Slaughter III., James F. Air Power over the Rhine

The Luftwaffe, the French Air Force and the Battle of France

The book offers a perspective on the air battle between the French Air Force (FAF) and the German Air Force over France in May and June 1940. Why were the French overwhelmed in the air? What factors led to their defeat? Author James F. Slaughter III examines how the leadership of both countries created the circumstances that enabled the Luftwaffe to defeat the FAF and ultimately led to France's defeat by Germany. The conventional wisdomespecially in the English-speaking worldis that the FAF was a nonentity whose defeat was all but assured. But the FAF did indeed engage in combat. Despite all the disadvantages and impossible conditions, FAF pilots still managed to inflict significant blows on the Luftwaffefar more than they are credited with today. Slaughter attributes this misunderstanding to a largely collaborative cover-up that began with the Rion trials in Vichy France and was then perpetuated by Cold War politics and popular myths. The FAF did not lose because of absence or incompetence, but because of a series of complex internal conflicts within the French leadership, both political and military, that doomed it to failure. This work compares and examines six fundamental areas that influenced the development of the FAF and the Air Force: aircraft and equipment, the aircraft industry, intelligence services, the experiences of the Spanish Civil War, doctrine and training, and politics and air power. It also offers new details and insights into Pierre Cot, a controversial French politician who is largely unknown outside France. Airpower over the Rhine explains Cot's internal and external influence on the development of the French Air Force and describes in detail what is known about his apparent espionage activities for the Soviet Union. This thoroughly researched and compellingly written book will be of interest to anyone interested in the Second World War.