Flak: German Anti-Aircraft Defenses, 1914-1945. . - Net Assessment - book review

Aerospace Power Journal, Summer, 2002 by Paul G. Maj. Niesen

Flak: German Anti-Aircraft Defenses, 1914-1945 by Edward B. Westermann. University Press of Kansas (http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/print bytitle.html), 2501 West 15th Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66049, 2001, 448 pages, $45.00.

Despite my initial impressions of the title, Flak is not a dull book about "all you ever wanted to know about flak but were afraid to ask." Quite the contrary, Westermann weaves a splendid overview of the historical significance of flak. He starts with World War I--including prominent figures and important technical information--and carries this concept through the interwar years to World War II.

Flak doesn't stop there. Westermann also takes the reader into the economic impact of flak gun and ammunition production on the Nazi Germany war machine. His thorough research of German, British, and American archives helps illustrate the political turmoil that the leadership of Germany, Bomber Command, and the US Army Air Corps experienced as their respective fortunes regarding flak waxed and waned through the war. Westermann uses crew member interviews to take the reader into the bombers themselves as those men recount the nightmarish missions when they were under attack by flak.

Wait! There's more! Flak isn't just about flak. Westermann goes to great lengths to paint the full picture of Germany's air defense capabilities in World War II. Germany's air defense was dependent not only on flak but also on many other players, such as fighter aircraft, dummy installations, other deception measures, searchlights, and smoke batteries. All of these were key elements during Germany's six-year air defense campaign. His research of German documents is extensive, and he clearly lays out for the reader how all of these parts figured into the German war machine. He further illustrates the impact of manpower shortages, ammunition shortages, public opinion, political maneuvering, and the chaos and frenzy of war, as well as the effect that all of these had on the fate of flak during the course of the war.

In fact, during his research, Westermann uncovered extensive Bomber Command and US Army Air Corps documentation that detailed flak losses and flak damage to Allied bombers. While neither Ally came out and directly said it, Westermann's research and the wording of the countries' reports clearly indicate that German flak had a significantly larger impact on the Allied bomber campaign than was credited by the Allies--yes, even greater than the impact of fighters! Even the German reports tacitly drew the same conclusions, despite widespread belief that German fighters made the greater contribution.

Flak was a faithful friend; a hated enemy; a comforter to civilians as bombs rained on their cities; a scapegoat during bad times; and, in the end, the only remaining, steadfast defender of the German skies as German fighter aircraft succumbed to dwindling numbers and sporadic fuel shortages. The important lessons learned from the German air defense campaign--including tactical deception, employment of air defense assets, and implications of industrial capacity--are detailed by Flak and are as equally applicable today as they were almost 60 years ago. Air campaign planners would do well to give this book a read!

Flak is a wonderfully written book. It makes a magnificent read for the World War II history buff who wants something to read on an offbeat but engaging topic. It's a terrific research tool for anyone looking into the workings of a comprehensive World War II air defense system. It is also a great primer for air defense tactics and doctrine, with application even to today's air campaigns. I highly recommend this "two-thumbs-up" book!