Merriam Press Military Reprint 16. First Edition (September 2012). This USAF Historical Study, by Professor Richard Suchenwirth, is one of a series of historical studies written by, or based on information supplied by, former officers of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) for the U.S. Air Force Historical Division. This study examines the Luftwaffe's defeat and indicates its major causes, the so-called "turning points." Contents: Origins of the Luftwaffe's Defeat; Further Progress Towards Defeat; Critical Battles and Turning Points of the War (Battle of Britain; War Against Soviet Russia; Lack of Strategic Air Warfare Against Russia; Malta; Stalingrad; The Lost Fighter Battle; The Jet Fighter).

This is a very high quality reprint of a 1969 study written by Professor Richard Suchenwirth for the USAF Historical Division.

CONTENTS Foreword Preface About the Author List of Figures Chapter 1. German Military Aviation from the Armistice of 1918 to the Establishment of the Reichs Aviation Ministry, 1 May 1933 The End of the Old Air Force and the Beginning of a New Era Early Stages in the Rebirth of German Aviation Further Aviation Developments Rapallo and Lipetsk The German Lufthansa (Deutsche Lufthansa) The Paris Air Agreement and Sport Flying in Germany Air Offices in the Reichs Defense Ministry, 1925-1929 The Reichs Defense Ministry The Air Offices Maintained by the Army Relaxation in the Need for Secrecy T2 V (L) and its Missions The German Aircraft Industry 1929 to 1933 Armament Contracts Organization of the Training Program German Aircraft Testing Stations Preparations for Rearmament Preparations for Mobilization Steps Taken by the Navy Command to Provide for a Naval Air Force Organizational Measures taken by the Navy Command The Secret Build-Up Air Agencies in the Reichs Defense Ministry, 1932 and 1933 Chapter 2. The Growth of the Top Level Command Apparatus The Position of the German Luftwaffe within the Wehrmacht Goering's Personality as a Factor in the Luftwaffe's Build.Up Germany's Air Command during the Period of Secrecy, 30 January 1933 - 1 March 1935 From the Official Beginning of the Luftwaffe to World War II Organization and Mission of the Top-Level Command Apparatus The Air Administrative Area Commands Air Commanders (Fliegerfuehrer) and Air Divisions Chapter 3. The Build-Up of the Luftwaffe Repercussions of Political Events upon the Luftwaffe The Build-Up of Air Units Measures Implemented by the Luftwaffe Command The First Air Units Bomber Units Dive- Bomber Units Fighter Units Fighters forthe Defense of Army and Navy Units Long-Range Reconnaissance Units Tactical Reconnaissance Units Luftwaffe Signal Forces Flak Artillery Units Luftwaffe Meteorological Service The Development of the Luftwaffe Ground Organization Measures by the Ground Organization to Insure Mobility of Bomber Units Chapter 4. The Air Armament Industry in Germany Raw Material Problems Aviation Fuel Aircraft Design and Procurement Aeronautical Research in Germany The Office of Luftwaffe Supply and Procurement The Supply of Field Units The Selection of Aircraft in the Luftwaffe Tactical and Technical Requirements of the General Staff The Technical Office The Role Played by the Technical Office AircraftProduction Aerial Torpedoes Introducing Aircraft at Troop Level The Luftwaffe Administration Office The Luftwaffe Officer Corps Engineer Officers The Luftwaffe General Staff Chapter 5. Luftwaffe Preparations for the War Basic Thinking on the Strategic and Tactical Employment of the Luftwaffe The Training of Top-Level Luftwaffe Leaders War Games and Staff Journeys Maneuvers The Last Staff Training before the War The Compilation of Operational Data The Air Defense File Deployment and Battle Instructions The Luftwaffe Mobilization Plan The Western Air Defense Zone Measures in the Field of Training The Military and Political Roles of the Luftwaffe before the War The Luftwaffe as an Instrument of Political Policy The Role of the Luftwaffe in the Pre-War Crises Footnotes Appendices List of Charts Charts Dr. Richard Suchenwirth, a well-known and somewhat controversial German and Austrian historian, author, teacher and lecturer, was born in Vienna in 1896. A lieutenant in World War I, he served as an aide to anAustrian general and learned much at firsthand concerning the problems of leadership.

CONTENTS Foreword Preface About the Author Chapter 1. The First Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, Walther Wever Wever's Military Background Chief of the Air Command Office Chapter 2. Field Marshal Erhard Milch, State Secretary of Aviation Milch's Early Career Milch as State Secretary of Aviation Chapter 3. Ernst Udet, Chief of Luftwaffe Supply and Procurement Udet's Early Life and Character Chief of the Technical Office The Deterioration of German Air Armament under Udet Reorganization of Udet's Organization Udet's Death Chapter 4. Reichsmarschall Hermann W. Goering The Impact of Goering's Personality upon the Luftwaffe Goering and Hitler Goering's Waning Interest in Work Commander in Chief During Wartime Goering as Chief Legal Authority of the Luftwaffe Wrong Decisions and the Beginning of the End Goering Advises Against the Russian Campaign The Paladin Loses Hitler's Confidence The Decline of the Luftwaffe The Attempts to Overthrow Goering Goering's Overthrow Chapter 5. Hans Jeschonnek, Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff Jeschonnek's Early Life and Career A Youthful Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff Beau-Ideal of a Soldier, but a Mere Soldier Jeschonnek and Germany's Unready Air Arm Did Jeschonnek Inform Hitler about the Luftwaffe's Strength? Jeschonnek's Planning Staff Baptism of Fire War and Brilliant Successes Signs of Weakness Begin to Appear in the Luftwaffe A Farewell to Blitzes Did the General Staff Demand an Effective Strengthening of the Luftwaffe in 1940? A War of Attrition Sets in for the Luftwaffe The Last Chance for Recovery: A Reorganization of the Luftwaffe Germany's Last Great Hopes and Changes in the Fortunes of War Stalingrad Was Jeschonnek a Party to theDecision to Supply Stalingrad by Air? The Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff and the War in the East The Growing Threat to the Home Front Jeschonnek, Milch, and Goering Jeschonnek Between Hitler and Goering Jeschonnek's Suicide Jeschonnek's Memorandum A Child of His Times Footnotes Appendix List of Charts Charts Dr. Richard Suchenwirth, a well-known and somewhat controversial German and Austrian historian, author, teacher and lecturer, was born in Vienna in 1896. A lieutenant in World War I, he served as an aide to an Austrian general and learned much at firsthand concerning the problems of leadership.

This study examines the Luftwaffe's defeat and indicates its major causes, the so-called "turning points." The turning point of a war is that certain point at which a decisive change occurs. This change may be for the better; or it may be for the worse, pointing the way to defeat. Dr. Richard Suchenwirth, a well-known and somewhat controversial German and Austrian historian, author, teacher and lecturer, was born in Vienna in 1896. A lieutenant in World War I, he served as an aide to an Austrian general and learned much at firsthand concerning the problems of leadership. In the ten years preceding the original publication of this study in 1959, Dr. Suchenwirth probably interviewed more of the highest ranking officers of World War II than any other historian. In his own words, Dr. Suchenwirth's interest in military history ..". lies not in any affection for militarism, but rather in the realization of the extent to which freedom and the greatness and fate of a people are dependent on military decisions; of how many human lives, how many brave soldiers and people behind the front are affected by good or bad leadership in time of war."