There has not been an in-depth history of the Luftwaffe published for many years and and this scholarly one-volume survey of the history of the Luftwaffe will become the leading reference work on the subject. The author is a well-respected military, aviation and naval historian, who has been researching this subject for many years in order to bring the latest information on and analysis of the Luftwaffe together in this work of reference. The book covers the history, campaigns, strategies, commanders and personalities of the Luftwaffe in depth as well as looking at the aircraft, although it does not cover aircraft types in detail. It covers the following specific areas: the prewar development of the Luftwaffe from its beginnings in the early 1930s, the attack on Poland, 1939, the campaigns in the West, 1940, the Battle of Britain, the Mediterranean and North African campaigns up to 1942/3 and the Eastern Front to Stalingrad, the Eastern Front to the end of the war, the defence of the Reich, the war against Allied shipping and the last days of the war. This history of the Luftwaffe gives a fresh and detailed insight into the dramatic rise and fall of one the world's most formidable air forces. Alongside the detailed analysis of campaigns and strategies, the role of significant individuals in shaping the Luftwaffe's destiny is also followed so that human side of the story is given due prominence in this history.