[TUSA/TX-Gunslinger]

The German political leadership lost the "Campaign for England" simply because it was completely unable to set Strategic Objectives and then have the discipline/patience to see them though.

Much like the rest of the war, the little corporal interferred too much - at too many points to completely undermine anything strategic.

If Hitler had an English campaign in mind, in the months prior to the Battle of France - the BEF would never have escaped at Dunkirk. It was Hitler's own orders against the advice of his military experts that allowed the majority of the UK "cream", to escape right across the channel.

Imagine the difference in the air campaign's requirements without front line infantry and more important tactical leadership with experience?

The shifting of objectives after the Air Campaign was ongoing - without objective analysis and effective Battle Damage Assessment - is another in a blinding series of not only Strategic ineptitude, but also Operational level incompetence.

Not that any of the allies save Russia ever managed to master the Operational Level (review Bradley and Montgomery's failures during St Lo/Normandy Breakout - fairly late in the war). No nation emerged with mastery of all levels of the art of war - British, Americans, Germans and Japanese were quite good at the tactical level - while the Russians clearly mastered the Operational level with probably the best handle on the Strategic level.

Thankfully, we didn't have a ground war in Europe after WW2.

S!

Gunny