Operation Adler was the code name designated by the

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

for their air offensive against

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

in the summer of 1940. The defensive side of this operation was known as the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...

. This offensive was part of an ambitious campaign, namely the amphibious invasion of England. The Luftwaffe bore the responsibility of neutralizing the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

(RAF) and its capability to thwart the planned invasion. Operational planners were tasked with developing a plan to systematically destroy Great Britain's ability to wage war. This strategic air offensive was only one part of the overall campaign for the eventual invasion of England. The first step in this operation would be attaining air superiority for the invading force.

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...

, the Luftwaffe Commander, violated all seven 'principles of war' as stated in U.S. Army Manual FM 100-5, but still came very close to defeating the RAF. The Luftwaffe's targeting of London was seen by the British as a fatal mistake. Adlertag (Eagle Day) was the Goring designated code name for the first day of German offensive air operations aimed at destroying the RAF.

Adlertag

Battle of Britain

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* * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Adler World War II operations and battles of Europe Military operations of World War II involving Germany Anti-partisan operations of World War II

Adlertag

Battle of Britain

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