Page 104 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

104 airpower in 20 Century doCtrines and employment - national experienCes
tH

IV.
The German air war doctrine did not provide for a strategic air war and area
bombing raids aimed at terrorizing the enemy population in accordance with the con-
siderations of Douhet, Mitchell or Trenchard. This was in line with their omission
to develop and produce heavy, four-engine, large-range bomber aircraft. German air
warfare during World War II was, however, shifting between “Douhetism on the one
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hand and complete subordination to Army operations on the other“. For in addi-
tion to direct army support operations, the German Air Force, contrary to its air war
doctrine, was also waging a strategic air war with the attacks on the cities of Bath,
York and Canterbury and later with the V1 and V2 leaflet bombs, thus conducting a
dehumanizing war of terror in line with the conception of a “total war”.

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Michael Forget, Die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Luftwaffe und Heer bei den französischen und deut-
schen Luftstreitkräften im Zweiten Weltkrieg, in: Boog, Luftkriegführung im Zweiten Weltkrieg
(see Note 3), p. 490.