Chapter 281: Bulgaria Surrenders
The difference between modern combined arms warfare and static trench warfare of the early 20th century was like night and day. Especially when one had complete and total air supremacy over their enemy.
There were three grades of air control in a war. On the lowest end there was Air Parity, which meant that airspace was for the most part contested between both sides of the conflict. In a more tactical sense, this meant that neither side could support their ground operations without having to suffer dearly for it.
After Air Parity was Air Superiority. In other words, one of the two combating factions had a significant advantage over critical airspace, allowing them to engage in air combat operations that could support their ground forces.
Air supremacy was the highest strategic level of air control, and it meant that one had complete and total domination of the airspace. It was entirely uncontested, and with the power of Air Supremacy one had the ability to do whatever the hell they wanted with the opposing forces.
As Erwin Rommel was famously quoted saying "Anyone who has to fight, even with the most modern weapons, against an enemy in complete and total command of the air, fights like a savage against modern European troops, under the same handicaps and with the same chances of success."
The infamous Desert Fox had to learn this the hard way as despite the overall superiority of German Afrika Korps against the Anglo-American offensive in the theater of conflict, he was ultimately trounced by American Air Supremacy in the region in every major battle that ultimately decided the victor.
And it was a lesson the Bulgarian Army was currently also learning in the exact same manner. Without sufficient anti-air weapons, or fighter aircraft of their own, the German Fighters, Bombers, and Close Air Support could rain hell upon the Royal Bulgarian Army with impunity.
Each strategic strike allowed for the demolition of a valuable ground asset. Such as artillery, a machine gun nest, or even logistic stockpiles. The defense of Sofia came to a complete and utter ruinous end long before Bruno even stepped foot in the city.
The war between Bulgaria and the Allies had been sparked by disputed claims over Thrace, and also by sheer accident. Even so, blood had been shed that should not have been so, and such a debt required an equally greater amount of the sanguine substance to be spilled in appeasement.
The losses Bulgaria suffered within the first 72 hours of conflict were severe enough to break the enemy’s will to fight, but not significant enough to cause long-term harm to Bulgaria as a nation, or hatred from its people.