Eagles of the Third Reich Men of the Luftwaffe in WWII

by Mitcham, Samuel W., Jr.

• ISBN13: 9780811734059
• ISBN10: 0811734056
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-07-25
• Publisher: Stackpole Books

Summary

The Luftwaffe began World War II as a deadly efficient part of the German blitzkrieg in 1939-40, its Stuka dive bombers and Messerschmitt fighters unleashing terror across Europe. But its superiority would not last long. Fuel shortages, a numerically superior enemy, and-most critically, argues Samuel W. Mitcham-mismanagement by its leaders left the German air force increasingly unable to mount offensive campaigns or even protect its homeland from Allied bombings. Focusing on men like Hermann Goering, Albert Kesselring, and Adolf Galland, Mitcham chronicles the Luftwaffe's battles, both in the sky and behind the scenes. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Samuel W. Mitcham, Jr., is the author of more than twenty books on World War II. He lives in Louisiana.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. vi
Acknowledgments	p. vii
The Secret Air Force	p. 1
Command Fragmentation	p. 14
Spain: The First Battle	p. 31
The Buildup and the Outbreak of the War	p. 51
Blitzkrieg	p. 80
The Air War Against Britain, 1939-42	p. 95
The Balkans Campaign	p. 114
Russia, 1941: The Last Blitzkrieg	p. 127
The Fall of Ernst Udet	p. 149
The Russian Front, 1942-43	p. 173
The Bombings Begin, 1942	p. 200
The Tide Turns, 1943	p. 207
Defeat on All Fronts	p. 236
Ritter von Greim: The Last Field Marshal	p. 266
Table of Equivalent Ranks	p. 279
Chain of Command of Luftwaffe Aviation Units	p. 281
Strength of Luftwaffe Units	p. 282
Glossary of Luftwaffe Terms	p. 283
Other Leading Luftwaffe Personalities	p. 286
The Principal German Aircraft, 1935-45	p. 293
Notes	p. 301
Bibliography	p. 325
Index	p. 335
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