Figure 1.--After a string of incredible victories, the German Panzers reached the Channel Given that the Lufwaffe had been an important part of the German Blitzkrirg victories, the Germans and defeated French as wella s most military experts believed that the Battle of Britain would be another quick German victory. The American Ambassador, Joseph Kennedy, reported that in his cables. And because the Chamberlain appeasement Government had restricted funding, the Royal Air Force (RAF) was badly outnumbered with a small number of trained pilots. Fortunately for Britain they had radar which was a force magnifier which the Germans did not appreciate. The first step when was was deckared was to ger the children out of the city. The Luftwaffe was a tactical, ground support staff and that is how the Lufftwaffe commanders wanted ti us it, focus on the RAF forward bases. When victory did not come quickly. Hitler exerted his preferences--terror bombing the cities, put the kids and other civilians on the front line. Even before the fughting began, Jitler indicated, "I reserve to myself the right to decide on terror attacks as measures of reprisal." It should be understood that in NAZI parlance, reprisals were called for when their victims resisted in anyway. Even in the Holocaust, killing operatioins were described as reorisals when the victims were not resisting.

Frustrated with Churchill's continued unwillingness to accomodate him, Hitler prepared to bend Britain to his will. An invasion necesitated the Luftwaffe achieving air superority over the Channel and southeast England. After the French capitulation. the Luftwaffe rushed to move into French airbases along the Channel and opened new fields. Führer Directive August 1 ordered the Luftwaffe to "overpower the English air force with all the forces at its command in the shortest possible time." The result was the critical Battle of Britain. Luftwaffe chief Herman Göring flush with one spectacular victory after another was convinced that this could be accomplished in days. The Luftwaffe was not a strategic, but a tactical force. This weakness would become apparent for the first times in the skies over Britain. Hitler was furious and the Reich Marshal disgraced. It would be the first German defeat of the War. Hitler dismissed its importance as his foicus was already on the East. Although not apparent at the time, it was a defeat of epic proportions. The British would eventually open 1,000 air bases and the Americans build more than 400 additional fields. And from these British bases, the Allied would methodically demolish German cities. The tonnage of bombs would dwarf what the Luftwaffe droppe on Britain. The Luftwaffe's failures forced Hitler to "postpone" Operation Sea Lion (October 12).

A British Vichy (June 1940)

Hitler assumed that Britain would quickly fall in line after the fall of France (June 1940). He offered Britain a deal. Britain could keep its colonis if he was allowed a free hand in Europe. There were some in Briain that wanted to accept Hitler's offer. Pijeminister Churchill wa not one of them. The British understood after Munich, however, just what value Hitler's assurances were. The British decesion to fight was perhaps the critical moment of the War. Frustrated with Churchill's continued and seemingly irrational unwillingness to accomodate him, Hitler prepared to bend Britain to his will.

Operation Sea Lion

The German Plan to invade Britain after the fall of France was code named Opertation Sea Lion. The BEF had managed to escape capture at Dunkirk, but had to abandon their heavy equiment. This mean that while Britain still had its army, it was an unarmed army. The American Naval Attaché reported that the Britih were no more prepared to defend the coast than Long Island. The British asked for surplus World War I destroyers, but President Roosevelt was not yet ready to authorize this. He did ask General Marshall to find surplus arms, mostly small arms, that could be rushed to Britain. [Freidel, p. 336.] The Gernmans were also unprepared. The Wehrmacht had not anticipated the dimensions of their victory in France. There had been no planning for an invasion of Britain. Bliztkrieg was essentially modern warfare, rapid land movement supported by aircraft. There was, however, no naval component. The Panzers stopped at the Channel ports. The Kriegsmarine received less support than the other two services. It did not have the capability to tke on the Royal Navy for a Channel crossing. And Hitler was unsure of the operation from the beginning. He confided in Admiral Raeder, "On land I am a hero. At sea I am a coward." And with France defeated, he wanted to ebnd the war in the West and prepare for his ulimate objective, seizing Lenbenraum in the East. He was still unaware how the his bad faith over Czechoslovakia had changed Britain, even appeasers like Chamberlain. Hitler hoped that he could bring about a British Vichy without an invasion. And he was willing to guarantee the Empire if Britain would accept a German-dominated continent. His vision was in part racial, seeing in Briain Aryan stiock that would eventually come to terms with Aryan Germany. It is not clear to what extent Hitler ever seriously contemplated an invasion. Here historians disagree. Some believe he simply wanted to threaten the British, asuming that they would agree to seek terms. Hitler believed that at least threantening invasion would force the issue. With France defeted, Hitler ordered his generals to organize the invasion of Britain.Without the needed naval forces, the Luftwaffe would be used to prepare for the invasion. Air superority over the channel and southeaster England would have to be achieved. Hitler ordered the Lufwaffe to destroy the RAF. Göring assured him that this could be easily accomplished.

Air Superiority Over the Channel (July 1940))

An invasion necesitated the Luftwaffe achieving air superority over the Channel and southeast England. After the French capitulation. the Luftwaffe rushed to move into French airbases along the Channel and opened new fields. The Germans were confident of victory, both Hitler and his Luftwaffe commanders. Throughot the ranks, the Luftwaffe flush with stunning victories in Poland, Norway, the Low Countries, and France were certain of another quick victory. The pilots were contemtuous of the RAF. The success of the RAF in protecting the Dunkirk evacuation beaches was given little consideration. The Battle of Britain was actually well underway before Hitler issued the Führer Directive. The Germans began attacking coastal British shipping. Air Marshal Dowling did not commit the RAF in force. He decided to reserve the limited RAF force for engagemebnts over Britain where he knew the RAF could recover downed pilots and the Germans could not. Dowling had enough planes to fight the Battle of Britain. His critical weakness was a shortage of experienced pilots. In addition, the limited range of the German ME-109 fighters would limit fighter cover for the bombers. The Luftwaffe interpeted the limited RAF response as a lack of capability. As a result, the Germans at the end of July prepared for the kill.

Text (August 1)

Führer Directive 17 ordered the Luftwaffe to "overpower the English air force with all the forces at its command in the shortest possible time." Hitler wasapparently unaware of radar andeven the Luftwaffe commanders attached little imprtance to it.

The Führer and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces

Führer Headquarters,
1st August 1940.
10 copies

Directive No. 17 For the conduct of air and sea warfare against England

In order to establish the necessary conditions for the final conquest of England I intend to intensify air and sea warfare against the English homeland. I therefore order as follows:

1. The German Air Force is to overpower the English Air Force with all the forces at its command, in the shortest possible time. The attacks are to be directed primarily against flying units, their ground installations, and their supply organizations, but also against the aircraft industry, including that manufacturing antiaircraft equipment.

2. After achieving temporary or local air superiority the air war is to be continued against ports, in particular against stores of food, and also against stores of provisions in the interior of the country. Attacks on south coast ports will be made on the smallest possible scale, in view of our own forthcoming operations.

3. On the other hand, air attacks on enemy warships and merchant ships may be reduced except where some particularly favorable target happens to present itself, where such attacks would lend additional effectiveness to those mentioned in paragraph 2, or where such attacks are necessary for the training of air crews for further operations.

4. The intensified air warfare will be carried out in such a way that the Air Force can at any time be called upon to give adequate support to naval operations against suitable targets. It must also be ready to take part in full force in Operation Sea Lion.

5. I reserve to myself the right to decide on terror attacks as measures of reprisal.

6. The intensification of the air war may begin on or after 5th August. The exact time is to be decided by the Air Force after the completion of preparations and in the light of the weather.

The Navy is authorized to begin the proposed intensified naval war at the same time.

[signed] ADOLF HITLER

Battle of Britain (August-September 1940)

The result was the critical Battle of Britain. Luftwaffe chief Herman Göring flush with one spectacular victory after another was convinced that this could be accomplished in days. The Luftwaffe was not a strategic, but a tactical force. This weakness would become apparent for the first times in the skies over Britain. Hitler was furious and the Reich Marshal disgraced. It would be the first German defeat of the War. Hitler dismissed its importance as his foicus was already on the East. Although not apparent at the time, it was a defeat of epic proportions. The British would eventually open 1,000 air bases and the Americans build more than 400 additional fields. And from these British bases, the Allied would methodically demolish German cities. The tonnage of bombs would dwarf what the Luftwaffe droppe on Britain. The Luftwaffe's failures forced Hitler to "postpone" Operation Sea Lion (October 12).

Created: 7:57 PM 11/9/2012
Last edited: 7:57 PM 11/9/2012