"Hiroshima-Nagasaki-Park in August 2004 as a memorial to the victims of the nuclear bombs of 1945. An inconspicuous memorial to the victims of the Nazi regime is situated on one of the hills. On the night of 30–31 May 1942, Cologne was the target for the first 1,000 bomber raid of the war. Between 469 and 486 people, around 90% of them civilians, were reported killed, more than 5,000 were injured, and more than 45,000 lost their homes. It was estimated that up to 150,000 of Cologne's population of around 700,000 left the city after the raid. The Royal Air"
"was responsible for military operations in Bonn, Siegburg, Aachen, Jülich, Düren, and Monschau. Cologne was home to the 211th Infantry Regiment and the 26th Artillery Regiment. The Allies dropped 44,923.2 tons of bombs on the city during World War II, destroying 61% of its built up area. During the Bombing of Cologne in World War II, Cologne endured 262 air raids by the Western Allies, which caused approximately 20,000 civilian casualties and almost completely wiped out the central part of the city. During the night of 31 May 1942, Cologne was the target of ""Operation Millennium"", the first 1,000 bomber"
"Bombing of Dresden in World War II The bombing of Dresden was a British/American aerial bombing attack on the city of Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony, during World War II in the European Theatre. In four raids between 13 and 15 February 1945, 722 heavy bombers of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and 527 of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped more than 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices on the city. The bombing and the resulting firestorm destroyed over of the city centre. An estimated 22,700 to 25,000 people were"
"Bombing of Hanover in World War II The Bombing of Hannover was a series of eighty-eight air raids by RAF Bomber Command and the United States Army Air Forces on the German city of Hannover during World War II. 4,748 residents and 2,034 others were killed. Around 1,000 aerial mines, 34,000 high explosive bombs, 900,000 incendiary bombs and 50,000 fire bombs were dropped. The heaviest raid was that by the RAF on the night of 8/9 October 1943, killing 1,245 people. This was an example of the carpet bombing of suburban and residential civilian targets laid out in the 14"
"been scheduled for Frankfurt am Main. More small raids followed until 11 August 1942 when the RAF Bomber Command launched 158 bombers against Mainz. This raid followed the Area Bombing Directive of 5 February 1942, Directive No.4, issued by the British Air Ministry. This directive ordered RAF bombers to attack the German industrial workforce and the morale of the German populace through bombing German cities and their civilian inhabitants. During the following night, 200 tons of bombs were dropped, including white phosphorus bombs. The next night another 133 aircraft attacked the city, dropping approximately 180 tons of bombs, many of"
"Bombing of Ulm in World War II The city of Ulm, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, was heavily bombed during the closing months of World War II. The first and heaviest raid, on 17 December 1944, left 707 people dead, 613 injured, and 25,000 homeless. Two large truck factories, Magirus-Deutz and Kässbohrer, were the primary targets. There were several other important industries and some Wehrmacht barracks and depots. During the 25-minute raid, 317 Avro Lancaster bombers and 13 de Havilland Mosquito light bombers dropped a total of 1,449 tons of bombs, starting in the city centre (Münsterplatz) and then"
"Bombing of Cologne in World War II The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies during World War II, all by the Royal Air Force (RAF) but for a single failed post-capture test of a guided missile by the United States Army Air Forces. A total of 34,711 long tons of bombs were dropped on the city by the RAF. 20,000 people died during the war in Cologne due to aerial bombardments. While air raid alarms had gone off in the winter/spring of 1940 as British bombers passed overhead, the first bombing took"
"1942, December 1942, January 1943, February 1943, March 1943, April 1943 Bombing of Essen in World War II During World War II, the industrial town of Essen, was a target of Allied strategic bombing. The Krupp factory was an important industrial target, Essen was a ""primary target"" designated for area bombing by the February 1942 British Area bombing directive. As part of the campaign in 1943 known as the Battle of the Ruhr, Essen was a regular target. In the period 1939 to 1945 the Royal Air Force (RAF) dropped a total of 36,429 long tons of bombs on Essen."
"at Central Flying School, RAF Upavon. On the night of 30–31 May 1942, he flew Wellington ""S9932"" of 22 OTU on an op to Cologne, the first 1,000 plane raid, in which 600 acres (300 acres of the city centre) were damaged, 13,000 homes destroyed with another 6,000 badly damaged, leaving some 45,000 people homeless. The city suffered 5,000 casualties, including 469 deaths. Of the 1,046 bombers involved, ""39 were lost – primarily to night fighters. This represented a loss of 4 percent which was considered the maximum Bomber Command could sustain."" On 1–2 June 1942, piloted Wellington ""S9932"" of"
"Bombing of Mannheim in World War II The German city of Mannheim in the state of Baden-Württemberg saw bombing during World War II from December 1940 until the end of the war. Mannheim saw over 150 air raids. Mannheim was the subject of allied air activity from the earliest days of the war. Although these early flights had reconnaissance as their aim rather than air raids. As The Times of 13 November 1939 notes, quoting a British official communique - During the Battle of France, the Royal Air Force raided Mannheim as part of a night of raid attacking Nazi"
"Bombing of Hildesheim in World War II The German city of Hildesheim, c. 30 kilometres south of Hanover, was the target of eight Allied air raids in 1944 and 1945 and suffered considerable bomb damage. In 1939 Hildesheim had about 72,000 inhabitants. For most of the war Hildesheim was regarded as a minor target by British Bomber Command mainly because the military potential of the industry in and around Hildesheim was underestimated and classified as 'minor plants in major industries, or major plants in minor industries'. However, a branch of the Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke (United German Metalworks) named VDM-Halbzeugwerke in"
"Bombing of Essen in World War II During World War II, the industrial town of Essen, was a target of Allied strategic bombing. The Krupp factory was an important industrial target, Essen was a ""primary target"" designated for area bombing by the February 1942 British Area bombing directive. As part of the campaign in 1943 known as the Battle of the Ruhr, Essen was a regular target. In the period 1939 to 1945 the Royal Air Force (RAF) dropped a total of 36,429 long tons of bombs on Essen. March 1942, July 1942, August 1942, September 1942, October 1942, November"
"Bombing of Mainz in World War II The German city of Mainz was bombed in multiple air raids by the Allies during World War II by the Royal Air Force (RAF), as well as the United States Army Air Forces. These led to numerous victims and heavy damage throughout the cityscape. During the first two years of World War II, the Royal Air Force conducted only minor raids on Mainz. The first major British air raid took place on 13 September 1941, targeting Mainz Hauptbahnhof (Mainz main station). A total of 22 people died during this attack, which had originally"
"victims of the bombing. Bombing of Würzburg in World War II The Bombing of Würzburg in World War II was part of the strategic bombing campaign by the Allies against Nazi Germany. Würzburg, a city in Franconia. Although lacking major armaments industries (the Würzburg radar was named after the city, but not produced there) and hosting around 40 hospitals at the time, Würzburg was targeted as a traffic hub and as part of the attempt by Bomber Command to break the spirit of the German people. The major raid occurred on March 16, 1945 when Royal Air Force bombers dropped"
"and Hainholz and on 15/16 June on the VLW-Werk factory and the Misburg refineries. Although these raids damaged the factories' productivity, they were repeatedly able to resume production. Bombing of Hanover in World War II The Bombing of Hannover was a series of eighty-eight air raids by RAF Bomber Command and the United States Army Air Forces on the German city of Hannover during World War II. 4,748 residents and 2,034 others were killed. Around 1,000 aerial mines, 34,000 high explosive bombs, 900,000 incendiary bombs and 50,000 fire bombs were dropped. The heaviest raid was that by the RAF on"
"Bombing of Würzburg in World War II The Bombing of Würzburg in World War II was part of the strategic bombing campaign by the Allies against Nazi Germany. Würzburg, a city in Franconia. Although lacking major armaments industries (the Würzburg radar was named after the city, but not produced there) and hosting around 40 hospitals at the time, Würzburg was targeted as a traffic hub and as part of the attempt by Bomber Command to break the spirit of the German people. The major raid occurred on March 16, 1945 when Royal Air Force bombers dropped incendiary bombs that set"
"to Munich. Over the next two nights, a total of 27 Mosquito night fighters made flights to Stuttgart. 552 aircraft struck the city on 21 February 1944, and this attack was followed by a raid of 557 aircraft on 2 March. Stuttgart was heavily attacked by the RAF raid of March 15, 1944, in which 863 bombers dropped 3,000 tons of bombs. About 100 aircraft bombed the city on July 16, 1944. Subsequently, the Allied air forces struck Stuttgart four times between 25–29 July, dropping some 73,000 bombs on the city. On September 5, 10, and 12, the city was"
"to 687, of which 111 were serious. A large part of the city centre had been devastated, and it was some 20 years before repairs were fully completed, resulting in a completely new infrastructure. Exeter Blitz The term Exeter Blitz refers to the air raids by the German ""Luftwaffe"" on the British city of Exeter, Devon, during the Second World War. The city was bombed in April and May 1942 as part of the so-called ""Baedeker raids"", in which targets were chosen for their cultural and historical, rather than their strategic or military, value. The first German air raid on"
"raid on Mannheim was on 5 and 6 September 1943. A large part of the city was destroyed. In 1944, raids destroyed Mannheim Palace, leaving only one room undamaged out of over 500. On 2 March 1945 the RAF launched a 300-bomber attack, causing a devastating firestorm. 25,181 tons of bombs fell throughout the war. Bombing of Mannheim in World War II The German city of Mannheim in the state of Baden-Württemberg saw bombing during World War II from December 1940 until the end of the war. Mannheim saw over 150 air raids. Mannheim was the subject of allied air"
"Bombing of Lübeck in World War II During World War II, the city of Lübeck was the first German city to be attacked in substantial numbers by the Royal Air Force. The attack on the night of 28 March 1942 created a firestorm that caused severe damage to the historic centre, with bombs destroying three of the main churches and large parts of the built-up area. It led to the retaliatory ""Baedeker"" raids on historic British cities. Although a port, and home to several shipyards, including the Lübecker Flender-Werke, Lübeck was also a cultural centre and only lightly defended. The"
"target for the RAF's third ""thousand bomber raid"". Bombing of Bremen in World War II The Bombing of Bremen in World War II by the British Royal Air Force and US Eighth Air Force targeted strategic targets in the state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, which had heavy anti-aircraft artillery but only 35 fighter aircraft in the area. In addition to Wesermünde/Bremerhaven, targets were also in Farge and Vegesack. Bremen also included concentration camps such as Bremen-Farge and Bremen-Vegesack. The city of Bremen was captured in April 1945. In the 1939-45 period the RAF dropped 12,831 long tons of bombs"
"but the number of 1,000 not being claimed again. Thousand-bomber raids The term ""thousand-bomber raid"" was used to describe three night bombing raids by the Royal Air Force against German cities in summer 1942 during World War II. The term was a propaganda device, whereby Arthur Harris included the relatively few modern four-engined ""heavy"" bombers that were currently operational, but mostly 1930s-era twin-engine ""medium"" bombers and many otherwise unsuitable small bombers and trainee aircrews in the raids to accumulate a force of 1,000 bombers as a demonstration of the RAF's growing power. Later RAF raids concentrated on effectiveness rather than"
"main object seems to be to inspire terror by the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians ... At the beginning of World War II, bombing of cities prior to invasion was an integral part of Nazi Germany's strategy. In the first stages of war, the Germans carried out many bombings of towns and cities in Poland (1939), including the capital Warsaw (also bombed in 1944), with Wieluń being the first city destroyed by 75%. The Soviet Union also attempted strategic bombing against Poland and Finland, bombing Helsinki. The British bombed the German city of Mönchengladbach on 11 May 1940. While Germany had"
"demonstrate his belief that bombers could be decisive in defeating the enemy. Harris began pushing for a mass raid using the magic number of 1,000 bombers, although in fact the RAF barely had that many. At last, using every plane available including trainee crews, the RAF raided Cologne on 30/31 May 1942 with over 1,000 bombers; although over half the city was destroyed and it was seen as a success, the city made a surprising recovery. RAF assaults on medium-sized industrial towns to the east of the Rhine, the Ruhr and Berlin from mid-1942 also did little to weaken Germany"
"missed their target and landed in the majority on the ""Großberg"" in Weisenau. The Christuskirche was destroyed that day by incendiary bombs and a subsequent fire. On 27 February 1945 the RAF sent 435 bombers to attack Mainz. Between the hours of 16:29 and 16:45, 1,500 tons of bombs were dropped, hitting large areas of the Neustadt. The old arsenal, St. Joseph and St. Boniface were also destroyed. Weisenau, Gustavsburg, and Bischofsheim were also hit hard, and there were reports of burnt material from the raid as far as Gonsenheim. The old city center, bombed in 1942, was not affected."
"Bombing of Duisburg in World War II Duisburg was bombed a number of times by the Allies during World War II. The most devastating air raids on Duisburg occurred during October 1944 when the city was bombed by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Duisburg was a major logistical centre in the Ruhr Area and location of chemical, steel and iron industries, Duisburg was a primary target of Allied bombers. Not only the industrial areas but also residential areas were attacked by Allied bombs. As an entry to the Ruhr, there were daily warnings of bombing raids in 1943. In the"
"was established in Düsseldorf. By the mid-19th century, Düsseldorf enjoyed a revival thanks to the Industrial Revolution as the city boasted 100,000 inhabitants by 1882; the figure doubled in 1892. During World War I the Royal Naval Air Service (RNS) undertook the first Entente strategic bombing missions on 22 September 1914, when it bombed the Zeppelin bases in Düsseldorf. In 1920, Düsseldorf became the centre of the General Strike. On 15 April 1920, 45 delegates of the German Miners Union were murdered by the Freikorps. The city was a target of strategic bombing during World War II, particularly during the"
"Essen there were in Second World War several Subcamps as the ssub camp""Humboldtstraße"", the ""Gelsenberg"" ssub camp and the subcamp ""Schwarze Poth"". As a major industrial centre, Essen was a target for allied bombing, the Royal Air Force (RAF) dropping a total of 36,429 long tons of bombs on the city. Over 270 air raids were launched against the city, destroying 90% of the centre and 60% of the suburbs. On 5 March 1943 Essen was subjected to one of the heaviest air-raids of the war. 461 people were killed, 1,593 injured and a further 50,000 residents of Essen were"
"Belfast Blitz The Belfast Blitz consisted of four German air raids on strategic targets in the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland, in April and May 1941 during World War II, causing high casualties. The first was on the night of 78 April 1941, a small attack which probably took place only to test Belfast's defences. The next took place on Easter Tuesday, 15 April 1941. Two hundred bombers of the ""Luftwaffe"" attacked military and manufacturing targets in the city of Belfast. Some 900 people died as a result of the bombing and 1,500 were injured. High explosive bombs predominated"
"so that they would arrive over the target in succession: the new technique of the ""bomber stream"". On 30 May 1942, between 0047 and 0225 hours, in Operation Millennium 1,046 bombers dropped over 2,000 tons of high explosive and incendiaries on the medieval town of Cologne, and the resulting fires burned it from end to end. The damage inflicted was extensive. The fires could be seen 600 miles away at an altitude of 20,000 feet. Some 3,300 houses were destroyed, and 10,000 were damaged. 12,000 separate fires raged destroying 36 factories, damaging 270 more, and leaving 45,000 people with nowhere"
"100,000 civilian casualties. The tonnage and types of bombs listed in the service records of the Dresden raid were comparable to (or less than) throw weights of bombs dropped in other air attacks carried out in 1945. In the case of Dresden, as in many other similar attacks, the hour break in between the RAF raids was a deliberate ploy to attack the fire fighters, medical teams, and military units. In late July 1943, the city of Hamburg was bombed in Operation Gomorrah by combined RAF and USAAF strategic bomber forces. Four major raids were carried out in the span"
"Lake. Bombings of Heilbronn in World War II During World War II, the German city of Heilbronn was bombed numerous times by the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces. The largest air-raid occurred on December 4, 1944, but Heilbronn was targeted several times before and after until the end of World War II. Altogether, an estimated 7,000 inhabitants of the city lost their lives during bombings. On 12 April 1945, the U.S. military took control of the city after a ten-day battle, ending bombings of the city. In 2015, Heilbronn had a population of 123,000."
"600,000 civilians. One of the most controversial aspects of Bomber Command during World War II was the area bombing of cities. Until 1942 navigational technology did not allow for any more precise targeting than at best a district of a town or city by night bombing. All large German cities contained important industrial districts and so were considered legitimate targets by the Allies. New methods were introduced to create ""firestorms"". The most destructive raids in terms of casualties were those on Hamburg (45,000 dead) in 1943 and Dresden (25,000–35,000 dead)) in 1945. Each caused a firestorm and left tens of"