Luftwaffe

(proper noun)

The German air force until the end of the Second World War.

Related Terms

Examples of Luftwaffe in the following topics:

  • The Strategic Bombing of Europe

    • The strategy was used from the onset of the war, when Germany invaded Poland and the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) began bombing cities and the civilian population in Poland in an indiscriminate aerial bombardment campaign.
    • The USAAF commanders in Washington, D.C. and in Great Britain adopted the strategy of taking on the Luftwaffe head on, in larger and larger air raids by mutually defending bombers flying over Germany, Austria, and France at high altitudes during the daytime.
    • The Luftwaffe was blamed for not warding off the attacks and confidence in the Nazi regime fell by 14 percent.

  • The European Theater

    • The operations of the Luftwaffe against the Royal Air Force became known as the Battle of Britain (according to British historians: July 10 - October 31, 1940).
    • In July 1940, the air and sea blockade began with the Luftwaffe mainly targeting coastal shipping convoys, ports, and shipping centers.
    • In August, the Luftwaffe shifted the attacks to RAF airfields and infrastructure.
    • As the battle progressed, the Luftwaffe also targeted factories involved in World War II aircraft production and strategic infrastructure and, eventually, it employed terror bombing on areas of political significance and civilians.

  • The Final Ledger of Deaths

    • The mass-bombing of civilian areas, notably the cities of Warsaw, Rotterdam and London, including the aerial targeting of hospitals and fleeing refugees[335] by the German Luftwaffe, along with the bombing of Tokyo, and German cities of Dresden, Hamburg and Cologne by the Western Allies may be considered as war crimes.

  • The Battle of the Atlantic

    • The Battle of the Atlantic pitted U-boats and other warships of the Kriegsmarine (German Navy) and aircraft of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) against the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Navy, the United States Navy, and Allied merchant shipping.

  • Britain's Strategy

    • The operations of the Luftwaffe against the Royal Air Force became known as the Battle of Britain.