of all German military aircraft. Since the Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany to have an air force, German pilots trained in secret. To train its pilots on the latest combat aircraft, Germany solicited the help of the Soviet Unionwhich was also isolated in Europe. A secret training airfield was established at Lipetsk in and operated for approximately nine years using mostly Dutch and Soviet, but also some German, training aircraft before being closed in This base was officially known as 4th squadron of the 40th wing of the Red Army. Hundreds of Luftwaffe pilots and technical personnel visited, studied and were The Luftwaffe: A Complete History at Soviet air force schools in several locations in Central Russia. The first steps towards the Luftwaffe ' s formation were undertaken just months after Adolf Hitler came to power. The RLM was in charge of development and production of aircraft. On 25 March the German Air Sports Association absorbed all private and national organizations, while retaining its 'sports' title. On 15 May 1933-45, all military aviation organizations in the RLM were merged, forming the Luftwaffe ; its official 'birthday'. The Commander-in-Chief left the organisation and building of the Luftwaffeafterto Erhard Milch. Another prominent figure in German air power construction this time was Helmuth Wilberg. Wilberg later played a large role in the development of German air doctrine. Having headed the Reichswehr air staff for eight years in the s, Wilberg had considerable experience and was ideal for a senior staff position. However, it was revealed Wilberg had a Jewish mother. Wilberg remained in the air staff, and under Walther Wever helped draw up the Luftwaffe ' s principle doctrinal texts, "The Conduct of the Aerial War" and "Regulation 16". The German officer Corps was keen to develop strategic bombing capabilities against its enemies. However, economic and geopolitical considerations had to take priority. The German air power theorists continued to develop strategic theories, but emphasis was given to army support, as Germany was a continental power and expected to face ground operations following any declaration of hostilities. For these 1933-45, between andthe The Luftwaffe: A Complete History ' s leadership was primarily concerned with tactical and operational methods. Untilthe manual "Directives for the Conduct of the Operational Air War" continued to act as the main guide for German air operations. The manual directed OKL to focus on limited operations not strategic operations : the protection of specific areas and support of the army in combat. With an effective tactical-operational concept, [21] the German air power theorists needed a strategic doctrine The Luftwaffe: A Complete History organisation. Knauss promoted the Giulio Douhet The Luftwaffe: A Complete History that air power could win wars alone by destroying enemy industry and breaking enemy morale by "terrorizing the population" of 1933-45 cities. This advocated The Luftwaffe: A Complete History on civilians. At this time, Wever conducted war games simulated against France in a bid to establish his theory of a strategic bombing force that would, he thought, prove decisive by winning the war through the destruction of enemy industry, even though these exercises also included tactical strikes against enemy ground forces and communications. In the proposal, it concluded, "The mission of the Luftwaffe is to serve these goals. Corum states that under The Luftwaffe: A Complete History doctrine, the Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe: A Complete History rejected the practice of " terror bombing " see Luftwaffe strategic bombing doctrine. Nevertheless, Wever recognised the importance of strategic bombing. In newly introduced