Zeppelins - Majestic and Deadly Airships of WW1 I THE GREAT WAR Special

Summary

In this Great War Special episode, Indy Neidell explores the German zeppelins' pivotal role in World War One. Initially designed for civilian transport, these airships were repurposed for military use, conducting reconnaissance, bombing raids, and supporting naval operations. Despite their initial success, the development of incendiary bullets and the bravery of British pilots like Lieutenant William Robinson marked a turning point, leading to the first zeppelin shoot-down. The episode also touches on a daring supply mission to German East Africa, highlighting the zeppelins' versatility and the courage of their crews.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The zeppelin, a German invention, revolutionized aerial transportation and warfare during World War One.
• 🎈 Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin was inspired by hydrogen-filled observation balloons used in the American Civil War and developed the steerable 'dirigible' balloon.
• 🛫 In 1910, DELAG, the world's first airline, began regular passenger flights with zeppelins, showcasing their potential for civilian use.
• ⚔️ At the outbreak of WWI, Germany had 11 large airships which were repurposed for military use by both the Army and the Navy.
• 🔭 Zeppelins were used for reconnaissance, bombing raids, and as scouts for naval operations, including the Battle of Jutland.
• 💣 The first Zeppelin bomb attack on Britain occurred in 1915, marking a new era of aerial warfare and psychological impact on civilians.
• 🏰 Initially, Kaiser Wilhelm II forbade attacks on London to protect historical sites and the royal family.
• 🔥 The introduction of incendiary bullets, like the 'Buckingham' bullet, turned the tide against zeppelins, making them more vulnerable to being shot down.
• 🌍 A remarkable zeppelin mission was planned to deliver supplies to German East Africa, illustrating the long-range capabilities of these airships.
• 👨‍✈‍ The bravery of the zeppelin crews is highlighted, despite the harsh conditions and risks they faced, including freezing temperatures and altitude sickness.

Q & A

Who was the inventor of the zeppelin and what was his inspiration?

Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin was the inventor of the zeppelin. He was inspired by the usefulness of hydrogen-filled observation balloons he observed during the American Civil War while serving as an observer with the Union Army.

What was the purpose of the first steerable balloon developed by Graf Zeppelin?

Graf Zeppelin developed the first steerable or 'dirigible' balloon with the aim of unlocking its potential as a mode of transportation, as he reasoned that if balloons could be steered and made to move under their own power, their utility would greatly increase.

When was the world's first airline, DELAG, established and what was its purpose?

The German Airship Transportation Company or DELAG was established in 1910. It operated regularly scheduled passenger flights between major German cities with plans to expand operations to all major cities in Europe and beyond.

How were zeppelins utilized by the German Army and Navy at the outbreak of World War One?

At the start of World War One, the German Army used zeppelins for reconnaissance to determine the number and disposition of opposing ground forces and as tactical bombers. The Navy used them to patrol the North Sea area, acting as the far-ranging eyes of the fleet.

What was the significance of the zeppelin attack on Liege in August 1914?

The attack on Liege in August 1914 was significant as it marked the first instance of the use of zeppelins in warfare, demonstrating their potential as a new weapon in military strategy.

What was the role of zeppelins in the naval battle of Jutland?

Zeppelins played a crucial role in the naval battle of Jutland by acting as advance scouts for the German fleet, providing valuable reconnaissance information that contributed to the fleet's operations.

Why were zeppelin raids on Britain initially limited, and what changed this?

Initially, Kaiser Wilhelm did not approve operations that might damage historical architecture or target the royals. However, by March 1915, he relented and allowed London to be bombed, albeit with limited targets.

What were the objectives of the zeppelin raids on Britain?

The objectives of the zeppelin raids on Britain were to interfere with supply and distribution, destroy military facilities, particularly the Bank of England, force the British to defend at home, thereby keeping troops from the front lines, and to demoralize and terrorize the civilian population.

How did the development of incendiary bullets change the effectiveness of attacking zeppelins?

The development of incendiary bullets, such as the 'Buckingham' bullet filled with phosphorus, allowed for the ignition of the hydrogen gas within zeppelins, making them much easier to shoot down and significantly increasing the risk for the German aircrews.

What was the remarkable feat achieved by the L-59 zeppelin during its mission to German East Africa?

The L-59 zeppelin accomplished a remarkable feat by being in flight for 95 hours, covering 4,200 miles in harsh environmental conditions, and still having fuel for another 64 hours in the air when it returned to base after being recalled.

How many zeppelins were built and deployed during the war, and what was the general perception of their effectiveness as a weapon?

A total of 88 zeppelins were built and deployed during the war. While their effectiveness as a weapon of war is debatable, the bravery of the men who operated them is not, as they faced numerous challenges and dangers.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 German Zeppelins in World War One

The paragraph introduces the German invention of zeppelins, which were steerable airships developed by Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin, inspired by his observations during the American Civil War. The zeppelins were initially used for civilian purposes, with the establishment of the world's first airline, DELAG, offering regular passenger flights. However, the outbreak of World War One led to the military's requisition of these airships for reconnaissance and bombing missions. The German Army and Navy utilized zeppelins for various operations, including attacks on cities and support in naval battles. Despite their initial success, zeppelins faced challenges from technological advancements in aircraft and the eventual development of incendiary bullets, which posed a significant threat to their operations.

05:04

🎯 The Evolution and Impact of Zeppelins

This paragraph discusses the evolution of zeppelins as military weapons, highlighting their initial immunity to attacks due to their altitude and endurance capabilities. It details the development of the Buckingham incendiary bullet, which marked a turning point in combating zeppelins by igniting their hydrogen gas. The narrative also includes a unique story of a zeppelin's long-distance flight to supply General von Lettow-Vorbeck in German East Africa, showcasing the airships' capabilities and the bravery of their crews. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging the broader use of zeppelins by other nations during the war and invites viewers to explore further information on related topics.

Keywords

💡Zeppelin

A zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after its inventor, Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin. In the context of the video, zeppelins were used by Germany during World War One for various military purposes, including reconnaissance, bombing, and naval support. The script mentions that zeppelins were initially used for civilian transportation before the war, with the German Airship Transportation Company (DELAG) operating passenger flights, but their use shifted to military during the conflict.

💡Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin

Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin was a German general and the inventor of the steerable airship, the zeppelin. The video script recounts his inspiration from observing hydrogen-filled observation balloons during the American Civil War and his subsequent development of the dirigible balloon. His invention became a significant military asset for Germany during World War One, as detailed in the script.

💡Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance refers to the act of gathering information about an enemy's forces and activities. In the video, German zeppelins were used for reconnaissance to determine the number and disposition of opposing ground forces. This was crucial for military strategy and planning, as it allowed for more informed decisions on troop movements and engagements.

💡Bombardment

Bombardment is the act of attacking a location with heavy artillery or bombs. The script describes how zeppelins were used for bombardment during the war, including attacks on cities like Liege and Antwerp. These attacks were part of military strategy to weaken enemy defenses and disrupt supply lines.

💡North Sea

The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. In the video, it is mentioned that German Naval Zeppelins patrolled the North Sea, acting as the eyes of the fleet and participating in naval battles such as the Battle of Jutland. This highlights the strategic importance of the North Sea during World War One.

💡Incendiary bullet

An incendiary bullet is a type of ammunition designed to start fires upon impact. The script discusses the development of the 'Buckingham' bullet, which was filled with phosphorus and could ignite hydrogen gas in zeppelins, causing them to burn. This was a game-changer in aerial combat, as it allowed fighter planes to effectively shoot down zeppelins, which were previously difficult to destroy.

💡Propaganda

Propaganda is information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or point of view. The video mentions that zeppelin raids on Britain were intended to demoralize the civilian population, but they were instead used as propaganda to increase recruitment and strengthen British resolve. This shows the unintended consequences of such tactics during wartime.

💡Altitude sickness

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness, is a condition that can affect individuals who ascend to high altitudes rapidly. The script notes that zeppelin crews experienced altitude sickness when they flew at high altitudes, which was a significant challenge given the lack of technology for managing such conditions at the time.

💡German East Africa

German East Africa refers to the region in East Africa that was a German colony before World War One. The video script includes a story about an attempt to supply General von Lettow-Vorbeck in German East Africa with medical supplies and ammunition via zeppelin. This illustrates the far-reaching efforts and the strategic use of zeppelins during the war.

💡Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valor in the face of the enemy to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries. The script mentions British Lieutenant William Robinson being awarded the Victoria Cross for being the first to shoot down a zeppelin using incendiary bullets, highlighting the recognition of his bravery and the significance of the act.

💡Weather reporting and radar

Weather reporting and radar are technologies used to monitor and predict atmospheric conditions. The video script points out that these technologies did not exist during World War One, making it challenging for zeppelin crews to navigate and operate safely. The lack of these tools would have significantly increased the risks and difficulties faced by the crews.

Highlights

German zeppelins were innovative airships that played a significant role in World War One.

Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin's experience with observation balloons during the American Civil War inspired the development of steerable airships.

The first 'dirigible' balloon was launched by Graf Zeppelin in 1900, paving the way for passenger airships.

DELAG, the world's first airline, was established in 1910, operating regular passenger flights with zeppelins.

At the outbreak of WWI, Germany had 11 large airships, which were repurposed for military use.

Zeppelins were used for reconnaissance and as tactical bombers on both the Western and Eastern fronts.

Naval Zeppelins patrolled the North Sea, acting as the eyes of the fleet and participating in the Battle of Jutland.

Zeppelins were instrumental in detecting and mapping minefields during the war.

The first Zeppelin bomb attack on Britain occurred in January 1915, marking a new era in warfare.

Zeppelin raids on Britain aimed to disrupt supply lines, destroy military facilities, and demoralize the population.

The introduction of incendiary bullets, such as the 'Buckingham' bullet, turned the tide against Zeppelins by igniting their hydrogen gas.

A remarkable Zeppelin mission was planned to deliver supplies to General von Lettow-Vorbeck in German East Africa, covering an extraordinary distance.

A total of 88 Zeppelins were built and deployed during the war, despite the lack of modern aviation technology.

The bravery of the zeppelin crews was evident, despite the harsh conditions and risks they faced.

Other nations also used zeppelins in WWI, though this is not covered in detail in the transcript.

For more information on von Lettow-Vorbeck and German East Africa, additional resources are suggested.

Transcripts

Imagine seeing them crossing the skies, majestic floating whales. Then imagine those whales

dropping bombs on you before floating serenely away. They’re not whales, of course, what

I’m talking about is a great German invention that pioneered the skyways, the zeppelin.

I’m Indy Neidell; welcome to a Great War Special episode about German zeppelins in

World War One.

Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin had been an observer with the Union Army during the American civil

war and had seen first hand the usefulness of the hydrogen filled observation balloons.

While these balloons were attached to a spot on the ground by cables, Graf Zeppelin reasoned

that if they could be steered and made to move under their own power their potential

as a mode of transportation could be unlocked.

Graf Zeppelin developed and launched his design for a steerable or “dirigible” balloon

in 1900. His efforts finally led to a viable passenger airship design and in 1910 the world’s

first airline, the German Airship Transportation Company or DELAG, which operated regularly

scheduled passenger flights between major German cities and there were plans for expanding

operations to all the major cities in Europe and beyond. War changed all that.

When war broke out in July 1914 there were 11 large airships in operation in Germany

and more being built at the Zeppelin manufacturing facilities in Friedrichshafen and Potsdam.

The entire fleet was immediately pressed into service by the German Army and Naval high commands.

The Army used the Zeppelins for reconnaissance to determine the number and disposition of

opposing ground forces and as tactical bombers. On the western front, Zeppelins participated

in the attack on Liege in August 1914 and bombarded the city of Antwerp during its siege

in September.

On the eastern front, from August to October 1914, Army Zeppelins were sent on bombing

raids against the Warsaw forts and key transportation areas around the city. Zeppelins also saw

action during the protracted battles around Przemysl, raids were conducted against the

fortresses of Grodno and Kovno, and plans were even laid for long range bombing raids

against St Petersburg, but while several attempts were made, the distance between the airship

base and their target was too great.

The Naval Zeppelins were used to patrol the North Sea area acting as the far ranging eyes

of the fleet. German airships would directly participate as advance scouts in the naval

battle of Jutland. A report published by the British on September 20th, 1917 said:

“…It is no small achievement for their Zeppelins to have saved the high seas fleet

at Jutland; to have saved their cruiser squadron on the Yarmouth raid, and to have been instrumental

in sinking the Nottingham and Falmouth.”

The Zeppelins in naval service were also highly successful in detecting and mapping minefields

and assisting minesweepers in clearing mines. During the war years the German Naval Airship

service flew a total of 971 flights on scouting and reconnaissance missions over the North

Sea in support of the surface Navy. Additionally, between the Army and Naval airships, a total

of 220 scouting flights were conducted in support of the Baltic operations. In total

on all fronts some 1,191 scouting and reconnaissance flights were made during the war.

During that same period, 46 bombing raids were conducted in the Baltic area of operations

and another 306 in the North Sea and British Isles area. Despite the fact that the raids

on England were barely a quarter of the total number of operations, that’s what we often

remember about German zeppelins from the Great War.

At 9:20 pm on January 19th, 1915 the first Zeppelin bombs fell on Britain. This was the

first instance of aerial attack on what had otherwise been a nation protected by the sea

and its fleet, and to say it came as a shock would be an understatement, both for the British

and the rest of the world. Nothing like this had ever been seen before, though it would

become commonplace in wars thereafter.

At first London was off limits. Kaiser Wilhelm would not approve operations that may damage

historical architecture and would not allow the King and the royals be targeted. By March

1915, the Kaiser had relented and London would be bombed, though initially with only limited targets.

The concrete objectives of the raids were to interfere with supply and distribution

and prevent equipment from reaching the front, to destroy military facilities, to destroy

the Bank of England, to force the British to defend at home and keep troops from the

front lines, and of course, to demoralize and terrorize the civilian population. The

last one totally backfired though; the raids were used as propaganda to increase recruitment

and actually stiffened British resolve.

The Bank of London was never hit and the raids continued until the end of the war, with the

final raid occurring on August 5th, 1918.

At first the Zeppelins operated with relative impunity. As a flying machine, they were years

ahead of airplanes. None of the British fighter-interceptor aircraft at the time could fly as high or

stay aloft as long as a Zeppelin and each technological advance in airplanes was countered

by a Zeppelin advance. Higher and higher the zeppelins could climb, ultimately reaching

ceilings of over 27,000 feet by the war’s end. When a Zeppelin did find itself attacked

by an airplane, the attacking pilots found that the Zeppelins were surprisingly hard

to shoot down.

Hydrogen IS highly flammable and burns readily, but only when mixed with oxygen. Putting several

rounds of machine gun ammunition through a zeppelin simply punched holes in one of the

many independent gas cells and allowed the lifting gas to leak out. Rarely was a zeppelin

disabled to the point of being shot down by this and could usually leave the combat area

and return to base. That was, of course, until the development of the incendiary bullet.

The “Buckingham” bullet was hollowed out and filled with phosphorus. When fired, the

friction of the bullet moving down the gun barrel would ignite the bullet and cause it

to burn. On September 2nd 1916, British Lieutenant William Robinson, using the Buckingham incendiary

bullets mixed with explosive bullets, ignited the hydrogen gas in a Zeppelin over the north

end of London, becoming the first to shoot one down. Londoners went wild and Robinson

was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions.

For the German aircrews this new form of destruction was terrifying. In many cases now their first

indication of being attacked was the large red glow emanating from above their heads.

Here’s a little zeppelin story from the war, from Africa, actually.

In German East Africa, General von Lettow-Vorbeck was waging a guerilla war against the British

with meager resources, both in men and material. His former chief medical officer suggested

to the high command the possibility of sending medical supplies through by airship. The High

Command modified one to make the perilous voyage. The air mile distance between Germany's

southernmost Zeppelin base, Jamboli in Bulgaria, and the area where it was thought Lettow-Vorbeck

was operating was 3,600 miles- 5,760 kilometers, and the plan was to fly 11 tons of ammunition

and three tons of medical supplies to support the general’s operations.

However, the German command soon decided von Lettow-Vorbeck’s situation was too precarious

and recalled the zeppelin mid-flight. By the time it received the recall order and headed

back to Bulgaria, though, it had reached the Sudan. That zeppelin, an L-59, had accomplished

something pretty remarkable. It had been in flight for 95 hours and had covered 4,200

miles in some of the worst environmental conditions. When they reached Jamboli, they still had

fuel for another 64 hours in the air.

During the war 88 Zeppelins were built and deployed. Technology that allows safe air

travel today such as accurate weather reporting, weather radar, long range communication systems,

things that we take for granted now had not yet been invented. When it was cold, the crews

froze. When they flew high, they got altitude sickness. And when they were shot down it

was usually in a raging inferno where they had to decide between burning to death or

jumping to their death. They saw action as the eyes of the fleet, as bombers, and as

reconnaissance aircraft against, and while their success as a weapon of war is debatable;

the bravery of the men who operated them is not.

Now, it wasn’t only Germany that used zeppelins in the war, several other nations did and

you can look that up. Time constraints prevent me from covering that here. To learn more

about von Lewttow-Vorbeck and German East Africa, click here for our bio about him.

Don’t forget to subscribe and see you Thursdays.