Page "Blitzkrieg" Paragraph 36

In this regard, close air support was provided in the form of the dive bomber and medium bomber.

They would support the focal point of attack from the air.

German successes are closely related to the extent to which the German Luftwaffe was able to control the air war in early campaigns in Europe and the Soviet Union.

However, the Luftwaffe was a broadly based force with no constricting central doctrine, other than its resources should be used generally to support national strategy.

It was flexible and it was able to carry out both operational-tactical, and strategic bombing effectively.

Flexibility was the Luftwaffe's strength in 1939 – 1941.

Paradoxically, from that period onward it became its weakness.

While Allied Air Forces were tied to the support of the Army, the Luftwaffe deployed its resources in a more general, operational way.

It switched from air superiority missions, to medium-range interdiction, to strategic strikes, to close support duties depending on the need of the ground forces.

In fact, far from it being a dedicated panzer spearhead arm, less than 15 percent of the Luftwaffe was designed for close support of the army in 1939.