Eagles of the Third Reich [9780859791496]
Date Added: Wednesday 24. November, 2010
Sub titled – Leaders of the Luftwaffe in the Second World War, this book was first published in the United States in 1988. This is a serious study of the Luftwaffe from its inception as the ‘Secret Air Force’, in 1933 to its demise in 1945.
Discord between Commanders can cause problems in a war, but for the Germans it was catastrophic. Some of this was because of the ‘old boys’ syndrome with Goering favouring comrades from the First World War. One prime example was Ernst Udet; in 1936 he became Inspector of Fighter and Bombers. He managed to convert it into a bureaucratic nightmare, all this in between wild parties, drunken sprees, drug abuse and womanising. He was not around for weeks at a time and thus failed to develop the aircraft needed for what was becoming a long war. In contrast to that was General Walter Wever. He believed that it was better to destroy the enemy’s ability to produce weapons rather than meet them on the battlefield. Because of that he was a strong advocate of the long-range bomber, but with his untimely death in 1936 this idea also died.
This is the most detailed chronicle of the Luftwaffe I have ever read and with the emphasis on senior officers and their decisions. The failure to produce second-generation aircraft of the right calibre hamstrung their operations and helped the Allies to overcome them.
As you might gather these are just titbits from this excellent work, a book I can recommend to any student whose interest lies with the Luftwaffe.
Ernie Lee - Model Aircraft Monthly
Discord between Commanders can cause problems in a war, but for the Germans it was catastrophic. Some of this was because of the ‘old boys’ syndrome with Goering favouring comrades from the First World War. One prime example was Ernst Udet; in 1936 he became Inspector of Fighter and Bombers. He managed to convert it into a bureaucratic nightmare, all this in between wild parties, drunken sprees, drug abuse and womanising. He was not around for weeks at a time and thus failed to develop the aircraft needed for what was becoming a long war. In contrast to that was General Walter Wever. He believed that it was better to destroy the enemy’s ability to produce weapons rather than meet them on the battlefield. Because of that he was a strong advocate of the long-range bomber, but with his untimely death in 1936 this idea also died.
This is the most detailed chronicle of the Luftwaffe I have ever read and with the emphasis on senior officers and their decisions. The failure to produce second-generation aircraft of the right calibre hamstrung their operations and helped the Allies to overcome them.
As you might gather these are just titbits from this excellent work, a book I can recommend to any student whose interest lies with the Luftwaffe.
Ernie Lee - Model Aircraft Monthly
Rating: 
[5 of 5 Stars!]
[5 of 5 Stars!]
