Phoenix Triumphant: The Rise and Rise of the Luftwaffe

British historian Hooton uses published sources and archival material to tell a familiar story from a fresh perspective. He describes the development of German air power (Luftwaffe) that began in 1930, well before Hitler's seizure of power, and reached its zenith with the destruction of France in 1940. He focuses on organization, training and equipment, and provides a solid analysis of the Luftwaffe's operational employment, including the occupations of Austria and Czechoslovakia. He also explains how the Germans circumvented the restrictions of the Versailles Treaty to build up the Luftwaffe during the interwar years. The Luftwaffe was more than a ground-support force, the author maintains; its primary mission was to secure air superiority. This not only involved destroying planes and troops-factories and transportation networks were also targets-but also disruption rather than destruction, leaving them intact for later exploration. The German air force was a formidable instrument despite its noteworthy failure to defeat the RAF over Britain. Photos. (Jan.)