The Strategic Bombing Campaign Of WWII

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The Strategic Bombing Campaign of WWII The Strategic Bombing Campaign of WWII was divided into small separate campaigns that were carried out by the allied forces. Often times targets consisted of factories, headquarters, harbors, camps, and cities. The blows that the allies dealt to the axis payed a psychological and physical role in how the second World War turned out. European Theatre Kassel Germany, February of 1942 to March of 1945: One leg of the campaign on the eastern front was to take over the capital of Hesse- Nassau. This campaign lasted from February of 1942 to March of 1945. Kassel was a key place to strike due to to it containing the “Fieseler aircraft plant, Henschel facilities- maker of the Tiger I and King Tiger heavy tanks, locomotive plant, engine plant, motor transport plant railway works, Military HQs at Wehrkreis IX, and Bereich Hauptsitz Kassel , Central Germany HQ, highway & railway construction, Regional Supreme Court.” The deadliest bombing took place on October 22-23 “ The concentrated explosion of 1,800 tons of bombs – incendiaries among them – resulted in a lethal firestorm. At least 10,000 people died in the explosions and ensuing fires, and the flames were still burning seven days later. The campaign to bomb Kassel was not as successful as the allies had hoped. By the end of the three year campaign the population had dropped drastically.in 1939 there were about 236,000. In april of 1945, when the allies had taken and liberated Kassel there were only 50,000 left. Most of the buildings that were targeted were also still standing by the end of the war and with most aids ending with small death tolls and damage. Darmstadt Germany 1943-1944: Darmstadt was a was just another medieval city in... ... middle of paper ... ...ed the us to send out the Potsdam Declaration promising “swift and utter destruction” if the war continues. After there was no response made the Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on the primary target, Hiroshima. There was still no surrender and three days later the Bockscar dropped another atomic bomb on the secondary target, Nagasaki. On August 14 1945, Japan surrendered to the United States Bringing the end of WWII. Rap-up The strategic bombing campaigns of WWII were carried out in hopes that they would bring a swift end to the war. Some of the capaigns were not as effective as they hoped them to be. But they still dealt a psychological blow to the German people. they also assisted in operations carried out by ground forces such as the combined effort on the beaches on D-day. They also brought about the swift ending oft he war in the pacific theatre.

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