Bechthold, Mike (Hrsg.) Airpower and the Normandy Campaign

In the spring and summer of 1944, air superiority was crucial to the success of Operation Overlord. The Allied air forces provided crucial support in several areas, from neutralising the Luftwaffe and protecting the invasion fleet to providing tactical air support that facilitated ground operations. Despite its undeniable importance, however, the role of the air force was often overshadowed by the more conventional ground combat. The diverse scholarly contributions in this collection address the complexities of air operations in Normandy from both traditional military-historical perspectives and new angles. They examine the roles of the Royal Air Force, the US air forces, and the Luftwaffe, and their international focus encompasses British, American, Canadian, Australian, French, and German viewpoints. A central theme is the integration of the Allied air, land and naval forces during the campaign. From a joint or purple perspective, the authors examine the cooperation between the armed forces and the tensions that arose between them, highlighting the operational dynamics that were crucial to the overall success of the invasion. Several case studies critically evaluate the successes and failures of the air forces during the landings and subsequent fighting, offering in-depth analyses of specific air operations, such as the bombing raids in the early days of the invasion, the attack on Cherbourg, and the effectiveness of US heavy bombers in Operation Cobra. The impact of the air forces on the French civilian population, particularly through bombing, is another central theme, highlighting the complex consequences of aerial warfare in wartime.