A history of the innovative German air campaign that ensured victory
in the rapid conquest of Norway, and an analysis of its importance to
World War II and the development of air power.
The Campaign for Norway in 1940 was a pivotal moment in modern warfare.
It was the first modern joint campaign that featured not only ground and
naval operations, but also airpower as an equal element of all
operations. Indeed, Norway was the first campaign in history where air
superiority, possessed by the Germans, was able to overcome the
overwhelming naval superiority, possessed by the British. German success
in Norway was not pre-ordained. At several times in the opening weeks of
the campaign the Norwegian and Allied forces could have inflicted a
major defeat on the Germans if their operations had been effectively
supported. It was, in fact, the superior German use of their air force
that gave the Germans the decisive margin of victory and ensured the
failure of the Allied counteroffensive in central Norway in April and
May of 1940.
The Norwegian campaign featured some firsts in the use of airpower
including the first use of paratroops to seize key objectives and the
first sinking of a major warship by dive bombers. All aspects of
airpower played important roles in the campaign, from air reconnaissance
to strategic bombing and ground-based air defenses. The British employed
their Bomber Command in long-distance strikes to disrupt the German air
and naval bases and the Germans used their bomber force to carry out
long-range support of their ground forces. The German ability to
transport large numbers of troops by air and the ability to supply their
ground and air forces over great distances gave the Germans their first
major campaign victory over the Western Allies.
Covering the first true joint campaign in warfare, this book provides a
complete view of a compelling turning point in World War II. Featuring
an analysis of the cooperation of ground, naval and air forces, this
book is intended to appeal to a broad range of readers interested in
World War II, and specifically to those interested in the role airpower
played in the strategic and operational planning of the Campaign for
Norway.
