This paper will discuss the Anglo-American coalition air power strategy in Europe during World War II (1941-1945). By using the Snyder Model as a framework for the assessment of this strategy, it will be seen that the Anglo-American coalition followed sound strategic principles which enabled their air power strategy to succeed, while the Nazis failed.
The Nazi threat began in the late 1930's when Germany, under the leadership of Adolph Hitler, started taking over neighboring nations by force. Attacks were later made on Great Britain in the Blitzkrieg and the Battle of Britain. In 1941, a coalition known as the Allies was forged between Great Britain and the United States to fight against the Axis forces of Germany, Italy and Japan. The Anglo-American strategy for the use of air power was the key element in defeating the Axis in Europe.
This paper will analyze the air power strategies of both sides to determine why the Allies succeeded and the Axis failed. The strategies of each side and the rationale that led to their selection will be compared and contrasted. By following a strategy of offensive bombing, the Allies were able to meet their objective of undermining the ability of the German people to make war. By contrast, the Nazi air strategy failed because it was based on misconceptions regarding the importance of strategic targets in modern warfare. This particular conflict was chosen because it provides a clear example of the importance of offensive strategy, as used by the Allies, as well as the critical nature of air power as a decisive factor in the winning of a war. Furthermore, it clearly demonstrates how the failure to utilize sound strategic principles, as in the case of the German effort, generally leads to defeat.
Soon after Adolf Hitler was named Chancellor of Germany in 1933, he began developing a plan for the conquest of Europe. In order to carry out this plan, Germany formed a coalition in 1936 wit...