Until the Vietnam War, the most intense aerial barrage experienced by attacking aircraft was that over Germany and places of occupied Europe during WWII. The Germans had the best equipment, but not always the best leadership when it came to the protection of its military industry and its citizens. However, this was not from a lack of trying.

Like most of the warring powers, the Germans learned by doing and while the air bombardment started out light, it soon became heavier and heavier as the war went on. So did the efforts of the Germans to combat this onslaught and to protect their war-making abilities and the people who were involved in this.

Basically, author Stephen J Zaloga divides this book into two major and one smaller section. Once past the introduction, we get into the section on flak. Or anti-aircraft weapons if you would. There were basically two heavy anti-aircraft guns used by the Germans. One was the superlative 88mm weapon and the other was an equally good 128mm weapon, though the latter was not built is anything near the numbers of the 88. These guns were initially placed into earthen berms as it was felt that the enemy was not interested in taking out these guns, but destroying their targets. Later, more permanent concrete emplacements were designed that not only protected the guns, but their ammunition and crews as well. This led to some pretty incredible concrete works and tall flak towers and other major emplacements were built to provide a better field of fire. Radar guidance was also developed to help these guns find their targets, often in conjunction with searchlights.

The other aspect of this was the building of bomb shelters to protect the populace. These ranged from simple shelters that would not survive a direct hit but would protect from splinters to very large and robust buildings that could withstand even the largest bombs. The variety discussed in this section is truly incredible. Even one person shelters were designed and there were those that could hold thousands. So strong, sturdy and massive were these shelters that few were actually torn down due to the expense and while they are slowly disappearing, many are still extant and used for purposes other than what they were designed.

The final small section is on industries and how these could be protected. It was found that bombing often destroyed buildings, but left the machinery to be usable again. Blast walls were first tried and this worked to some extent, but the constant bombardment severely disrupted production. Two alternatives were to spread out production into smaller units spread around to be brought together for final assembly and the building of huge underground or strongly reinforced structures, some of which were eight stories high on the inside. Of the latter, one of the more notorious was the underground construction facility that built V-1, V-2 and He-162s. Of the latter, were the factories 'in the woods' that turned out Me-262s late in the war. So successful were the latter than they were never discovered until after the war. Of course, by late war, getting the parts to the final assembly place was a real issue.

It all makes for a book that was truly fascinating to read. The various designs involved is truly remarkable and of course, there is the usual political machinations that seem to crop up in every warring nation. It makes for a book that is one of the first on the subject I have read and one that I know you will appreciate as well. 

November 2012

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