The Strategic Bombing of Germany, 1940-1945 - by Alan J Levine (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book is the only full-scale account of the strategic air offensive against Germany published in the last twenty years, and is the only one that treats the British and the Americans with parity. Much of what Levine writes about British operations will be unfamiliar to American readers. He has stressed the importance of winning air superiority and the role of escort fighters in strategic bombing, and has given more attention to the German side than most writers on air warfare have. Levine gets past a simple account of what we did to them and describes the target systems and German countermeasures in detail, providing exact yet dramatic accounts of the great bomber operations--the Ruhr dams, Ploesti, and Regensburg and Schweinfurt. The book is broad-guaged, touching many matters, from the development of bombing doctrine before the war to the technical development of the Luftwaffe and the RAF, jets and V-weapons, to the role of the heavy bombers in supporting land and sea operations.

Levine stresses the impact of bombing on the war, and generally endorses the strategic air campaign as worthwhile and effective. But he concludes that many mistakes were made by the Allies--both the British and the Americans--in tactics, the development of equipment, and in the selection of targets. Levine sees strategic bombing as a powerful tool that was often misused, particularly when the doctrine of area bombing flourished. Scholars, students, and buffs interested in World War II and/or the history of aviation will find this study of great interest.

Book Synopsis

This book is the only full-scale account of the strategic air offensive against Germany published in the last twenty years, and is the only one that treats the British and the Americans with parity. Much of what Levine writes about British operations will be unfamiliar to American readers. He has stressed the importance of winning air superiority and the role of escort fighters in strategic bombing, and has given more attention to the German side than most writers on air warfare have. Levine gets past a simple account of what we did to them and describes the target systems and German countermeasures in detail, providing exact yet dramatic accounts of the great bomber operations--the Ruhr dams, Ploesti, and Regensburg and Schweinfurt. The book is broad-guaged, touching many matters, from the development of bombing doctrine before the war to the technical development of the Luftwaffe and the RAF, jets and V-weapons, to the role of the heavy bombers in supporting land and sea operations.

Levine stresses the impact of bombing on the war, and generally endorses the strategic air campaign as worthwhile and effective. But he concludes that many mistakes were made by the Allies--both the British and the Americans--in tactics, the development of equipment, and in the selection of targets. Levine sees strategic bombing as a powerful tool that was often misused, particularly when the doctrine of area bombing flourished. Scholars, students, and buffs interested in World War II and/or the history of aviation will find this study of great interest.

Review Quotes

?A well-written summary of the secondary material on this important, neglected, and controversial subject. Therefore it will be read by many and consequently must be seriously considered by historians and specialists.?-The Journal of American History

?Perhaps Levine's most valuable contribution is incorporating in a single book the doctrinal and technological aspects of the Allied bombing campaigns. The reviewer found The Strategic Bombing of Germany a difficult book to put down and recommends it to both the serious airpower student and the casual reader.?-The Friday Review of Defense Literature

?Undergraduates as well as general readers will enjoy this campaign.?-Choice

"A well-written summary of the secondary material on this important, neglected, and controversial subject. Therefore it will be read by many and consequently must be seriously considered by historians and specialists."-The Journal of American History

"Undergraduates as well as general readers will enjoy this campaign."-Choice

"Perhaps Levine's most valuable contribution is incorporating in a single book the doctrinal and technological aspects of the Allied bombing campaigns. The reviewer found The Strategic Bombing of Germany a difficult book to put down and recommends it to both the serious airpower student and the casual reader."-The Friday Review of Defense Literature

About the Author

ALAN J. LEVINE is a historian specializing in Russian history, international relations, and World War II. Born and raised in New York City, he received a Ph.D. from New York University. Mr. Levine has worked as a teacher, freelance writer, and book reviewer. He has published numerous articles about World War II and the Cold War and is the author of The Soviet Union, the Communist Movement, and the World: Prelude to the Cold War, 1917-1941 (Praeger, 1990).