Allied Strategic Bombing

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Strategic bombing refers to air strikes by the Allied forces of Britain, France, USA and Russia (after 1942) against German occupied territory, aimed at both their infrastructure and population. This essay will evaluate the significance of the Allied strategic bombing campaign in terms of ensuring positive diplomatic relationships during the war, its impact on the German economy, army and air force as well as its effect on German and British morale. Whilst bombing was not significant as it failed to break the German home front and was highly inaccurate, this essay will argue that Allied strategic bombing was significant to a great extent. Strategic bombing helped maintain the Anglo-Russian alliance, diverted German forces away from key areas …show more content…

The damaging effect of Allied bombing on towns such as Hamburg, where three-quarters of the city was destroyed, forced Germany to divert resources away from the Eastern Front to be used in defence of the German homeland. This undermined the capacity of the Germans to retaliate against the Russians, making it much easier for the Russians to secure victory in Berlin in 1945. The Allied dominance of the air, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, was also extremely significant when it came to the D-Day landings (6 June 1944). The Allied bombing of key railways, bridges and road, was essential to Allied success as it slowed the advance of German …show more content…

Regardless of Allied bombing, the superiority of the Russian army was sufficient to win the war. Overy highlights the fact that “Soviet forces destroyed or disabled an estimated 607 Axis divisions between 1941 and 1945” demonstrating the Russian’s effectiveness in battle even before Allied dominance of the skies. Secondly, the Allied bombing campaign adversely affected the Germans too late in the war to be credited with successes on the Eastern Front. By the time strategic bombing of Germany had a big enough impact to divert resources away from the Eastern Front, Russia was already on the front foot and were positioned to win the war. This is demonstrated by the fact that at the time of Russian victory in Stalingrad (February 1943) British bombing was not yet sufficiently damaging to divert essential German resources away from the Eastern Front. In summary, it must be argued, that despite the inefficiencies of the bombing campaign, it was of enormous significance to the Russian army. Although the strategic bombing campaign alone cannot be credited with Allied victory, it did prove to be the greatest single advantage enjoyed by the Allies as it was instrumental in securing Allied success at D-Day and on the Eastern Front and therefore its significance cannot be

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