History glossary
Luftwaffe
Nazi Germany’s air force, commanded by Hermann Goering during the Battle of Britain.
- Category
- Military force
- Region
- Germany
- Date range
- 1935-1945
What it means
The Luftwaffe was Nazi Germany’s air force, officially announced in 1935 and commanded by Hermann Goering. In 1940 it tried to defeat RAF Fighter Command, gain air superiority, and support German pressure on Britain.
Related terms
Stories using this term
Nazi Germany
From Weimar collapse to WWII, Nazi Germany imposed totalitarian rule, expansion, and genocide.
Operation Barbarossa
From Hitler's ideological war in the east to Soviet survival before Moscow, Barbarossa turned expected blitzkrieg into prolonged attritional catastrophe.
The Causes of the Second World War
From the flawed peace of 1919 to the invasion of Poland in 1939, this story traces the interlocking causes of the Second World War across two decades of crisis, ideology, and failed deterrence.
The Battle of Britain
In 1940, Britain’s air defense held against German attack, blocking invasion plans and preserving a vital base for eventual Allied victory in Europe.
