HISTORY REVIEW
Before we begin out tour, it will be helpful to review the history and happenings between WW I and WW II. World War I was supposed to be the “war to end all wars,” but when the Nazi’s came to power in 1933 they covertly begin to develop their air force by starting the civilian airline Lufthansa and training pilots through the airline. They also designed “airliners” that could become bombers and pleasure aircraft that could become fighters. From 1936-1939 the German “Condor Legion” of 5000 participated in the Spanish civil war as a training ground for the German Luftwaffe. By the time the war was finished over 19, 000 Luftwaffe personal had participated and trained.
In September 1939 Hitler attacked Poland. Three weeks later the Soviets invaded from the East and Poland fell shortly thereafter. Russia then attacked Finland and Hitler invaded Norway April 1940. Germany next invaded France and the Netherlands. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) had been sent to aid France but was quickly overcome when Germany bypassed the defensive line France had established. The BEF managed a fighting retreat to Dunkirk along French coastline and were facing capture or annihilation. England mobilized a miraculous flotilla utilizing ships of all sizes and shapes and successfully evacuated 338,997 British and French troops from May 27-June 4, 1940. This could not have been achieved without air superiority by the Royal Air Force (RAF).
The stage is now set for the Battle of Britain. At this point in 1940, Hitler has control of all of Europe and the United States has not entered the war. Hitler’s strategy is to bomb Britain into surrendering or to destroy the RAF to gain air superiority then invade England. During the summer of 1940 Britain was bombed mercilessly and endless air battles were fought until the Germans realized at the end of October 1940 they had failed to gain air superiority and the invasion of Britain was postponed. The blitz continued until May 1941. By the end of the war 60,000 men, women, and children had been killed by German air attacks against Britain and two million homes destroyed.
Our goal for the trip is to visit WW II sites in England, France, and Germany plus musical and historical sites in Vienna, Austria.