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Home , Battle of Berlin, Black Monday, Bomber Command, Carpet bombing, Coventry Blitz, Firebombing

Revenge of the Allies

A look at the Allied “Revenge Bombings” in , , , , and During WWII

By Clint Tryon and Edward Stevens Part 1:

As the Axis forces swept across the world by land, air, and sea, they left an unprecedented trail of death and destruction in their wake. /, 1940-1941:

● June 17th, 1940-France signed Armistice, Nazis control all of W. (2). ● Conquest crippled Nazi Navy, amphibious assault on Britain impossible(2). ● Britain was bombed repeatedly from mid 1940 to early 1941(2). ● Accounts describing the “Battle of Britain” refer to these bombings but disagree on beginning/end dates. ● “The Blitz” refers to bombings in that lasted through 1941(1). ● -(1, 2). ○ The Battle begins in June with small daytime and nighttime raids on ports and towns with aircraft factories(1). ○ Attacks amped up in July, south and east coasts attacked. RAF HQs, Airfields, and Aircraft industry targeted(1). ○ In mid august, large-scale daytime attacks launched on southeast (1). ○ From Sep. 7th onward until May 1941, the launches large-scale attacks on London. This marks the beginning of “The Blitz”(1, 2, 4). ○ 448 civilians killed on the first day of The Blitz(4). ● resulted in over 40,000 civilian deaths, as well as the deaths of 1,544 RAF servicemen and women(3). Battle of Britain/The Blitz Sources

1. RAF Museum Staff. "Introduction to the Phases of the Battle of Britain." RAF Museum. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/history-of-the-battle-of-britain/introduction-to-the-phases-of-the- battle-of-britain.aspx. 2. History.com Staff. "Battle of Britain." History.com. 2009. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.history.com/topics/world- war-ii/battle-of-britain. 3. Boren, Zachary Davies. "Battle of Britain 75th anniversary: The staggering numbers behind the four-month war over UK's skies." The Independent. July 10, 2015. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/battle- of-britain-75th-anniversary-the-staggering-numbers-behind-the-four-month-war-over-uks-skies-10380910.html. 4. "The Blitz begins." History.com. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-blitz-begins. 5. damage in the centre of , England, two days after the German Luftwaffe air raid on the night of 14 . Digital image. RAFMuseum.co.uk. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/images/online_exhibitions/H5600LG.jpg. The Bombings at Coventry, 1940

● Coventry is a large city situated in the south of England. ● In 1940, Coventry city officials reported that the city had anywhere between 190,000 and 250,000 residents(5). ● Coventry was a large industrial city important to the British war effort(3) ○ During WWI, armament factories were constructed around the city. Many were re-used during WWII. ○ Several other coventry manufacturing plants were converted into armament factories. ○ These factories produced Ammunition, vehicle parts, and radio equipment crucial to the British war machine. ● At around 7:10 pm on the 14th of November, 1940, the first of the coventry raid fell after little warning or attempt at interception from the RAF(5). ● The raid continued until 6 am on the 15th of November(5). ● 449 flew over Coventry that night, dropping over 31,000 bombs on the city(5). ● Of those bombs, approximately 30,000 were incendiary bombs meant to inflict more severe damage(2, 5). ● Another 1,200 to 1,600 High Explosive bombs were dropped on the city that night(5). ● During the bombings, 568 people were killed, with 863 seriously injured and another 393 less seriously so(5). ● 111 of Coventry’s 180 factories were damaged, with 75 being put out of commission permanently(5). ● Coventry also lost thousands of homes, businesses, and irreplaceable historic buildings(1, 4, 5). ● The attack was one of the most devastating in at the time(1). The Bombings at Coventry Sources:

1. "BBC ON THIS DAY | 15 | 1940: Germans bomb Coventry to destruction." BBC News. , 1940. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/15/newsid_3522000/3522785.stm. 2. "The raid begins." Coventry's Blitz: The raid begins. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=the-raid. 3. "Why Coventry?" Coventry's Blitz: Why Coventry? Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=why-cov. 4. "What did Coventry lose?" Coventry's Blitz: What did Coventry lose? Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=damage. 5. "Some blitz statistics." Coventry's Blitz: Some blitz statistics. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.historiccoventry.co.uk/blitz/blitz.php?pg=stats. 6. Three British women walk among the rubble left after a Luftwaffe attack on Britain in 1940. Digital image. BBC.co.uk. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/B18F/production/_86655454_gettyimages- 3356152.jpg. Pearl Harbor, 1941

● Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii, was the United States’ main base of operations in the pacific in 1941. ○ The entire US Pacific Fleet of 9 battleships, 3 aircraft carriers, 2 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers, and 30 destroyers.(1) ○ In addition, nearly 100 smaller ships were stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941.(1) ○ The Pearl Harbor Navy complex also housed hundreds of airplanes at the time.(3, 4) ● American strategists expected the Japanese to attack Manila, the Dutch East Indies, Singapore, or Indochina (all European or American colonies), rather than attack Pearl Harbor.(3) ● The attack came on the morning of Sunday, December 7th, at 7:55 am Hawaii time. (3, 4) ● 360 Japanese Warplanes, launched from japanese aircraft carriers, attacked the island with machine guns and bombs.(3, 4) ● Several midget submarines were also dispatched towards Pearl Harbor, although the damage they caused was negligible.(3, 4) ● In the course of the attacks, 2,403 Americans (civilians among them) were killed and roughly 1,200 more were wounded.(3, 4) ● All 9 American battleships were damaged, with only two being deemed salvageable. Another 11 American ships were severely damaged. The 3 aircraft carriers were out of the port at the time, and escaped the attacks unscathed. (3, 4) ● Over 300 American planes were destroyed as well. (3) ● By contrast, the Japanese lost only 30 planes, 5 Midget Submarines, and fewer than 100 men. (3, 4) Pearl Harbor Sources

1. "Ships Present at Pearl Harbor." Naval History and Heritage Command. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/s/ships-present-at-pearl- harbor.html. 2. "Pearl Harbor Attack: CinCPac Damage Report." Pearl Harbor Attack: CinCPac Damage Report. Accessed March 06, 2018. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/rep/Pearl/CinCPac-Damage.html. 3. History.com Staff. "Pearl Harbor." History.com. 2009. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.history.com/topics/world-war- ii/pearl-harbor. 4. "Pearl Harbor bombed." History.com. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-harbor- bombed. 5. An American warship sinks in Pearl Harbor following the devastating Japanese surprise attack in 1941. Digital image. Www.Britannica.com. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://amedia.britannica.com/700x450/19/192919-049-61E0CA86.jpg. Part 2: Revenge

After the Battle of Britain and the Japanese , Allied forces retaliated with damaging air assaults on crucial targets in Axis territory. Berlin, 1940-1945 “...the British conducted the indiscriminate bombing of cities and the US sought to destroy and industrial targets.” -- Mark Selden, Research Associate at the East Asia Program at Cornell University(10)

● Berlin, the Capital of Nazi , was bombed sporadically throughout the course of WWII. ● The first such bombing was on August 25th, 1940(1) ○ Luftwaffe bombers dropped several bombs on London on August 24th, 1940(1) ○ Though this was likely by mistake (it was in violation of Hitler’s orders), churchill ordered a retaliatory strike on Berlin(1, 2) ○ On the night of August 25th, over 70 RAF bombers (Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys, Handley Page Hampdens, and Vickers Wellingtons) flew over Berlin and unleashed a relatively small payload of bombs on the city(2) ○ Heavy AA prevented them from being accurate; the bombs caused negligible damage and no loss of life(2). ● Bombers used in the 1940 attack: ○ A. W. Whitley: ■ The RAF’s primary heavy through 1942. Considered ugly/clunky, but could carry 7,000 lbs of bombs and packed a quad 7.7mm gun in the rear and another single on the nose.(3) ■ RAF’s only capable of the range necessary for this mission.(3) Berlin, 1940-1945 (Cont.)

● Bombers used in the 1940 attack (Cont.): ○ H. P. Hampden and ■ Both twin-engine medium bombers, they could carry 4,000lbs and 2,000kg (roughly 4,400lbs), respectively(4, 5). The efficiency of Medium bombers helped slightly extend their range. ■ The Hampden had 1 fixed Vickers .303 on the nose and 1-2 on the rear, leaving it vulnerable to Luftwaffe fighters. The Vickers packed 2 7.7mm on the nose, 4 7.7mm on the tail, and 2 7.7mm on the waist(4, 5). ● The “Battle of Berlin” ○ Began , 1943, when Air Marshal A. T. Harris ordered an RAF bombing campaign on Berlin(6). ○ Wanted to scare/kill civilians, similar to Hitler’s aims after the 1940 bombing of Berlin(6). ○ This mission was unpopular with bomber crews (who would've been using Avro Lancasters), due to heavy german blocking the way(6). ○ On November 22nd-23rd, a second raid was launched on Berlin with 764 planes(7). ○ Night was cloudy, this prevented AA crews from shooting at planes. RAF marked targets with beforehand and used Pathfinders sky marking to conduct the raid anyway(7). ○ Much of center-west areas of city destroyed; in one case, an entire bunker collapsed, killing all 500 civilian inhabitants(7). Berlin, 1940-1945 (Cont.)

● The “Battle of Berlin” ○ Continuing into 1944, the battle of berlin saw the deployment of several new technologies(8). ○ Radar equipped night fighters patrolled the skies over London, slowing German attacks on Britain(8). ○ Ground Position Indicators, which were carried on planes and used to identify targets on the ground, were also deployed during the raids(6). ● The : ○ Iconic and reliable British heavy bomber, Mk I adopted for combat in October of 1941(9). ○ Several other models, such as the B. Mk I (the most common), PR. Mk I, B. Mk II, B. Mk III, Asr. Mk I, B. Mk IV, B. Mk V, etc. also saw combat use(9). ■ Most of these variants were identical save for a unique engine; though a few served distinct purposes such as reconnaissance or Air-Sea rescue(9). ○ 4 engines(9). ○ Crew of 7, maximum range of over 2,500 miles (4,000 Km)(9). ○ Could carry 4,000 to 22,000 lbs of bombs or equipment(9). ○ 2x7.7mm machine guns on front turret, 2x7.7mm machine guns on dorsal turret, 4x7.7mm machine guns on tail turret(9). Berlin Sources

1. "Berlin bombed for the first time." WWII Today RSS. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://ww2today.com/25th-august-1940-berlin-bombed-for-the-first- time. 2. "History - Britain bombs Berlin (pictures, video, facts & news)." BBC. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/events/britain_bombs_berlin. 3. "Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Twin-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft - ." Military Weapons. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=309. 4. "." Tangmere Musseum. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/aircraft-month/handley-page- hampden. 5. Chen, C. Peter. "Wellington ." WW2DB. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://ww2db.com/aircraft_spec.php?aircraft_model_id=138. 6. "RAF begins the Battle of Berlin." WWII Today RSS. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://ww2today.com/18th-november-1943-raf- bomber-command-begins-the-battle-of-berlin. 7. "Terror of devastating air raid on Berlin." WWII Today RSS. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://ww2today.com/23rd-november-1943-terror-of- devastating-air-raid-on-berlin. 8. " as the 8th goes to Berlin in strength." WWII Today RSS. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://ww2today.com/6-march-1944-black-monday- as-8th-air-force-goes-to-berlin-in-strength. 9. "Avro Lancaster Four-Engined Heavy Bomber / Reconnaissance Aircraft - United Kingdom." Military Weapons. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=234. 10. Selden, Mark. "A Forgotten Holocaust: US Bombing Strategy, the Destruction of Japanese Cities & the American Way of War from World War II to Iraq." The Asia-Pacific Journal: Focus. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://apjjf.org/-Mark-Selden/2414/article.html. 11. Aerial image of the destruction caused by Allied bombing in Berlin. Digital image. WW2Resource. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://ww2resource.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/c5284-fullsize.jpg. Dresden,

● Dresden is an historic cultural center in Germany with little industrial capability and no major military installments(2). ● Heavily bombed by the RAF and USAAF (United States Army ) on February 13th-14th, 1945(1, 2). ● Earliest example of USAAF using area bombing instead of (2). ● US Government claimed Dresden had strategic value as a transportation hub for Germany(2). ● Perfection of Radar threatened to make obsolete (precision bombing at night would be possible--planes could move undetected by cover of night with the precision of striking in broad daylight)(2). ● RAF Air Marshall A. T. Harris and Prime Minister continued to push for “Terror Bombing” of populated areas, intended to force Germany to surrender(2). ○ By some accounts, the British (Churchill and Harris in particular) saw the Dresden Bombings as payback for the devastating Coventry bombings of 1940(3). ○ Other accounts contend that Churchill pushed back against area bombing after the deadly raid on Dresden(3). ● Incendiary bombs managed to incinerate as many as 35,000 people in one night, according to some accounts(2). Dresden Sources

1. "War in the Air: Fall of : The Bombing of Dresden : Help from the West for : U.S. Fleet Bombing of Japan." Flight, February 22, 1945, 195-96. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1945/1945%20-%200371.html. 2. Selden, Mark. "A Forgotten Holocaust: US Bombing Strategy, the Destruction of Japanese Cities & the American Way of War from World War II to Iraq." The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://apjjf.org/-Mark- Selden/2414/article.html. 3. The International Churchill Society. "Churchill bombed Dresden as payback for Coventry." The International Churchill Society. August 29, 2008. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.winstonchurchill.org/resources/myths/churchill-bombed- dresden-as-payback-for-coventry/. Tokyo,

● Having taken Iwo Jima, Saipan, Tinian, and , the US was able to launch frequent aerial attacks on Tokyo(2). ● March 9th, 1945, the U.S. dropped 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs over the course of 48 hours(1, 2). ○ Aircraft flew too low for the Japanese AA guns to hit them(2). ○ Roughly 700,000 incendiary bombs were dropped during the campaign(2). ○ 16 square miles in and around the capitol incinerated(1). ○ Around 80,000-130,000 civilians killed(1). ● Planes were stripped of all guns except for tail turret(1). ○ Increased bomb carrying capacity 65%(1). ○ Each plane could now carry more than 7 tons of bombs(1). ● Tokyo suburb of Shitmachi main target(1). ○ “Paper city”, buildings made of flammable wooden frames(1). ○ Cramped living quarters led to more deaths(1). ○ Fire brigades poorly trained and equipped(1). Tokyo, March 1945

● New type of bomb used ○ M-69 Incendiary made up majority of bombs dropped on Tokyo during the Campaign(2). ○ Developed by American company, Esso(2). ○ Consisted of a finless metal tube filled with gasoline “jelly”(2). ○ Enhanced by a secret ingredient which Esso guarded closely(2). ○ Today, the substance within the M-69 is better known as (2). ○ Exploded on a 4-5 second timer after hitting the ground, flinging chunks of flaming oil within 100 yards(2). ○ Individual chunks of oil could be put out with relative ease, but hundreds of them ina small area quickly made the task impossible(2). ○ Dropped in clusters of 14-38 for a devastating area effect(2). Tokyo Sources

1. " of Tokyo." History.com. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/firebombing- of-tokyo. 2. "WWII Firebombing of Tokyo:." Time. Accessed March 06, 2018. http://time.com/3718981/tokyo-firebombing-1945/. 3. "Firebombing of Tokyo." Digital image. Wikipedia. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Firebombing_of_Tokyo.jpg/1200px- Firebombing_of_Tokyo.jpg. Hiroshima,

● United States became the first and only nation to use nuclear weaponry during wartime(1). ● Atomic bomb research started in 1940 after hearsay from Albert Einstein that had already been researching nuclear weaponry(1). ○ 1945 saw first successful test of atomic bomb in New Mexico(1) ● President Harry Truman wanted to bring the war to a speedy end, made the decision to use the atomic bomb, also considering Japanese atrocities at Pearl Harbor, Manila, and Nanking(1). ○ American bomber Enola Gay dropped the bomb over the city(1). ○ 80,000 immediately killed in the blast, tens of thousands more died weeks later from radiation poisoning(1). ● Arguably ignited the as the atomic bomb was a demonstration of power to the (1). Hiroshima Sources

1. "Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima." History.com. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.history.com/this-day-in- history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima. 2. "Hiroshima." Digital image. Time. Accessed March 4, 2018. https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/hiroshima.jpeg. Nagasaki, August 1945

● Hirohito and counselors refused to surrender after Hiroshima(1, 2). ● Eager to end the war, spare american lives, and with little regard for the Japanese, President Truman gave the go-ahead to drop the second bomb. (3) ○ Truman wrote that “military objectives and soldiers and sailors” were the target of the atomic bomb, “not women and children,” in his diary in July of 1945(3). ○ The intended second target was Kokura, with Niigata listed as a backup target(3). ○ Nagasaki had been removed from the target list some time prior to the bombing(3). ● Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki 3 days after Hiroshima(1, 2). ○ Detonated 1,640 ft above the ground, this height was chosen to maximize the damage done to wooden buildings(3). Nagasaki, August 1945

● Nicknamed “Fat man”(2). ● Killed about 40,000 more people instantaneously, 60,000 to 80,000 died total after radiation poisoning(1, 2). ● Truman was receiving reports of the destruction at Hiroshima just as the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki(3). ○ According to Truman’s Secretary of Commerce, “the thought of wiping out another 100,000 people was too horrible” for the President. “He didn’t like the idea of killing, as he said, ‘all those kids.’ ”(3) ● Japan announced its surrender days later(1, 2). ○ Emperor Hirohito announced his surrender as advised by his war council(2). ○ “Continuing the war can only result in the annihilation of the Japanese people...”(2) Nagasaki Sources

1. "Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima." History.com. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.history.com/this-day-in- history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-hiroshima. 2. "Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki." History.com. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.history.com/this-day-in- history/atomic-bomb-dropped-on-nagasaki. 3. Wellerstein, Alex. "What About Nagasaki?" The New Yorker. August 09, 2017. Accessed March 04, 2018. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/nagasaki-the-last-bomb. 4. "Nagasaki tori." Digital image. JPNinfo. Accessed March 04, 2018. http://jpninfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/nagasaki- tori.jpg.