, THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E 12958 P a s t op e r at i on s p r o duc e ex p e r i e nc e s a n d l e s s on s w hi ch m u s t b e c r it ic a l l y e x a m ine d a nd a pp l i e d b y bo th g r o un d a n d a i r f o r c e s . F r e q ue nt l y th i s m i ght c a ll f o r s e v e r e c r i t i c i s m , wh i ch b oth pa r t i e s m u s t be w i ll i ng t o a c c ep t a s l o n g a s it i s c o n s t r uc t iv e i n cha r a c t e r H . ow e v e r if , a i r s upp o r t i s t o b e r e a l l y s uc c e s s f ul , th e a i r c om m a nd m us t be al l o w e d a g r e a t e r m e a s ur e o f in fl ue nc e th a n i s c us t o m a r y , pa rt i c ul a r l y in s uc h m at t e r s a s th e ch o i c e o f th e a r e a i n w h i c h th e gr o un d f o r c e s a r e t o a tt a c k , th e t im in g of th e a tt a c k w e a th e r c o ndit i on s a n d th e t im e o f da y ) , a nd th e e x e c ut i o n o f th e op e r a t io n . V e r y c l o s e c o op e r at i o n i s p a r t i c ul a . r l y e s s e nt i a l dur in g th e e x e c uti on of o ff e n s iv e op e r a t i o n s , a n d a i r s t r ik e s ca r r i e d o ut by t a c t i c al s upp o r t un it s m us t b e im m e di at e l y a n d p r op e r l y e x p l o it e d b y g r o und f o r c e s , o r th e e ff o rt w il l b e u s e l e s s a n d s e n s e l e s s a n d th e e f f e c t s th e r e of w i ll b e l o s t F . a il ur e s t o fo l l ow up a i r s t r ik e s w e r e oft e n not e d dur in g op e r a ti o ns in th e St a l i ng r a d an d Ca uc a s us a r e a s A . n e x a . m pl e o f g o o d c oop e r a t i on a nd e ff e ct iv e a i r s upp o r t c a n b e fo un d in th e p r o g r e s s m a de b y Ge r m a n A r m y fo r c e s in th e no rth e r n D o n R iv e r b e n d a r e a dur i n g A u gu s t o f 194 2 14 0 p . n 2 3 A u g us t th e V II A i r Co r p s p a r t i c ip a t e d in a m a s s a tta ck in th i s a r e a a ga i n s t S ov i et ta nk s a nd i nf a nt r y , e na bl in g th e G e r m a n f o r c e s t o a dv a n c e 36 m il e s unop - p o s e d 14 1 p , n th e o th e r ha n d , p r o g r e s s w ith o ut a i r s upp o r t w a s ge ne r a l l y p o o r V . on Kl e i s t s l a c k o f a ch i e v e m e nt in th e Ca u ca s us in e a rl y S e pt e m b e r 19 42 i s a n e x a m pl e o f th e i nab il it y of g r o und f o r c e s t o a dv a nc e f r e e l y w ith - o ut a de qua t e a i r s upp o rt 142 . On 22 Se pt e m be r 19 4 2 v o n R ich th o f e n r e fus e d t o giv e a i r s upp o r t t o th e pl a nn e d op e r a ti o n o f th e F i r s t P a nz e r A r m y , s in c e th e pl a n h e l d o ut no p r o s p e ct s f o r s uc c e s s a nd l ittl e cha n c e th a t a i r s upp o r t w oul d b e u s e d t o a dv a nt a g e 14 3 th i . s i ns ta n c e th , e t e r r a in of th e a r ea un de r a tt a c k a nd th e att a ck c ap a b il it i e s o f th e g r o un d f o r c e s w e r e o f th e g r e a t e s t s i gn i f - i c an ce f , o r th e y p r e v e nt e d th e S ev e nt e e nth A r m y in th e Ca u c a s us f r om ta k i ng a dv a nta g e of a i r s upp o r t in th e f or e s t e d m o unta in s 14 4 . A furth e r ex a m pl e of th e f a i l u r e o f g r o und f o r c e s t o e x pl o it th e e ff e ct s o f a i r s t r ik e s w a s de s c r ibe d d ur in g R i c hth o f e n ' s m e e t i n g w ith P a ul us a n d S e y dl it z on 1 N ov e m be r 19 4 2 ; V on R i ch th o f e n in f o r m e d th e m th at th e a i r f o r c e s w e r e w r o ng l y e m p l o y e d i n th i s a r e a b e c a u s e th e a r t il l e r y w a s not f i r i n g a n d th e i n fa nt r y f a il e d t o e x p l o it th e e ff e c t s o f th e b o m bi n g atta c k s . Our a i r c r a ft a r e n ow dr opp in g th e i r bo m b s w ith in h a n d - g r e na de r a ng e o f o ur in fa nt r y f o r c e s , w h i c h a r e d o in g noth i n g . . . . 343 THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E 12958
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