Bassenge was Chief of Staff of Luftflotte 2 as it was part of the Blitzkrieg into the Netherlands, Belgium, and France in 1940. He became Chief of Staff of Luftflotte 5 in Norway while it flew into the northern British isles in the Battle of Britain. After being part of a Luftwaffe mission to Romania, he took part in the North African Campaign in 1941 – 1943.