Figure 1.--Early in World War I, the poem and slogan 'Gott strafe England' (May God punish England) became popular in Germany. We are not sure who the German artist was here. Nor do we know for sure that the phase was painted on Zepplins. But we know the phrase was widely used in Germany and appeared on a range of Zepplin artifact including pins and stamps. Some may notice the word 'strafe' which was picked up by the English. For 2 years the German Zepplins were an impossible target. They had celings so high that early aircraft had difficulty reaching -- at least in time. Bur aircraft and aircraft engines were rapidly advancing. Lt William Robinson was awarded a Victiria Cross for bagging the first Zepplin bombing England -- the L21 (September 1916). He reportedly said after landing, 'I've strafed the beggar this time.'
World War I began with no tactical or strategic air doctine. Many military men at the onset of the War thought that the the flimsy early aircraft useless as an effective weapon. It quickly became obvious, however, that aircraft were invaluable for reconisance. The first aircraft were unarmned. Pilots srarted aerial combat when they began taking pistiks and shitfuns aloft to take pot shots at each other and quickly escalated. Aicraft during the War were primarily use for reconisance (and fighters to shoot down photo recon planes) and tactical operations. Whike this was the bulk of air ooerations, bot sides did conduct stratehic operations. These were primarily conducted by the Germans with first Zepplins and than the Gotha bombers. There was no developed strategic bombing doctrine althiugh the militaries on both sides were discussing the various developing theories such as destroying war industry or undermining civilian morale. e Always present whether said or unsaid was a desire to punish the enenemy--and not just the emeny soldiers. Here the Germans were especially intent on punishing the English because they got it onto their head thar the English were responsible for the War. And the Germans knew early on that their bombing was gaving no miklitary impact on Britain--but it was punishing British civilians. Later of course the Germans would blame the Jews for the War, a less dangerous target. Apparently during the War the Germans rationalized that if England had not declared War after Germamy invaded neutral Belgium, they could hace defeated the French in only a few weeks and what became the Great War would have never occurred. In the German mind, it was permissible for Germany to declare war and invade other countries, but other countries were npt susposed to declare war on Germany. As a result, a popular German war poem and slogan became 'Gott strafe England' (May God punish England). The slogan resonated with many, bur nit all Germans. Note that it was not God punishing France or Russia--but specifically England. Strategic air doctrine was never fully devloped during World War I and was still tgeiretical at the time of World War II. Strategic bombing during Workd War I was mostly conducted by the Germans, but very ineffevtively. The primary aim became to terrorize the Bristish people and force Britain out of the War. The actual result was to infuriate the British public and create a pooular demand for reprisal raids. The pubkic outrage finally forced the air commanders to changed their minds. They had opposed stratehic bombing as ineffectual and drainingbresources awaybfromtactivak operations. But by 1918 the Allies had the industrial capacity to build strategic bombers as well as tactical aitcraf in large numbers, much larger than the Germans. The Allies were preparing a major strategic bombing camoaign into Germany in 1919. Germany asked for the armistice before this could be launched. But from the begining the idea of punishing and striking back at enenmny civilians was a factor in the air war. Some leaders like Hitler made this clear. Others talked more of actual military objectives, but in the firey heat of war, it cannot be dismissed as a factor be it articulated or not.
