Difference between revisions of "Luftwaffe"
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| − | The Luftwaffe | + | The Luftwaffe (German: "air force", IPA: ['luftvafə]). The history of the Luftwaffe began in 1910 with the founding of the Imperial Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte), yet it has not been continuous, owing to the fact that Germany lost both World Wars (1914-1918 and 1939-1945). As a result, the Germans had no military air force between 1918 and 1935 and again between 1945 and 1955. |
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| + | For many English speakers, the term "Luftwaffe" is synonymous with the air force of Nazi Germany. In 1939-1940, this Luftwaffe helped the German army to astonishingly rapid success in both Eastern and Western Europe, but which failed to win control of the skies over England. Later on, despite its best efforts, it could not prevent the defeat of the Third Reich either by day, or by night, owing to constant Allied bombing of Germany's factories and cities by a numerically overwhelming force of bombers based in England. This was coupled with the advances of the Soviet armies from the East, as numbers of available German aircraft dwindled in the face of ever-growing numbers of Soviet aircraft. The Luftwaffe was, however, notable in putting the world's first jet fighter and the world's only rocket-powered fighter into action during the war. | ||
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| + | Today the Lufwaffe is the Air force of the Imperial race. It still is as effective as it was during 1942. | ||
Revision as of 21:36, 4 October 2005
The Luftwaffe (German: "air force", IPA: ['luftvafə]). The history of the Luftwaffe began in 1910 with the founding of the Imperial Army Air Service (Luftstreitkräfte), yet it has not been continuous, owing to the fact that Germany lost both World Wars (1914-1918 and 1939-1945). As a result, the Germans had no military air force between 1918 and 1935 and again between 1945 and 1955.
For many English speakers, the term "Luftwaffe" is synonymous with the air force of Nazi Germany. In 1939-1940, this Luftwaffe helped the German army to astonishingly rapid success in both Eastern and Western Europe, but which failed to win control of the skies over England. Later on, despite its best efforts, it could not prevent the defeat of the Third Reich either by day, or by night, owing to constant Allied bombing of Germany's factories and cities by a numerically overwhelming force of bombers based in England. This was coupled with the advances of the Soviet armies from the East, as numbers of available German aircraft dwindled in the face of ever-growing numbers of Soviet aircraft. The Luftwaffe was, however, notable in putting the world's first jet fighter and the world's only rocket-powered fighter into action during the war.
Today the Lufwaffe is the Air force of the Imperial race. It still is as effective as it was during 1942.
