Fighting the Bombers: The Luftwaffe's Struggle Against the Allied Bomber Offensive, As Seen by Its Commanders (World War II German Debriefs)

Rating:
Summary: A broad range of Luftwaffe authors
Review: I thought it might be useful for prospective buyers to see what they are getting in terms of chapter titles, authors, and the sources of the original documents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
chapter title authors Source
List of Figures and Maps
INTRODUCTION David C. Isby, editor
GLOSSARY
SECTION 1 - The Defense of the Reich
Chapter 1: Reich Air Defense in World War II. A Strategic-Tactical Survey Von Rohden (compiler) USAFHRA file 512-045-4. OB from AUL 940.544943 R737e
Chapter 2: The Overall Defense of the Reich 1940-44 (January) Weise USNARA RG-338 D-111 Foreign Military Studies
Chapter 3: Development of Nightfighting July 1940 - 15 September 1943 Kammhuber USAFHRA file 519.601
SECTION 2- A Battle of Increasing Numbers and Technology
Chapter 4: Technical and Communications Equipment Used in the Reich's Defense von Rohden AUL 940.544943 R737e
Chapter 5: German Nightfighting from 15 June 1943 to May 1945 "Beppo" Schmid USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 6: German Dayfighting in the Defense of the Reich from September 15, 1943 to the End of the War "Beppo" Schmid USAFHRA file 519.601
SECTION 3 - Developing Technology to Defend the Reich
Chapter 7: Fighter Control Galland USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 8: Luftwaffe Radars Martini USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 9: Luftwaffe Radars and Radios OKL Staff USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 10: the Me-262: Development, Experience, Success and Prospects Messerschmitt German Naval Archive, Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center, Washington, D.C
SECTION 4 - Applying the Technology: Operations and Tactics
Chapter 11: Commanding the Night Fighters Kammhuber USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 12: Night Fighter Control Ruppel USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 13: Night Fighter Direction Sandmann USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 14: Night Fighter Operations Sandmann USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 15: Night Fighter Tactics (NJG 4) Schnaufer USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 16: Night Fighter Tactics (NJG 6) Scholls USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 17: Night Fighter Missions Scholls USAFHRA file 519.601
Chapter 18: Fighting the P-61 Ruppel USAFHRA file 519.601
SECTION 5 - Summing Up
Chapter 19: Looking Back Von Rohden AUL 940.544943 R737e
Biographies editor

A new English-language collection of immediate postwar writings by senior Luftwaffe commanders and fighter pilots is in print. Entitled FIGHTING THE BOMBERS: THE LUFTWAFFE'S STRUGGLE AGAINST THE ALLIED BOMBER OFFENSIVE; it is being published by Greenhill in the UK and Stackpole in the US. It is currently available on both US and UK Amazon.com web sites. I edited the volume.

Those familiar with the previous volume done by Greenhill, THE LUFTWAFFE FIGHTER FORCE: THE VIEW FROM THE COCKPIT will find this similar. However, it is not simply the bits that would not fit into the first volume. Rather, these are a selection of immediate post-war interrogations and writings by a number of key figures in the Luftwaffe. I believe such post-war accounts, while by no means the last word, are valuable and should have a broader availability than being in the archives at Maxwell AFB. This volume is much more an attempt at putting together a narrative from multiple Luftwaffe viewpoints.

The book itself is 256 pp, hardbound, with a glossary. The book is illustrated with lots of b&w photos and drawings throughout. The table of contents shows the source. USAFHRA is the US air Force historical Research Agency. Appendix B-4 holds a listing of file 519.601 material. AUL is the Air University Library (reproduced typescript). USNARA is the US National Archives.











Rating:
Summary: Not For Everyone
Review: This is a very interesting book. Interesting in the respect that it is a study of the Allied bomber offensive against Germany in WWII as seen through the eyes of the German commanders tasked with stoping those raids. The text is complied from numerous post-war interviews with and reports written by the German High Command. The original target audience of those reports was not the casual reader or mild history buff. As a result the text has a choppy flow and tends to be dry. It's a good book but a real niche book. If you're a student of WWII you may find it intriguing, if you're looking for a casual read or gripping stories of air warfare pass on this one.