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What was accomplished with strategic bombing in ww2
History of strategic bombing
History of strategic bombing
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World War II introduced many new forms of combat to the battlefield. Technology was modernizing and countries were industrializing, thus producing new forms of combat including more efficient tanks, many new kinds of rifles, and bombs. Bombs were used on both the Allied and Axis sides to bomb the other. On the Allied side, the United States and Britain used a tactic called “aerial bombing” to bomb German and Japanese industrial cities. Aerial bombing is defined as “an air attack on a ground or naval target” (Thefreedictionary.com). Although some sources can argue that strategic bombing was an unjust tactic altogether, others can argue, as well as provide evidence, that strategic bombing was justified, to an extent, in World War II.
On September
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1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, resulting in Great Britain and France declaring war on Germany three days later. Britain bombed the Ruhr area of Germany on May 15, 1940, seemingly beginning the bombing battles of World War II. Later that year, on December 7 the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in the United States, declaring war.
Soon after, Japan’s allies Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States as well. “In February 1942, the British Bomber Command gained approval from Churchill to target Germany's industrial cities and their civilian populations.” (Choices.edu). This strategy of dropping bombs on heavily populated industrial cities is known as “Strategic Bombing,” and it soon became the most used tactic for the bombing of cities in World War II. On April 8, 1942, Britain’s Royal Air Force attacked the city of Hamburg in Germany. The German air force, known as the Luftwaffe, responded to this by bombing Britain. Little did the British know, this bombing would go on for the next 76 nights as well as daytime air raids. This became known as “The Blitz” (Bbc.co.uk). The Blitz destroyed many places in Britain and resulted in “around 30,000 Londoners left dead, with another 50,000 injured” (Robinson). This tremendous amount of damage and casualties is just one example of why Britain and the United States’ use of aerial bombing was justified. To fight back against the Germans, Britain and the United States teamed up to bomb Germany - Americans would bomb by day, the British would bomb by night. This tactic was just as dangerous as it was effective. Bombing by day had its advantages, like targets being more visible. However with targets being more …show more content…
visible, it would also mean that aircraft were more visible. This would result in more American casualties. The advantages and disadvantages of bombing at night are basically reversed, with aircraft being less visible along with targets being less visible as well. With low visibility of targets, aircraft could miss their intended target completely and a bomb could hit a rural area, rather than an urban, heavily populated area, like most air forces would intend to hit. The battles between the two forces lasted for a while, but there was no attack with a casualty count that was extensive, until the attack on Hamburg, otherwise known as “Operation Gomorrah.” The Americans and British continued to use their tactic of bombing by day and night. “On the night of July 24, 1943, 740 RAF bombers descended on Hamburg. Led by H2S equipped Pathfinders, the planes struck their targets and returned home with only a loss of 12 aircraft. This raid was followed up the next day when 68 American B-17s struck Hamburg’s U-boat pens and shipyards. The next day, another American attack destroyed the city’s power plant.” (Hickman). This shows that the Allies were bombing industrial parts of the cities in Germany. They bombed parts of Hamburg that could have potentially helped the military, like the shipyards and especially the power plant. With eliminating the plant, it would mean that no military operations could occur there because there was no means of communication with no sources of power. A few nights later, RAF bombers ignited a firestorm causing 150 mph winds and 1,800 degree temperatures because of the intense bombing. This firestorm eventually killed 40,000 to 50,000 civilians. The entire city was left in pieces. Many can argue that this was unjust because of the amount of destruction and because of the large amount of people killed. It is expected that in war there will be huge losses and a lot of destruction. Also, both sides were bombing each other and both sides were targeting heavily populated areas with a lot of infrastructure. The Axis powers were just as likely and capable of launching an attack as powerful as Operation Gomorrah, but the British just beat them to it. Another example of a controversial attack would be the bombing of Dresden. Dresden was a city in Germany that was not a major industrial center. “On the night of February 13, 1945, hundreds of RAF bombers descended on Dresden in two waves, dropping their lethal cargo indiscriminately over the city” (History.com). Like Operation Gomorrah, the bombing was so intense that another firestorm resulted. As people tried to flee, the RAF began to bomb railways, bridges and other transportation facilities. This bombing resulted in an estimated 35,000 to 135,000 casualties. Yet again, this attack can be considered unjust. At this point, it seems that the Allies had done way more damage to the Axis than the Axis powers had done to the Allies. The Allies claimed that they bombed Dresden because they were disrupting important lines of communication that would have obstructed Soviet offense. Since the Soviet Union was allied with Britain, Britain had the right to bomb Dresden to help their ally. Some people may ask, why did the Allies continue to bomb the Axis powers mercilessly?
The answer could simply be that the Allies figured that this would wipe out the military efforts of the Axis, thus resulting in the Axis surrendering. The Allies thought that if the people of a country loses hope in the war it is just as important as the military giving up. This, to an extent, is a valid statement because as the Allies continued to bomb the Axis powers, the governments of the Axis began to see that they were losing too much of their supplies and people ultimately resulting in their surrender, the victory of the Allies, and the end of World War II. Because the Allied Powers won the war, hypothetically saving the world from fascist control, their use of strategic bombing is
just. Works Cited “Aerial bombing.” The Free Dictionary, Farlex, www.thefreedictionary.com/Aerial bombing. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. “BBC - History - Germany Bombs London (Pictures, Video, Facts & News).” BBC News, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/history/events/germany_bombs_london. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. Hickman, Kennedy. “Operation Gomorrah: Firebombing of Hamburg.” ThoughtCo, www.thoughtco.com/operation-gomorrah-firebombing-of-hamburg-2360535. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. History.com Staff. “Bombing of Dresden.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-dresden. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. Robinson, Bruce. “BBC - History - World Wars: The Blitz.” BBC News, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/ff3_blitz.shtml. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. “Strategic Bombing in World War II.” The Choices Program, www.choices.edu/resources/supplemental_fogofwar_ww2.php. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017. “WGBH American Experience.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/bombing/. Accessed 27 Mar. 2017.
The quicker the war ended, the less casualties Americans would suffer. Second, he sought to justify the money and effort that was put into the Manhattan Project. If he did not use the bomb, people would blame him for the lives lost towards the end of the war because he withheld such a powerful weapon. Third, using the bomb would impress the Soviets, make them more subordinate to American desires, and improve overall relations with them. Fourth, Truman realized he lacked reasons to avoid using the bomb. In the military, diplomatic, and political sense, the bomb was the best route. Morality would be the only issue, but these were not a major preventive. Lastly, Truman claimed the Japanese were like a beast and the only way to deal with them was to treat them like a beast. After the attacks on Pearl Harbor, hatred had been built up against the Japanese. This hate diminished any hesitation Truman may have experienced in his decision to drop the
In discussion of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, one controversial issue has the dropping of the atomic bombs being justified. On the other hand others believe that there were other ways of getting Japan to surrender and it was not justified, the only way we could get Japan to surrender was to invade them. Our strategy was to island hop until we got to Japan. Many more lives were at steak when doing that. Not only would just Americans would die, but a lot of the Japanese would have died as well, and the death toll would have much greater. 199,000 deaths came after the dropping of the atomic bombs. However, many American lives were saved, what the Japanese did to Pearl Harbor, and the treatment of our American soldiers while
”Battle of Britain, in World War II, a series of air battles between Great Britain and Germany, fought over Britain from Aug. to Oct., 1940. As a prelude to a planned invasion of England, the German Luftwaffe attacked British coastal defenses, radar stations, and shipping. On Aug. 24 the attack was shifted inland to Royal Air Force installations and aircraft factories in an effort to gain control of the air over S England. Failing to destroy the RAF, the Germans began (Sept. 7) The night bombing, or blitz, of London. Heavy night bombings of English cities continued into October, when the attack was shifted back to coastal installations. The Germans gradually gave up hope of invading England, and the battle tapered off by the end of October. Though heavily outnumbered, the RAF put up a gallant defense; radar, used for the first time in battle by Britain, played an important role. The Germans lost some 2,300 aircraft; the RAF 900. The Battle of Britain was the first major failure of the Germans in World War II, and it thwarted Hitler's plan to force Britain to accept peace or face invasion” (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia).
In World War II, many new weapons were created to kill more people with more efficiency. The most notable of these was the atomic bomb. As American troops closed in on Japan at the end of the war, they realized that taking the small island nation would be nearly impossible. The Japanese soldiers had shown their willingness to die for their country when kamikaze pilots flew into American ships.... ...
The use of the atomic bomb against Japan was completely justified in both cause and impact. An intense weapon was necessary to force a quick Japanese surrender. The bomb saved thousands upon thousands of American and Japanese lives that would have been lost if the war continued or an invasion occurred. The bomb was the only way to end the suffering of the millions who were being held captive by the Japanese oppressor. The weapon of mass destruction also sent a powerful message to the shaky Soviet allies. The choice to use the atomic bomb was justified because it compelled a Japanese surrender, saved countless lives, served as retribution for the sufferings of many people, and acted as an anti-Soviet deterrent.
There has been a long- standing debate on why the atomic bomb was used to defeat Japan. The threat of Russian advancement in Europe and in Asia was enough to worry the top officials in the United States and British governments. Wherever Russia would go, they would conquer that area for themselves. The imminent invasion of mainland Japan and the allied casualties that came with it were also a factor in the decision to drop the bomb.
This was to prepare for a ground invasion called Operation Sea Lion. “Eagle-day” is then planned to be begun by the Germans, which is a continued destruction of the RAF and a plan to install radar. However, this is delayed with poor weather conditions. Bombing continues in Britain, but the RAF are not yet defeated. They defend themselves aggressively, destroying at least 104 German aircrafts with a continued defeat of 330 German aircrafts. The British are constantly killing thousands of German troops, and Hitler eventually postpones Operation Sea Lion, with a new interest in dominating Russia. From both sides of the battle, more than 3,000 aircraft were destroyed; 1,023 from the British side, and 1,887 from the Luftwaffe. 544 RAF command pilots died, and 2,500 Luftwaffe aircraft were killed. During the relentless bombing known as “The Blitz”, 40,000 British citizens tragically died in the process. Britain had a much higher advantage in the war, due to its high performing navy, compared to Germany’s non-existing navy due to losses in Norway. If the Germans never gave up on this battle and won, the United States would probably become involved much deeper in the war. The Battle of Britain officially ended on October 31,
In contrast, Maier and Selden’s thesis claims the act of dropping the atomic bomb was completely justifiable and not a war crime is the counter argument. Since, both authors address the fact that the world was at war and that aerial bombing was not something new, however, the technology advances were. In addition, their logic is reasonable because at the time of World War II almost everyone was using strategic and tactical aerial bombing, not to mention the Allies wanted to end the war as soon as possible. Thus, the atomic bomb was justifiable, however, it was a war crime. The objective of the tactical bombing was to aim at military targets it achieves its objective, however, killing thousands of lives in the process.
World War II was one of the deadliest military conflicts in history. There were many different battles that took place within this war; some more important than others. World War II began once Germany’s new dictator, Adolf Hitler, decided that he wanted to gain power for Germany and for himself. One of Hitler’s first moves in power was invading Poland on September 1, 1939. Many other countries became involved in this war because of the alliance system. The two sides during this war were the Allies and Axis powers. German, Italy and Japan were on the Axis powers; France, Britain, and the United States were on the Allies. Germany first began with the Blitzkrieg tactic meaning “lightning war”. This tactic is based on speed, surprise and was the most popular tactic. It is set up with military forces based around tanks which are supported by planes and infantry. The Blitzkrieg tactic lead to air wars with airplanes between countries. All of the countries were allowed to participate in the air wars but the four main countries were United States, Japan, Britain, and Germany. During the 1920’s and 1930’s airplanes grew in size and structure giving them more power, and making planes more effective. Planes made it easier to drop bombs, or plan attacks. All of these countries fought over air superiority. Air superiority is the position in which the air force has control over all of the air warfare and air power of the opposing forces. Germany began with air superiority but they lost it when Britain defeated them at the Battle of Britain. Gaining control over the air is a very big advantage because it is easier to plan an attack on an opposing country. All of the countries relied on their aircrafts during this war. The issue about the use of...
Admittedly, dropping the atomic bomb was a major factor in Japan's decision to accept the terms laid out at the Potsdam agreement otherwise known as unconditional surrender. The fact must be pointed out, however, that Japan had already been virtually defeated. (McInnis, 1945) Though the public did not know this, the allies, in fact, did. Through spies, they had learned that both Japan's foreign minister, Shigenori Togo and Emperor Hirohito both supported an end to the war (Grant, 1998). Even if they believed such reports to be false or inaccurate, the leaders of the United States also knew Japan's situation to be hopeless. Their casualties in defending the doomed island of Okinawa were a staggering 110,000 and the naval blockade which the allies had enforced whittled trade down to almost nothing. Japan was quickly on the path to destruction. (Grant, 1998). Of course, the Allies ignored this for the reason that dropping the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would intimidate Russia. Had they truly been considering saving more lives and bringing a quick end to the war in Japan, they would have simply waited them out without the major loss of life seen at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
using the bombs during WWII not only to defeat the Japanese, but also to intimidate the Soviet Union and prove their power to the world. The U.S. knew Japan would surrender soon without the use of a destructive weapon. The Soviet Union definitely had some influence on the military decision made by the American government. As Professor Stoff mentioned in one of his lectures, Churchill believed Stalin was more dangerous than Hitler. Although the Soviet Union was an “ally” to America, they never really had an actual relationship. It was more of an alliance of convenience. The U.S. has always wanted to prove itself to be the best. Being the first country to have and use a nuclear weapon was a huge deal. As a result, President Truman told Stalin that we had a weapon and Stalin told us to use it. The U.S. also announced to Japan that we would use a weapon that would cause massive destruction and the majority of citizens ignored it. At the time, there was a threat that Russia would become a problem after the war. The U.S. dropped the bombs in Japan to end the war as quickly as possible to prevent Russia from gaining land in Asia. Therefore, the use of the bombs was not purely to defeat the
On December 7, 1941 Japan launched a surprise attack on a U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii with the possibility of forcing the U.S. to join World War II. About 2,400 Americans were dead, 21 ships had been sunk, and 188 aircraft were destroyed. On August 6 and 9 of 1945, the U.S. retaliated and dropped two atomic bombs called Fat Man and Little Boy on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The U.S. was not justified in dropping the atomic bombs on Japan because of the locations that were bombed, the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, and the lack of previous bomb testing. Firstly, the bombings were unjustified because of the locations where the bombs were dropped.
We bombed Nagasaki because they didn’t want to surrender after the first one. 39,000-80,000 casualties happened during this event. The bomb (Fat Man), caused radiation throughout decades continuing to cause injury to several people during these years. Soon after, the Japanese surrendered because they feared that we had the power to drop another bomb. We, as Americans, won the war against Japan.
On August 6, 1945 the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This was an extremely controversial military strategy in the United States. Was the United States justified in the dropping of the atomic bomb? The U.S. feared the rise of communism and gave aid to any country against it. The U.S. also fought countries threatening the spread communism. One of these countries was Japan. We began a harsh and brutal war against Japan and against communism. This war was killing many soldiers and Japan was not backing down. President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb when things were getting worse. The decision to use the atomic bomb was a difficult one and many people wonder if it was the right choice.
...ecessary to end the war, because the Japanese were not going to surrender. In August of 1944 the war in Europe was over and the face off between the United States and Japan had finally arrived. The United States had to choose between sending hundreds of thousands of US soldiers, to invade Japan killing and being killed by the hundreds of thousands, OR dropping a newly developed weapon called the atomic bomb on two cities in Japan which would result in tens of thousands of civilian lives with little cost to US servicemen. The only hope of ending the war quickly and honorably was to drop the bombs. Calls for surrender were ignored and the Japanese hierarchy, Okinawa and Iwo Jima had shown clearly what an invasion of Japan would be like. The decision was made, the bombs were dropped, the war was ended and both military and civilian lives were saved by both countries.