{"product_id":"wolfram-von-richthofen-master-of-the-german-air-war-modern-war-studies-9780700615988","title":"Wolfram von Richthofen: Master of the German Air War (Modern War Studies)","description":"\u003cp\u003eLuftwaffe commander Wolfram von Richthofen was a brilliant master of the tactical and operational air war and one of the key catalysts in the resurrection of Germanys air force. Long overshadowed in history by his cousin  World War Is famous \"Red Baron \" von Richthofen served in seven major air campaigns from 1936 to 1944  and as senior air commander he was always at the center of the action.  For this first full-length biography of von Richthofen  James Corum has mined the field marshals extensive diaries  which provide a detailed record of military campaigns  tactical and operational problems  interactions with other commanders  and his assessment of methods and weaponry. He has also drawn on interviews with former Luftwaffe members and on his unparalleled access to von Richthofen family papers and photos.  Corum reveals how  before World War II  von Richthofen played a central role in developing and building the Luftwaffe and such famous aircraft as the Me 109 fighter and He 111 bomber. He then delivered tactical and operational successes in the Spanish Civil War  where he established the close air support tactics that became an essential trademark of the German blitzkrieg. As commander of the Special Air Division in the invasion of Poland  he demonstrated the effectiveness of massed airpower and in 1940 helped produce a dramatic German victory in France by providing close air support for Von Kleists panzer divisions as they raced to the English Channel. Later he also led the Luftwaffes Second Air Fleet against the Allied landings in Sicily  Salerno  and Anzio.  Providing a fully rounded portrait  Corum also cites von Richthofens signal defeats in the Battle of Britain and around Stalingrad; depicts his arrogant and ruthless tendencies; and reveals his loyal but nave belief in Hitler.  Cutting through the myths that have grown around von Richthofens life  Corums study fills a major gap in the literature and offers new insight into German military culture  Hitlers strategic thinking  and their impact on the German way of war.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45279569739829,"sku":"ByrdShop_0700615989","price":38.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780700615988.jpg?v=1780602462","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/wolfram-von-richthofen-master-of-the-german-air-war-modern-war-studies-9780700615988","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}