The+Luftwaffe

Renowned as one of the most experienced and superior air force during world war two, The German Luftwaffe, the aerial warfare branch of the German army, was seemingly incomprehensible. Originally unveiled in 1935, the creation of the Luftwaffe went against the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. It originated to help enable Adolph Hitler’s military tactic Blitzsgreig – lightening warfare. The serving aircrafts behind the Luftwaffe were planned to be “new age” and “technically superior” compared to that of other nations in the 1930’s. The air force eventually became an essential part of German military campaigns and helped the German armies to conquer the bulk of European continent in a series of short and decisive campaigns within the first 9 months of the war. The German Luftwaffe became not only a symbol of the Germans military tactics, but influenced the transition from ground to aerial fighting throughout the Second World War.

//The Beginings//
Born months after Hitler came to power, the German Luftwaffe was mostly made up of members from the NSFK- National Socialist Flyer Corporation- most of whom were Nazis. Its time of creation as well as member’s ideological believes gave the Luftwaffe a strong Nazi identity compared to other bases of the German military. In April 1933, the Reich Air Ministry, RLM, was established and became in charge of the development and production of aircrafts for the Luftwaffe; a site at Reichlin was announced as their official testing grounds. Because of the merging of all aviation organizations into the RLM, May 12 1933 became the official “birth date” of the Luftwaffe. Former world war one ace and renowned Nazi supporter, Hermann Goring, became the National Kommissar for aviation, though he was later replaced with the 2nd and last commander and chief, Robert Ritter Von Greim. Goring played a leading role in the build up of the Luftwaffe from 1933-36 and his former deputy Erhard Milch (former Deutsch Luft Hansa director) became the “defacto” minister up until 1937. A part of Hitler’s inner circle, Goring was to provide enormous financial materials for the rearming and equipping of the Luftwaffe and it was his concern to rear it entirely.

Another prominent figure in origins of the Luftwaffe was Helmuth Wilberg. WIlberg headed the Reichswehr air staff for 8 years in the 20’s, and had considerable experience that made him ideal for a senior staff position. Though this was true, Wilberg had a Jewish mother, so in order to secure him a spot, Goring had to ensure that the racial laws of the 3rd Reich did not apply to him. Oddly enough he gained a position and continued to work alongside the Luftwaffe, supporting the Nazi ideals. The years of 1933 to 1936 are referred to as the “Wever” years, affectionately named after one Walter Weaver, a WW1 Luftwaffe commander who was a proponent of strategic bombing. These years focused around the Luftwaffe’s focus of strategically bombing places in order to help the ground forces. From 1933-1934, the Luftwaffe was mostly concerned with tactical operation methods, and they wavered on the concept idealized by servicemen Robert Knauss and the Giulio Douhet theory of lowering morale by bombing citizens, otherwise known as terror bombings. This however was cancelled after the creation of Regulation 16; the conduct of air waver, created in 1935 by Wilberg and Wever, and it was set to destroy industry, with tactical strikes against the enemy ground forced and communications instead of civilian attacks. Ironically, this entire debacle occurred during the time of the Battle of Britain as the Luftwaffe then too wavered on their decision between civilian and strategically planned attacks. =//Building up the fleet//=

From 1936 to 1937 the Luftwaffe had no clear purpose. After the deaths of some key officers in test accidents, Goring appointed new officers who changed the Luftwaffe’s tactical direction towards producing fast medium bombers to destroy enemy air power in the battle zone rather than through industrial bombing of its aviation production. Though with this intent, it still lacked a focus as well as a means of acquiring necessary raw materials, especially rubber and aluminum on account of embargos and blockades. The force then started to build many medium sized bombs, instead of single powerful bombs on account of appeasing Hitler’s immense ego. Goring was quoted saying “the Fuhrer will not ask how big the bombs are, but only how many there are”.

Despite its constant lack of focus, the Luftwaffe performed impressively throughout battles. German designs like the Messerschmitt bf 109 and Junkers Ju 87 performed well in battle, and Hitler accounted the country’s successful contribution to the Spanish civil war to the German Junkers Ju 52. The Luftwaffe adapted to other countries military strategies which resulted in the creation of the single engine, 2 man dive bombers which provided more accuracy and efficiency over the poorer performing lever bombers. By the summer of 1939, the Luftwaffe had 9 fighter wings, 4 destroyer wings,11 bomber wings and 4 dive bomber wings; despite certain deficiencies it was a highly impressive force.

=//Mistakes//=

= =

Due to slow mobilization and shortages of materials, the Luftwaffe never fully accomplished all that its leaders had hoped for. A rush to expand units and increase aircrews led to insufficient training and incompetent personnel. They were more focused with indoctrinating more younger, impressionable pilots then taking the advice from those who had years of experience. At the rapid rates that the air force grew the more deaths and injuries suffered. The machinery itself suffered too and many aircrafts were destroyed in accidents.

Though they obtained many accomplishments, they eventually failed to win allied forces in the Second World War and ceased to be an effective fighting force. They had a lack of aerial defense and pushed into war without full development. Their mistakes in development and equipment weakened them and their failure to conduct meaningful strategic bombings crippled their chance for overall victory.