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Our operations in Normandy are tremendously hampered, and in some places even rendered impossible, by the following factors:
(a) The immensely powerful, at times overwhelming, superiority of the enemy air force. As I and officers of my staff have repeatedly experienced (and as field commanders, including Obergruppenfuehrer Sepp Dietrich, have reported) the enemy has total command of the air over the battle area up to a point some 60 miles behind the front. During the day, practically our entire traffic - on roads, tracks and in open country - is pinned down by powerful fighter-bomber and bomber formations,with the result that the movement of our troops on the battlefield is almost completely paralysed, while the enemy can manoeuvre freely. Every traffic defile in the rear areas is under continual attack and it is very difficult to get essential supplies of ammunition and petrol up to the troops.
Even the movement of minor formations on the battlefield - artillery going into position, tanks forming up, etc. - is instantly attacked from the air with devastating effect. During the day, fighting troops and headquarters alike are forced to seek cover in wooded and close country in order to escape the continual pounding from the air. On the 9th June, the situation in the battle area behind the SS Corps, was that large numbers of enemy fighter-bomber squadrons circled the battlefield continuously, while powerful bomber formations dropped a very heavy weight of bombs on troops, villages, bridges and crossroads ... Neither our anti-aircraft nor the Luftwaffe seems capable of imposing any check on the paralysing and destructive effect of the enemy air force ... The troops - Army and Waffen SS - are putting up as good a defence as they can with the means available to them, but ammunition is short and can only be replaced under the most difficult conditions.
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