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ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Mynok

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy



Well, yes. So? It was Hitler's maniacal rage that prompted him to demand strategic bombing of English populated areas.

Which the Luftwaffe did NOT want to do. Thus my point that they certainly acted like they didn't think it was useful.

Umm...not. WARNING-CIRCULAR LOGIC FOLLOWS: The Luftwaffe DID it, therefore they acted as though they were interested in doing it-because they did. Their inner monologue and philosophical discussions beforehand were, at that point, meaningless.

I dont get it. [&:][:D]

I'm using the word 'acted' to mean what they did (i.e., actions), rather than the other use of the word meaning 'pretended'. In other words: they did what they did. Period. If they had not acted out their actions, they wouldn't 'a done it.

Alright, I'm getting obtuse. About time for a good evening tithe methinks. [>:]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

I'm using the word 'acted' to mean what they did (i.e., actions), rather than the other use of the word meaning 'pretended'. In other words: they did what they did. Period. If they had not acted out their actions, they wouldn't 'a done it.

Alright, I'm getting obtuse. About time for a good evening tithe methinks. [>:]

Sorry, CB, that was a failed attempt at sarcasm.

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Umm...not. WARNING-CIRCULAR LOGIC FOLLOWS: The Luftwaffe DID it, therefore they acted as though they were interested in doing it-because they did. Their inner monologue and philosophical discussions beforehand were, at that point, meaningless.

But not meaningless in light of the origination of this discussion: whether the Luftwaffe had a pre-war plan for strategic bombing. The blitz was a Hitler decision, not a Luftwaffe one. That was my point.

Now the Eastern front incidents Onime brought up seem to indicate it being more of what I would operational actions. They were done in conjunction with ground forces. While not tactical, neither were they strategic in the sense of being direct attacks on industry and economy without the use of ground forces. I say the same for the razing of Stalingrad by the Luftwaffe. They were certainly attacks on civilians, but not necessarily for the sole purpose of demoralization. They were primarily operational in scope, rather than strategic.

I just don't see a pattern of sustained, strategic bombing of industry, civilian and economic centers divorced from operational action by ground forces other than the blitz...which was directly ordered by Hitler and did not originate with the Luftwaffe command.

ORIGINAL: Terminus

That gives us a tactical/operational Luftwaffe, but not a strategic one. I don't buy the "they didn't think strategic bombing had merit" line, and would like to know the reasoning behind that thought.

I should be more correct in saying that the Luftwaffe in the 30's rejected the Douhet interpretation of strategic bombing as not having merit. The Luftwaffe did have a doctrine regarding strategic air warfare, however In Luftwaffe Regulation 16 (The Conduct of the Aerial War), the Luftwaffe rejected the theory of Douhet which made the primary goal of strategic bombing to bomb the enemy cities, inducing terror into the civilian population with expectation that they would arise in and force an early end to the conflict. Such acts were to be avoided on "principle".....however, and this helps address recent posts regarding Hitler, the regulation's authors reserved the right to retaliate if the enemy inititated strategic attacks directed against the German civilian population.

Hitler's overriding of Luftwaffe ops over Britian though, i'd attribute more to stupidiity vs. any doctrine. He blundered...plain and simple and delivered victory to Fighter Command.

Regarding Regulation 16, the rejection of Douhetian theory was based on the thought that the primary objective of terror bombing civilians was that it was likely to be counterproductive, actually increasing the enemy's will rather than breaking it.

Bombing the enemy seat of government was discussed in the Regulation, and it was thought that if conducted at the right moment, national morale might be impacted but there was caution in that an enemy capital would likely be heavily defended. (Moscow proved this to be the case, if not Warsaw)

The Luftwaffe view on strategic bombing was to target sources of enemy power; production, food production, import facilities (ports), power stations, railroads and railyards, military barracks and centers of gov. administration.

Good morning gentlemen.

Hi all,

Good morning!


Leo "Apollo11"

Good Morning [:)]

Hmmm ... I just relialized that we're close to ...

Page 200!

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Leo, I don't think KGr 100 has any special pathfinder abilities, but I could be wrong.

Coventry was attacked on 14 November 1940 in operation "Mondscheinsonate" ("Moonlight Sonata"). The attack was started by KG100 "pathfinders" (which were using "X-Gerat") by marking the target. Then the rest of German bombers (500+) attacked the marked target (they had "Knickebein" as normal part of their cockpit equipement and when in general vicinity of target they saw the target markers set by KG100)...

That's why I asked if this is possible to be done in game...


Leo "Apollo11"

Morning Guys.

Per, Leo, nice to see you guys.

Hi all,

Hello Eric!


Leo "Apollo11"

Hello Leo & Eric [:)]

Hi all,

Hello Per!


Leo "Apollo11"

Tithe

Tithe... Nik, how does this explain Warsaw, Rotterdam and Belgrade?

There's a different in bombing a frontline capital or in bombing one far behind the front, don't you think?


Morning all, working again - but at least with an interesting subject [;)]

Only Warsaw was a frontline capital when it was bombed, and again, the stated objective was to break the morale of its defenders. That's terror bombing.