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The German paratroopers in World War II were basically not airborne, but the size of their troops was getting bigger and bigger.
As the first country in the world to use paratroopers, Germany’s airborne tactical theory has always been at the forefront of the world, and as the core of German airborne combat theory-Germany The natural strength of paratroopers is also good, but unfortunately, during most of the Second World War, the German paratroopers were used only as light infantry or motorized infantry. However, although the German paratroopers no longer conduct airborne operations, their scale is getting bigger and bigger...
German paratrooper divisions
In May 1940, Germany invaded the low countries, the German Air Force The 7th Aviation Division, the paratrooper force of China, has received great response from their investment. The capture of the Eben Emar Fortress is still a classic example of combat learned by the airborne forces of various countries. Of course, the German paratroopers have also paid a high price for this. . In May 1942, the division participated in their first large-scale operation-the invasion of Crete. This operation was successful, but the paratroopers suffered huge casualties, which made Hitler feel that such large-scale airborne operations could no longer be carried out. From then on, the German paratroopers were used as well-trained and efficient light infantry.
- German soldiers under the cover of flamethrowers are approaching a concrete bunker at Eben Emar Fortress
The paratroopers are all volunteers, they It can be quickly thrown into areas threatened by the enemy on the front. However, because they are carrying light equipment, this means that they cannot fight for a long time, otherwise, the casualties will be high. In the battles of Stalingrad and Normandy, the upper command of the German army used paratroopers as regular infantry, which resulted in astonishing casualties.
- Because they were put into battle as ordinary infantry, the German paratroopers suffered heavy losses in the middle and late stages of the war
In 1943, the German Air Force paratroopers were reorganized , And thus became the core unit of a series of elite Air Force Infantry Divisions. These newly formed Air Force Infantry Divisions began with the 7th Aviation Division and continued backward, because the 7th Aviation Division had been changed to "The 1st Paratrooper Division. ".
During the Battle of Monte Cassino, the 1st Paratrooper Division participated in the battle as an ordinary infantry unit. When the Allied forces bombed Cassino's monastery, the division built an excellent defensive position in the ruins everywhere, which allowed these paratroopers to withstand repeated attacks and fierce bombing by the Allies. As the Cassino position was bypassed by troops from the French colony, which formed a tendency to outflank, the German paratroopers were eventually forced to withdraw from their positions. Nevertheless, due to their extremely brave combat skills, the paratroopers received the nickname "Green Devil".
- The 1st Paratrooper Division defended the monastery of Monte Cassino, Italy. During World War II, it became a nightmare for the Allies
in the German paratroopers Some have been adapted and equipped as motorized infantry divisions, and continue to serve as "fire brigades" on the front line. They are often broken up into small units, deployed to battle groups, or used to strengthen various improvised combat units. According to the standard practice of the German army, these small groups of battle groups are named after their commanders, such as the "Edman" battle group in France and the "Ramke" paratrooper brigade in North Africa.
- Soldiers of the "Ramke" paratrooper brigade in North Africa are driving SdKfz 2 small crawler motorcycles. This type of crawler motorcycle is designed for paratroopers. The troops towed light artillery
German’sThe paratrooper division has basically achieved or fully realized motorization, including the 3rd paratrooper division, which fought in Normandy, the Saar area, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Ruhr encirclement; the 4th paratrooper division participated in the fierce battle and evacuation of Anzio The battle in Italy; the 6th Paratrooper Division was annihilated in Normandy, then rebuilt in the Netherlands, and participated in the battle there; and the 9th Paratrooper Division formed at Stade at the end of 1944 participated in the brutal battle on the Oder Line .
- In Anzio, Italy, the 4th Paratrooper Division was assigned to the 1st Paratrooper Corps. They are moving with the Tiger tanks of the 508th Heavy Armor Battalion. At that time, the 1st Paratrooper Corps was on the right flank of the 14th Army of the Coast Guards north of Anzio
Forming a paratrooper army
Starting with the formation of the first airborne division, the German paratrooper force They developed very quickly. In the last two years of the war, they had expanded to a complete group army.
From the second half of 1944, the German paratroopers no longer conducted airborne training, but they still retained the name of paratroopers to reflect their status as elite troops. Before the end of the war, the German army had formed more than 12 paratrooper divisions. The quality of the soldiers of these newly formed units was bound to decline. The 9th Paratrooper Division was the last paratrooper division formed by the Germans during the war. In April 1945, the division was annihilated in the Battle of Berlin. Do not confuse these paratrooper divisions with "air force field divisions". "Air force field divisions" are infantry units with poor performance. Since 1942, they have been formed by using the remaining air force personnel.
- The German paratroopers at the end of the war no longer conduct airborne training, but they are still called paratroopers to demonstrate their status as an elite force
At the beginning of 1944, with the establishment of the 1st Paratrooper Army, Goering's ambition to expand his private force was realized, which was formed on the basis of the previous 11th Aviation Army headquarters. The 11th Aviation Corps was formed in 1940 to control the 7th Aviation Division and the 22nd "Airborne Infantry" Division in order to better engage in the invasion of low countries. In 1941, the troops under the jurisdiction of the army participated in the landing operation on Crete. Subsequently, the army invested in the training and development of airborne warfare and formulated a plan to use airborne assault on Malta.
- German paratroopers in Crete are transporting airdropped supplies. Since the Battle of Crete, the German paratroopers have never had a large-scale airborne operation.
The battle of the paratroopers
From May 1943 to January 1944 , The 1st Paratrooper Army was formed in Nancy, France. In June 1944, the Army was put into battle under the command of General Kurt Studden. However, Goering's ambitions were shattered because his forces were eventually annexed by the German Army.
- On September 12, 1943, the German paratroopers also took a glider to rescue the imprisoned Mussolini
In the beginning, the German thoughts Yes, this paratrooper group should have two armies under its jurisdiction-the 1st and 2nd Paratrooper Army, including 5 newly formed paratrooper divisions in total. As a result, the army group is under the control of the army, which means that the two armies under the jurisdiction of the army group cannot be purely paratrooper units. In fact, most of the paratrooper divisions are assigned to other armies and armies. The 1st Paratrooper Corps was sent to Italy in early 1944. At that time, the paratrooper division under the army had only one 4th Paratrooper Division, and the others were all regular army divisions, although by 1945, the 1st Paratrooper Division was also included. Under the command of the army. In September 1944, the 1st Paratrooper Army had only one paratrooper division, plus six army infantry divisions.
- Because the paratroopers are no longerWith airborne combat capability, the German military uses it as an elite motorized infantry and allows it to cooperate with other infantry divisions, so the so-called paratroopers are not actually paratrooper units composed purely of paratroopers.
Initially , The 1st Paratrooper Army was assigned to the D Army Group stationed in France, serving as a training organization. After the Allied forces landed in Normandy, the German paratrooper divisions were assigned to other units, while the headquarters of the 1st Paratrooper Army were subordinated to the German Wehrmacht General Headquarters and directly controlled by the German highest command organization. At the beginning of September 1944, the 1st Paratrooper Army entered the battle for the first time. With the defeat of the German Army from France, the 1st Paratrooper Army was sent to the defense lines of Belgium and the eastern Netherlands to implement defense. The group army directly controls some armored and heavy artillery units, in addition to the 2nd Paratrooper Corps and several armies of the Army.
In the "Market Garden" operation initiated by the Allied forces in September 1944, the 1st Paratrooper Army was involved in the battle and defeated the Allied forces. In December 1944, the group army became part of the H group, and in the final months of the war, the group army was directly under the German Northwest General Command. The 1st Paratrooper Army remained in the Netherlands until the beginning of 1945. Afterwards, the Army crossed the Rhine to assist the Germans in the defense on the east bank of the river. In April 1945, the 1st Paratrooper Army surrendered to the Allies near Oldenburg, and the history of the German paratroopers ended...
- Although it is still uniquely worn Paratrooper uniforms and helmets, but almost none of the paratroopers participating in the Battle of the Ardennes had undergone parachuting training. Most of the paratroopers were used as elite motorized infantry.
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