Manfred Von Richthofen: A National Hero

On May 2, 1892 Manfred von Richthofen was born. This was the man who would become the Red Baron. He became an important part of Germany’s war effort and a national hero. He was an integral part of Germany’s success in the air, and an inspiration to many. During World War 1, the concept of fighting while in the air, in airplanes, had just been introduced. As the war went on, people looked for heroes. Manfred von Richthofen became one of those heroes. As he became a better and better ace, he became more celebrated by the people and a bigger source of inspiration and morale to the German forces. To Germany; the Red Baron was a symbol of national pride and hope. He was a symbol of hope because every day he went out and fought Allied pilots, and every day he triumphed, which gave German’s forces and the German people hope that eventually they would triumph over the Allied forces also. He was a symbol of national pride because he embodied the traits of the German people and the German war effort. To Germany, the Red Baron was also a hero. They admired him because of how good of a pilot and an ace he was and also because of his dedication to the war, and his talent.
The Central Powers greatly respected the Red Baron and viewed him as a valuable asset to Germany and as a representation of Germany’s power. The Allied Powers also respected the Red Baron, even burying him with full honors when he died. While the Allied Powers respected the Red Baron, they also feared him. Pilots from the Allied forces knew that to fight him was almost certain death, and thus tried to avoid directly confronting him. Even though the Red Baron was a great ace and very well respected, if he had lived he would not have changed the outcome of the war.
The Allies would have still won. The Allies would have still won the war even if the Red Baron lived because the war was won on the ground, in the trenches, and on battlefields, not in the sky. While battles in the sky were still important they did not directly impact much of the war. If the Red Baron had lived it is likely that he would have gained more aces, but that it wouldn’t have mattered. The Allies would still have better ground forces, and one person can’t win a war. Even if the Red Baron had kept Germany the superior power in the sky, it wouldn’t have made a difference. The Allies would still be the superior force on the ground, and would defeat Germany
there. The Central Powers began to crumble at the Second Battle of Marne. They were outnumbered and were giving up. The Allies had just gotten 140,000 U.S. troops who were not war weary and were ready to fight. The Central Powers stood no chance. Even the Red Baron could not have made a difference. Airplanes cannot win a war on the ground. No matter who is flying for you, airplanes fight in the sky, not on the ground. While the Germans/Central Powers were fighting on the ground, losing the battle and slowly falling apart, the Red Baron would have been in the sky, doing nothing. This is why the Red Baron being alive would not have changed the outcome of the war. It was a war not meant to be determined in the sky, but on the ground. In conclusion, the Red Baron was a great ace, a well-respected man, and meant many things to the different powers in World War 1. To the Central Powers he was a hero and very important to them in the war. To the Allied Powers he was a threat, who was also to be respected. He was a giant part of the war, but if he had lived he would not have changed the outcome. He helped shape history and is still remembered today.