The Luftwaffe War Diaries: The German Air Force in World War II (Reprint) [Paperback]

Cajus Bekker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 22, 1994

The Luftwaffe War Diaries is the definitive history of the German air force in World War II, from the blitzkrieg on Poland to the last desperate stand over Germany—the only account ever to come from a German source. Its masterfully organized chapters detail, summarize, and evaluate every important strategy and campaign. Cajus Bekker has drawn on official German archives and collections, the combat journals and personal papers of leading officers, and the collated Luftwaffe war diaries, none of which have been published outside Germany, as well as interviews with hundreds of former German airmen.The result is a critical examination of the Luftwaffe’s development and command against the vivid background of World War II’s greatest air battles. While the author does full justice to the performance of German airmen, he does not embellish it. Thus his chronicle of the deadly struggle of these men is anything but a heroic saga; the exploits of the other side are treated with equal justice. Heroes and villains are not described or eulogized here—only men fighting a war that most of them did not want. With over 100 photographs, numerous maps, and a complete index of personalities, The Luftwaffe War Diaries brings into stunning focus for now and all time the ironic triumph and inevitable tragedy of war.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

About the Author

Cajus Bekker is the author of a number of contemporary documentary studies, including Hitler’s Naval War and Eyes Through Night and Fog: The Story of Radar.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Reprint Edition edition (August 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306806045
• ISBN-13: 978-0306806049
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #841,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect !!, July 26, 1999

By 

M. Fonseca "carmarthen" (Thunder) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Luftwaffe War Diaries: The German Air Force in World War II (Reprint) (Paperback)

Since the end of WW II, it seems that occurred an epidemy of books written about the Luftwaffe, mainly by American / British writers, with bombastic titles like " Rise and Fall of The Luftwaffe", "History of the Luftwaffe"..etc... FOrget all about them. Cajus Bekker's book is the best ever written about the subject and comes from a remarkable neutral point of view, considering the fact the writer is a German. In only one volume, he sets up the reader in the real demands placed upon the Luftwaffe even before the War, and shows the way that the German publicity machine worked over their initial sucesses. HE also describes all kinds of combat squadrons, including bomber, dive-bombers and reccon, without talking only about the fighter pilots, differently from so many books. Great! A War Aviation fan must have this one!!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent background as well as combat material, December 31, 2001

By 

Michael Green "mrclay2000" (OKLAHOMA CITY, OK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Luftwaffe War Diaries: The German Air Force in World War II (Reprint) (Paperback)

Like the title explains, this book offers commentary from various echelons in the German Air Force on the planning and production of fighters and bombers, the deployment and assignments, the policy, the conflicts and the strategic misuse of this vital branch of the military. As well, the author gives a great deal of background on the manufacturers, the competition for the new air speed record, the celebrated pilots who tested the new marvels, the hardships of restricted supply, the motives and explanations of the awarding of production contracts, and many more insights into the German Luftwaffe from its inception, and from the ground up. While a little too technical in naming every formation and an insistence on listing every make and model of plane for every sortie, this book has a lot of valuable information on the German military apparatus, specifically the air arm.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent account of the Luftwaffe from the German side., June 22, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Savannah, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Luftwaffe War Diaries: The German Air Force in World War II (Reprint) (Paperback)

A very interesting book that offers excellent insight into the German strategy in all aspects of the Luftwaffe's battle's during WWII. This book cover's the whole spectrum of Luftwaffe units; from the classic fighter and bomber squadron's, to the Paratroop Division's, to the 88mm Flak units accompanying the Wehrmacht, to the Armored/Mechanized units like the Hermann Goring Division.

The Luftwaffe War Diaries is a well balanced book that discusses strategic planning of the war at the highest level, including production planning, but also has many highly interesting tales of personal heroism and gallantry.

A must read for any historian.