Politics and Innovation in the Development of Radar Technology in Germany and Great Britain up to 1945

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Klausing

doi:10.5771/9783495990490

Summary

The book compares the development of radar in Britain and Germany before and during the Second World War. It demonstrates how innovation systems, leadership structures, and organisations influenced technological progress, particularly in Britain. Based on extensive archival research, it reassesses groundbreaking technological developments as well as strategic and operational measures such as signals intelligence, jamming, and operational research. The comparison of innovation processes and obstacles in the context of political decision-making plays a central role. Strategic foresight, combined with close cooperation among political, military, industrial, and scientific actors, proved crucial to the outcome of the war. This book offers a fresh perspective on wartime innovation.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2026
Copyright Year: 2026
ISBN-Print: 978-3-495-99048-3
ISBN-Online: 978-3-495-99049-0
Publisher: Karl Alber, Baden-Baden
Language: English
Pages: 706
Product Type: Monograph

1. Foreword No access
2. Acknowledgements No access
3. Technology and Responsibility No access
4. Table of Contents No access
1 Introduction No access Pages 17 - 24
1. 2.1 Treaty of Versailles No access
2. 2.2 The Rise of the National Socialists in Germany No access
3. 2.3 German Foreign Policy up to the Outbreak of World War II No access
4. 2.4 Hitler's Diplomatic Strategy Towards Great Britain No access
5. 1. 1. 2.5.1.1 Vierjahresplan No access
    2. 2.5.1.2 War Economy No access
  2. 1. 2.5.2.1 Air Force No access
    2. 2.5.2.2 Navy No access
    3. 2.5.2.3 Industry No access
6. 1. 2.6.1 Challenges of the Appeasement Policy No access
  2. 2.6.2 World Disarmament Conference No access
  3. 2.6.3 MacDonald Plan No access
  4. 2.6.4 Simon Plan No access
  5. 2.6.5 Further Developments Towards the Münchener Abkommen No access
  6. 2.6.6 Münchener Abkommen No access
  7. 2.6.7 Reflections on the Appeasement Policy No access
1. 3.1 Race Against Time No access
2. 3.2 Milestones No access
3. 3.3 Turnaround No access
4. 3.4 Debates and Uncertainties No access
1. 4.1 Radar Principle No access
2. 4.2 Types of Radar No access
3. 4.3 Resolution No access
1. 5.1 Early Phase of Radar Development No access
2. 5.2 The Telemobiloskop No access
3. 5.3 Transitional Period No access
4. 5.4 Expansion Phase No access
1. 1. 6.1.1 Early Developments and Key Challenges No access
  2. 6.1.2 The Turning Point 1942/43 No access
2. 1. 6.2.1 Early Developments and Key Challenges No access
  2. 6.2.2 Breakthrough No access
  3. 6.2.3 From Defence to Offence No access
3. 6.3 Timeline No access
4. 6.4 Research in Other Countries No access
1. 1. 1. 7.1.1.1 First Steps No access
    2. 7.1.1.2 Early Experiments Towards Operational Radar No access
    3. 7.1.1.3 LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin Reconnaissance Flight No access
    4. 7.1.1.4 The Rapid Growth of GEMA No access
  2. 1. 7.1.2.1 First Steps No access
    2. 7.1.2.2 Important Defence Committees No access
    3. 7.1.2.3 Watson Watt Memorandum and the Daventry Experiment No access
    4. 1. 7.1.2.4.1 Chain Home No access
      2. 7.1.2.4.2 Operational Defence No access
      3. 7.1.2.4.3 Airborne Radar No access
      4. 7.1.2.4.4 Army and Royal Navy No access
    5. 1. 7.1.2.5.1 Perspectives on the Dispute No access
      2. Summary: No access
2. 1. 1. 7.2.1.1 Technical Progress and Misjudgements No access
    2. 7.2.1.2 Overview of German Radar Developments No access
  2. 1. 7.2.2.1 From Bawdsey to Malvern No access
    2. 1. 7.2.2.2.1 Air to Surface Vessel (ASV) Radar No access
      2. 7.2.2.2.2 Airborne Interception (AI) Radar No access
1. 8.1 Germany No access
2. 8.2 Great Britain No access
1. 1. 1. 9.1.1.1 ULTRA No access
  2. 1. 9.1.2.1 ENIGMA No access
    2. 9.1.2.2 Siemens-Geheimschreiber T52 No access
    3. 9.1.2.3 Schlüsselzusatz (G-Zusatz) SZ42 No access
  3. 1. 9.1.3.1 ENIGMA No access
    2. 9.1.3.2 Siemens-Geheimschreiber T52 No access
    3. 9.1.3.3 Schlüsselzusatz (G-Zusatz) SZ42 No access
2. 9.2 Radio Direction Finding No access
3. 9.3 Jamming No access
4. 9.4 Operational Research No access
5. 9.5 Interaction No access
6. 1. 9.6.1 Scientific Intelligence No access
  2. 1. 9.6.2.1 Oslo Report No access
1. 10.1 Framework No access
2. 10.2 Procedure No access
3. 1. 10.3.1 Innovation Process No access
  2. 10.3.2 Innovation Culture and Strategy No access
  3. 10.3.3 Organisation and Command No access
  4. 1. 10.3.4.1 Approach No access
    2. 1. 10.3.4.2.1 Expert Promoter No access
      2. 10.3.4.2.2 Power Promoter No access
      3. 10.3.4.2.3 Process Promoter No access
      4. 10.3.4.2.4 Relationship Promoter No access
    3. 10.3.4.3 Role Perception and Interaction of Promoters No access
    4. 10.3.4.4 Barriers in the Innovation Process No access
    5. 10.3.4.5 Limitations of the Promoter Model No access
4. 1. 1. 1. 10.4.1.1.1 Interest Groups No access
    2. 1. 10.4.1.2.1 Historical Context No access
      2. 10.4.1.2.2 Key Actors and Their Roles No access
      3. 10.4.1.2.3 Innovation Steps and Barriers No access
  2. 1. 1. 10.4.2.1.1 Interest Groups No access
    2. 1. 10.4.2.2.1 Historical Context No access
      2. 10.4.2.2.2 Key Actors and Their Roles No access
      3. 10.4.2.2.3 Innovation Steps and Barriers No access
5. 1. 1. 1. 10.5.1.1.1 Summary No access
  2. 1. 1. 10.5.2.1.1 Summary No access
      2. 10.5.2.1.2 Remark No access
    2. 10.5.2.2 Sunday Soviets No access
1. 1. 1. 11.1.1.1 Politics and Military No access
    2. 11.1.1.2 Science and Industry No access
    3. 11.1.1.3 Actors and Perspetives No access
  2. 1. 11.1.2.1 Politics, Military, Science, and Industry No access
    2. 11.1.2.2 Actors and Perspectives No access
2. 11.2 Pioneers of Radio Technology No access
3. 11.3 Microwave Generation Into A Key Military Technology in World War 2: A Comparative Study No access
12 Abbreviations No access Pages 607 - 610
13 List of Illustrations No access Pages 611 - 612
14 List of Tables No access Pages 613 - 614
15 Sources No access Pages 615 - 618
16 References No access Pages 619 - 664
17 Glossary of English Terms No access Pages 665 - 678
18 Glossary of German Terms No access Pages 679 - 702
19 Index of Persons No access Pages 703 - 705