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Germany ran out of gas because it didn't have a domestic source, and couldn't seize it in the Middle East, nor in the Caucasus region. The Army Air Corps was d

by greedo 4y ago

Germany ran out of gas because it didn't have a domestic source, and couldn't seize it in the Middle East, nor in the Caucasus region. The Army Air Corps was decent at interdiction missions (trains etc.) and hunting tanks when given free reign; but they were tied to escort missions for far too long. Considering how much money and manpower was invested in the 8th AF, the returns were marginal. German industry was accelerating production until the very end of the war, and proved very resilient to strategic bombing. The Bismarck, Tirpitz etc were all a waste of resources and never did much to influence the war other than to tie down the Home Fleet. The sinking of the Yamato and its sister ship Musahi were non-consequential to the outcome of the war.

WalterBright 4y ago
Germany's oil supply came largely from Ploiești which was destroyed by Allied bombing. The lack of gasoline, particularly high octane gas, crippled the Luftwaffe. High octane gas, in plentiful supply, led to Allied fighters having a huge performance advantage over the Luftwaffe fighters. The battleships did not influence the war because of air power. Without airplanes, the battleships would have carpeted the Atlantic seabed with the convoys that kept Britain in the war. The Yamato also became ineffective because of air power.
- greedo 4y ago
  My grand-uncle flew in B-24s on the Ploesti raid (Operation Tidal Wave). It had no effect on Axis petroleum production. It's considered one of the biggest failures in WW2 airpower. Airpower had minimal affect on stopping the Kriegsmarine from wreaking havoc in the Atlantic. The German fleet was too weak, in fact the sacrifice of the Hood led to the demise of the Bismarck. If it wasn't a torpedo from a Swordfish jamming the rudder, the rest of the Home Fleet would have crushed it eventually. The Graf Spee fared no better in the South Atlantic. The Yamato (and Musahi) were part of a mistaken Mahanian strategy for a single decisive battle (akin to Tsushima) that would settle the entire Pacific campaign. What really one the war in the Pacific was the USN submarine fleet which put a stranglehold on Japan.
  - WalterBright 4y ago
    > Airpower had minimal affect on stopping the Kriegsmarine from wreaking havoc in the Atlantic. This seriously underestimates it. Airplanes were effectively used to locate and track U-Boots and other ships, vectoring in a destroyer to sink them. Airplanes located and tracked the Bismarck, airplanes crippled it so it could not maneuver, and then the British navy pounded it into oblivion. Without Allied airplanes, the Bismarck could have sailed into any convoy and sunk it all with near impunity. I.e. with aircraft, the Kriegsmarine could not hide. Neither could the Tirpitz. The US wrecked Japan's fleet at Midway, all done with air power. Aircraft did a lot of the sinkings in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. More info on German oil: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1b66lm/wherehow_did_nazi_germany_get_access_to_enough/ https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1b66lm/where...

by greedo 4y ago

WalterBright 4y ago

Germany's oil supply came largely from Ploiești which was destroyed by Allied bombing. The lack of gasoline, particularly high octane gas, crippled the Luftwaffe. High octane gas, in plentiful supply, led to Allied fighters having a huge performance advantage over the Luftwaffe fighters. The battleships did not influence the war because of air power. Without airplanes, the battleships would have carpeted the Atlantic seabed with the convoys that kept Britain in the war. The Yamato also became ineffective because of air power.

greedo 4y ago
My grand-uncle flew in B-24s on the Ploesti raid (Operation Tidal Wave). It had no effect on Axis petroleum production. It's considered one of the biggest failures in WW2 airpower. Airpower had minimal affect on stopping the Kriegsmarine from wreaking havoc in the Atlantic. The German fleet was too weak, in fact the sacrifice of the Hood led to the demise of the Bismarck. If it wasn't a torpedo from a Swordfish jamming the rudder, the rest of the Home Fleet would have crushed it eventually. The Graf Spee fared no better in the South Atlantic. The Yamato (and Musahi) were part of a mistaken Mahanian strategy for a single decisive battle (akin to Tsushima) that would settle the entire Pacific campaign. What really one the war in the Pacific was the USN submarine fleet which put a stranglehold on Japan.
- WalterBright 4y ago
  > Airpower had minimal affect on stopping the Kriegsmarine from wreaking havoc in the Atlantic. This seriously underestimates it. Airplanes were effectively used to locate and track U-Boots and other ships, vectoring in a destroyer to sink them. Airplanes located and tracked the Bismarck, airplanes crippled it so it could not maneuver, and then the British navy pounded it into oblivion. Without Allied airplanes, the Bismarck could have sailed into any convoy and sunk it all with near impunity. I.e. with aircraft, the Kriegsmarine could not hide. Neither could the Tirpitz. The US wrecked Japan's fleet at Midway, all done with air power. Aircraft did a lot of the sinkings in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. More info on German oil: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1b66lm/wherehow_did_nazi_germany_get_access_to_enough/ https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1b66lm/where...