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Between 1933 and 1945, the organization of the Luftwaffe underwent several changes. Originally, the German military high command, for their air warfare forces, decided to use an organizational structure similar to the army and navy, treating the aviation branch as a strategic weapon of war. Later on, during the period of rapid rearmament, the Luftwaffe was organized more in a geographical fashion. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (1919), Germany was prohibited from having an air force, with the former German Empire's ''Luftstreitkräfte'' disbandment in 1920. German pilots were secretly trained for military aviation, first in the Soviet Union during the late 1920s, and then in Germany in the early 1930s. In Germany, the training was done under the guise of the German Air Sports Association ((ドイツ語:Deutscher Luftsportverband) (DLV)) at the Central Commercial Pilots School ((ドイツ語:Zentrale der Verkehrs Fliegerschule) (ZVF)). The formation of the German air arm was openly announced in February 1935, with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring as its Commander-in-Chief ((ドイツ語:Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe)), in blatant defiance of the Versailles Treaty. Initial plans were for long-term growth of the Luftwaffe over a period of five years with the intention of using the Luftwaffe as a strategic force. These plans were changed several times, especially after the June 1936 death of Walter Wever and the succession of Ernst Udet. The focus and role of the Luftwaffe became one of ground support for the German Army during its Lightning War ((ドイツ語:Blitzkrieg)) campaigns. Göring, using his political capital, was able to get significant resources allocated to the Luftwaffe, more so than the army ((ドイツ語:Heer)) or the navy ((ドイツ語:Kriegsmarine)). This made the Luftwaffe one of the most powerful force in Europe during its initial years. Partly due to its ground support role, the Luftwaffe was reorganized in a fashion similar to the army units, with one unit controlling a specific area. Each Luftwaffe unit was self-contained and had complete control over all aspects of Luftwaffe forces in that area. Before becoming head of the Luftwaffe, Göring was Interior Minister of Prussia. In this position he had formed his own army, starting from a 400 men police department to regiment size. When Göring took over the Luftwaffe, he brought the regiment along with him to the Luftwaffe and created his own ground forces in the form of Luftwaffe Field Divisions and Paratrooper Regiments ((ドイツ語:Fallschirmjäger)) under the Luftwaffe. He eventually included a tank regiment (Fallschirm-Panzer Division), ''Flak'' units and a signals regiment ((ドイツ語: Luftnachrichten Regiment)) under the Luftwaffe umbrella. ==Formation and expansion== (詳細はOberkommando der Luftwaffe)) for operational management.〔 Within the German air force leadership, the general opinion was that the Luftwaffe was a tactical rather than a strategic air force. Hence, in order to support the various army groups, the Luftwaffe was organized in similar fashion to the army. Its units had a flexible composition with sub-units being added or removed when necessary. These sub-units tended to be semi-autonomous and highly mobile. This offered the flexibility required to support the ground units.〔Lepage, (2009) p. 17〕 From the start of the Spanish Civil War, the Luftwaffe was in action continuously without the time for rest or training. Multiple political acts and the consequent need for a show of strength forced the Luftwaffe to be in a perpetual state of readiness. This did not allow time for organizational strategy. Göring complicated the hierarchy by bringing the paratrooper ((ドイツ語:Fallschirmjäger)) and Flak corps (anti-aircraft units) under his command. Due to his political differences with the army leadership, he raised his own police force as Prussian Minister of the Interior.〔Not to be confused with Göring's formation of the Gestapo, the political secret state police force in Prussia. McNab, Chris, (2009) ''The SS: 1923–1945'', pp. 150, 162.〕 This later became the Paratroop Tank Corps ((ドイツ語:Fallschirmjägerpanzerkorps)).〔Buell, Griess, Bradley and Dice, (2002) p. 14〕〔Ruffner, (1990) pp. 3–4〕 By September 1939, the Luftwaffe had a total of 4,000 aircraft and 400,000 personnel. This strength had grown to 1,700,000 by 1941. In total, 571,000 of these were in anti-aircraft units and another 18 percent were in the signals branch. Only 36 percent or 588,000 comprised air-crew, but this also included the aircraft maintenance personnel. At the end of the war on 8 May 1945, more than 97,000 air-crew would be reported dead, wounded or missing.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–45)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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