Any difference with Werner Mölders surviving through 1945?

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wiking85

Staff Sergeant
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Jul 30, 2012
Chicagoland Area
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Mölders
As inspector general of fighters, Werner Molders was responsible for managing the fighter force of the Luftwaffe:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspector_of_Fighters
Had he not died in 1941 during the flight home for Udet's funeral and gone on to continue in his position or even be promoted what impact would that have had on the Luftwaffe's ability to fight? Galland was in the end not that effective at fixing the serious problems with the Luftwaffe's fighter force (also not particularly tempermentally suited for it), but could Mölders have done any better? There was an alternate history story about Mölders surviving in the Alternate Generals series of books that has him defeating D-Day by a jet bomber offensive against the Channel Ports in 1944 before the invasion began, but I think much of that was just fantasy. What real effects would Mölders have had beyond 1941 had he lived?
 
No one man could have made a significant difference to the shambles that was Luftwaffe/RLM planning from the idiotic and unaffordable production plans of the 1930s to the final collapse in 1945. It would be like trying to turn a supertanker with a rowing boat.
Cheers
Steve
 
I agree. The only exception would be someone like Goering who had enough influence that he might have altered Hitler's decisions (or bumped Hitler off and become Chancellor himself).
 
Not Moelders (had he lived on), nor Goering nor Hitler can make the 3-front war revert to the 1-front war, nor they can do anything re. lack of oil. Hence the result will be the same.
 
Galland was a fighting General, like Patton and Rommel.

To do the job of Moelders (or Milch, Wever, etc.), also requires a sharp grasp of politics and good connections. Fighters like Galland have little or no patients when it comes to that...as we've seen with his occasional skirmishes with Hitler and the RLM.
 
Maybe he would have been able to convice Hitler/Göring/Milch to ramp-up fighter production and fighter pilot trainning (at the cost of bombers) earlier than historical.
 
Wait until July 1943 and nothing short of divine intervention can save Europe from Soviet domination. However if Goering becomes Chancellor during July 1941 it's still a one front war for all practical purposes. Different production decisions during 1941 would give the Heer a much better chance for success during 1942.
 
However if Goering becomes Chancellor during July 1941 it's still a one front war for all practical purposes.

How? Anyone who has studied German politics in this period would wonder. Alright, some saw a flagging in civilian morale, remedied by Goebbels 1941 'Our Banners Lead Us on to Victory' campaign and a few terrible films (U-Boat Going Westwards, Lutzow Squadron to name but two) but Germany was flushed with victories and the regime was secure. Don't underestimate the power of the Fuhrer cult. Replacing Stalin would have been easier than replacing Hitler :)
Cheers
Steve
 

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