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D ur i n th e L uftw a f fe ' s a e r i S
a l ope r a t io n s in 19 4 0 in th e W e s t e r n
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a i r f i e l d s S
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of th e da y .
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th i s e x c l us i v e us e o f a i r p ow e r i n s upp o rt o f th e . 4 rm y . On th e c o nt r a r y ,
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h a d o r i g i nal l y b e e n c r e a t e d i n c o n s o na nc e w ith th e t r ue s t r a t e gi c c o nc e pt s
o f D o uh e t .
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th e L uftw af f e i n th e
E a s t e r n T h e a t e r of Op e r a ti on s g ra dua ll y be c a m e n oth in g but a s upp o r t i ng
a r m o f th e g r o un d f o r c e s , b e i n g us e d m o r e o r l e s s a s l on g - ra nge a rt il l e r y .
O ne A r m y gr o up c o m m a nde r la t e r de m a n d e d th at "i t w a s h i gh t im e t o
pl a c e it un de r A r m y c o m m a nd . " 12 6 T h i s v i e w w a s l o ng h e l d b y h i g h e r
ra n k i n g A r m y o ff i c e r s .
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of th e pa uc it y of h e av y w e a p o n s s uch a s a rt i ll e r y , m o r ta r s , a nd a nt it a nk g un s av a il a bl e t o g r o un d fo r c e unit s T h
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th i s c on c ept o f op e r a t i o n s w a s c on s i de r a b l y s t r en gth e ne d b y th e c om m a n d
c ha n g e s m a de in th e F o urth A i r F l e e t at th e e n d o f J u l y 19 4 2 .
F r e ih e r r v o n R i chth o fe n c on s i de r e d ta c ti c a l v i c t o r y a s th e ba s i s
f o r s uc c e s s i n th e ov e r a l l c o n du ct o f th e w a r H i
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v e r s a t il it y , a n d h i s w il l in gne s s t o de m a nd th e ut m o s t f r o m h im s e l f a n d
o th e r s in c o m b at p r ov i de d th e b e s t c o nc e iv a bl e c o n dit i o n s fo r s uc c e s s in
th i s t yp e o f o pe r a t i on It
. w a s on l y pu r s uan t t o o r de r s fr om h i gh e r h e a d
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q ua r t e r s th a t h e ca r r i e d o ut op e ra t i on s de s i gn e d t o p r o duc e s t r a t e g i c
e ff e ct s , s uc h a s att a ck s a ga i n s t p o r t s a n d Sov i e t s h ipp i ng o n th e B l a ck a nd 331
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