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'''Luftwaffe''' (''Luft - air'' and ''Waffe - weapon'') is the German air force (see [[World War II in the Air]]).

'''Luftwaffe''' (''Luft - air'' and ''Waffe - weapon'') is the German air force (see [[World War II in the Air]]).

Its most famous period by far was during [[World War II]]. The '''Luftwaffe''' was originally the pride of [[Nazi Germany]] under its bombastic leader Hermann Goering. It learned new combat techniques in the Spanish Civil War and appealed to Hitler as the decisive strategic weapon he needed. Its high technology and rapid growth led to exaggerated fears in the 1930s that cowed the British and French into appeasement. In the World War II the Luftwaffe performed well in 1939-41, but was poorly coordinated with overall German strategy, and never ramped up to the size and scope needed in a total war.  It never built large bombers, was deficient in radar, and could not deal with the faster, more agile [[P-51]] Mustang pursuit planes after 1943. The Luftwaffe was narrowly defeated in the Battle of Britain (1940), and reached maximum size of 1.9 million airmen in 1942. Grueling operations wasted it away on the eastern front after 1942.  It lost most of its remaining fighter planes to Mustangs in 1944 while trying to defend against massive American and British air raids.  

Its most famous period by far was during [[World War II]]. The '''Luftwaffe''' was originally the pride of [[Nazi Germany]] under its bombastic leader [[Hermann Goering]]. It learned new combat techniques in the Spanish Civil War and appealed to Hitler as the decisive strategic weapon he needed. Its high technology and rapid growth led to exaggerated fears in the 1930s that cowed the British and French into appeasement. In the World War II the Luftwaffe performed well in 1939-41, but was poorly coordinated with overall German strategy, and never ramped up to the size and scope needed in a total war.  It never built large bombers, was deficient in radar, and could not deal with the faster, more agile [[P-51]] Mustang pursuit planes after 1943. The Luftwaffe was narrowly defeated in the Battle of Britain (1940), and reached maximum size of 1.9 million airmen in 1942. Grueling operations wasted it away on the eastern front after 1942.  It lost most of its remaining fighter planes to Mustangs in 1944 while trying to defend against massive American and British air raids.  

When its gasoline supply ran dry in 1944, it was reduced to anti-aircraft flak roles, and many of its men were sent to infantry units.  By 1944 it operated 39,000 flak batteries staffed with a million people in uniform, both men and women.

When its gasoline supply ran dry in 1944, it was reduced to anti-aircraft flak roles, and many of its men were sent to infantry units.  By 1944 it operated 39,000 flak batteries staffed with a million people in uniform, both men and women.

===1930s===

===1930s===

In 1925 the Soviet Union allowed the German government set up the top-secret Lipetsk Aviation School, inside Russia, to train pilots and navigators in violation of the Versailles Treaty of 1919, which ordered that Germany could never have an air force. The school closed in 1933 when secrecy was no longer needed to defy Versailles.  Although no actual flying formations were in existence by 1933, the intellectual, technical and organizational bases for the ultimate establishment of a large air arm had been created.  Göring defiantly announced the existence of the Luftwaffe in 1935, as British, French and Soviet intelligence hurried to track its soaring growth curve.

In 1925 the [[Soviet Union]] allowed the German government set up the top-secret Lipetsk Aviation School, inside Russia, to train pilots and navigators in violation of the Versailles Treaty of 1919, which ordered that Germany could never have an air force. The school closed in 1933 when secrecy was no longer needed to defy Versailles.  Although no actual flying formations were in existence by 1933, the intellectual, technical and organizational bases for the ultimate establishment of a large air arm had been created.  Göring defiantly announced the existence of the Luftwaffe in 1935, as British, French and Soviet intelligence hurried to track its soaring growth curve.

Various proposals to centralize military aviation under a separate military service, beginning even before World War I, were thwarted by the usual army-navy differences and the internal opposition of each service to losing its subordinate air arm. Air power theories alone would not have gained independence for the German air force, but Hitler's foreign policy needs and the political power of air minister  [[Hermann Göring]] within the Nazi party proved a key in gaining first separate status under an Air Ministry and then gaining increased power, such as in acquiring control of anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), called "flak" in German.  Unlike the army and navy, the Nazis had full control over the Luftwaffe and therefore needed to keep it independent of the old-guard officers who controlled the older services.  This attitude made it impossible for the navy to develop its own air service.  The one aircraft carrier it started to build was to have flight crews under Luftwaffe command, but the carrier was never finished.

Various proposals to centralize military aviation under a separate military service, beginning even before World War I, were thwarted by the usual army-navy differences and the internal opposition of each service to losing its subordinate air arm. Air power theories alone would not have gained independence for the German air force, but Hitler's foreign policy needs and the political power of air minister  [[Hermann Göring]] within the Nazi party proved a key in gaining first separate status under an Air Ministry and then gaining increased power, such as in acquiring control of anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), called "flak" in German.  Unlike the army and navy, the Nazis had full control over the Luftwaffe and therefore needed to keep it independent of the old-guard officers who controlled the older services.  This attitude made it impossible for the navy to develop its own air service.  The one aircraft carrier it started to build was to have flight crews under Luftwaffe command, but the carrier was never finished.