A Convenient Villain

The General Estimate of Germany’s Air Power as of November 1, 1937, was a report written by Lindbergh detailing new German airplanes and their engineering features. It reported Germany’s air power had surpassed France’s, achieved parity with England’s, and would surpass America “by 1941 or 1942”. This report was viewed by politicians and militaries in England, France, and the U.S.. Despite it, the U.S. Air Corps budget would be cut again in 1938. Briefly, this 4-page report reviews Germany’s science laboratories, industry (46 factories, with details on production capacity, location, and size), and a description of the airplanes and engines. For each model, Lindbergh discloses their top speed and disposable pay load. He reports the number of first-line and reserve units, the size of German air military personnel including number of pilots, how many squadrons Germany has organized, the quality of German pilots, and what percentage of each squadron has modern airplanes. Lack of equivalent intelligence on quality and training and the resulting disrespect for Japanese pilots was instrumental in the loss of the U.S. garrison in the Philippines in 1942.