Thread: Luftwaffe Myths
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Old 26th November 2008, 14:48
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Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Bordeaux (France)
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CJE
Re: Luftwaffe Myths

Once again, you all forget the political aspect of WW2, particularly so on the German side.

In October 1941, Hitler forbad all night intruder activities of NJG 2 over the British bases, because he wanted RAF bombers being shot down over German territory to show his people that the Luftwaffe was doing its work. For over three years, RAF bombers were able to take off and assemble without any interference (apart from the short-lived "Gisela Unternehmen").
What a major mistake! But it was a political decision.

Hitler had no clear idea of what to do with the LW, except a close support of Panzers. He was an infantry man and did not know anything about a 3D war - hence his reluctance to launch more submarines into the Atlantic war.
The He 177 and Me 264 were only avatars of a long gone strategy Hitler never had.

Read Richard J. Overy and Williamson Murray.
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