Strategy for Defeat; The Luftwaffe 1933-1945

Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL: Air University Press, 1983. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Trade paperback. Good. xxvi, 365, [1] pages. Illustrations. Maps. Tables. Biographical Sketch. Notes. Appendix includes information on the Royal Air Force. Bibliography. Index. Cover has some wear, soiling, and a corner crease. Williamson Murray is an American historian and author. He has authored numerous works on history and strategic studies, and served as an editor on other projects extensively. As of 2012, he is professor emeritus of history at Ohio State University. Murray attended Yale University, graduating in 1963 with honors in history.[1] Following graduation he served as an officer in the United States Air Force for 5 years. He was assigned a tour of duty in Southeast Asia with the 314th Tactical Airlift Wing operating C-130s. Following his military service he returned to Yale as a graduate student in the Department of History, and in 1974 earned his Ph.D. in military-diplomatic history. Williamson, a noted historian of flight and air war, paints a compelling picture as to why Nazi Germany's air force fell to the Allies, despite its notable early successes. Unusual for studies of this sort, Williamson's book is filled with photographs and graphs which clearly and effectively outline the trajectory of the Luftwaffe's early victories and subsequent (and inevitable) defeat. His description of the dysfunctional leadership at the very top of the Luftwaffe and the Nazi hierarchy show how they paved the way for defeat by mid-1944. One of Williamson's major contributions is his explanation of the role of the production of aircraft, pilots, and spare parts - things that are all too often left out of histories of aerial warfare. This is a well-written, highly informative work that is a must for anyone seeking to understand how and why air forces win or lose wars.