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Lesson 17
WW II -- Combined Bomber Offensive
Lesson Objectives
• Become familiar with the origin of strategic bombing
• Describe the differences between the airpower doctrine of the RAF and USAAF and that of the Luftwaffe
• Describe and analyze cost to the Allies and the impact on Germany of strategic bombing campaign in Europe.
• Discuss the legal, moral and ethical issues of the strategic bombing campaign as conducted against Germany.
Total War
… and thus become legitimate military targets
Total war: one in which the whole population and all the resources of the combatants are committed to complete victory
Hugh BichenoOxford Companion to Military History
… and rules of war are disregarded.
Automatic
Airpower Theory
Billy Mitchell
Giuilo Douhet
Curtis LeMay
Ira Eaker
All advocated the use of long range bombing
Strategic Bombing – WW I
Source
Zeppelin Raid on London (propaganda postcard)
First Raid: January 19, 1915
First Raid on London: May 31, 1915
Summary of Zeppelin Raids: 52 raids 556 dead, 1,914 injured
Early Demonstrations
Billy Mitchell and the Osfriedland
Early Demonstrations
Intercepting the Italian Liner Rex - 1938
Strategic Bombing
"The bombers will always get through."
Stanley BaldwinBritish Prime Minister10 November 1932
Principles of Strategic Airpower
1. Modern great powers rely on major industrial and economic systems for production of weapons and supplies for their armed forces, and for manufacture of products and provision of services to sustain life in a highly industrialized society. Disruption or paralysis of these systems undermines both the enemy's capability and will to fight.
Air Corps Tactical School, c. 1935
2. Such major systems contain critical points whose destruction will break down these systems, and bombs can be delivered with adequate accuracy to do this.
3. Massed air strike forces can penetrate air defenses without unacceptable losses and destroy selected targets.
4. Proper selection of vital targets in the industrial/economic/social structure of a modern industrialized nation, and their subsequent destruction by air attack, can lead to fatal weakening of an industrialized enemy nation and to victory through air power.
5. If enemy resistance still persists after successful paralysis of selected target systems, it may be necessary as a last resort to apply direct force upon the sources of enemy national will by attacking cities. In this event, it is preferable to render the cities untenable rather than indiscriminately to destroy structures and people.
On Targeting Civilians
Sept. 3, 1939: Hitler issued War Directive No. 2
• No bombing of French, British cities
No mention of Poland, Holland
US Centennial of Flight Commission
Battle of Britain, August 24, 1940
• German bombers accidentally attacked London
• RAF bombed Berlin the next night
• Hitler turned Luftwaffe against London, other cities
"The Nazis entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb them. At Rotterdam, London, Warsaw, and half a dozen other places, they put their rather naive theory into operation.
Air Marshall Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris, RAF
They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind." *
* Last sentence from Hosea 8:7
RAF Heavy Bombers
Avro Lancaster (1941)*
* First flight
Short Stirling (1939)*
US AirpowerFirst European bomber mission
August 17, 1942 - Rouen, France
RAF Propaganda Leaflet
U.S. Heavy Bombers
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
U.S. Heavy Bombers
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Daylight, high-altitude precision bombing against specific industrial targets
Targeting Philosophy
U.S.:
Together: Combined Bomber Offensive
British: Night area-bombing of cities
Precision Bombing
Norden Bomb Sight
Target: Germany
Target: Germany
Enlarged Version
Strategic Bombing
Targeting
How to get the most bang for the buck!
Challenge
Strategic BombingChallenge
Selecting the most productive target setsInitially
• U-boat facilities
After June 1943
• Fighter aircraft
• Ball bearings
• Petroleum
Prior to D-Day
• Transportation
Challenges
German Defenses
Flak (AAA)
Fighters
Heavy Losses
Bomber Tactics
Element Formation
Element Formation
Improved Bomber Armament
Added defense against head-on attacks
Fighter Escort
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-51 Mustang
Fighter Escort
P-51 Mustang
P-47 Thunderbolt
One of these aircraft was designed as a high altitude interceptor, the other as a ground attack aircraft.
Each excelled in the other role. Which was which?
Critique of Bombing Campaign
Established a “Second Front”
• Tied down significant German resources
“Fortress Europe has no roof”
RAF propaganda leaflet
Critique of Bombing Campaign
Established a “Second Front”
Precision bombing: results disappointing• Difficult to execute in mass formation
• Weather, enemy defenses disrupted accuracy
• Technology still not up to task
• Fog of war
Precision Bombing Myth
Critique of Bombing Campaign
Established a “Second Front”
Precision bombing: results disappointing
Impact on German morale: ultimately telling• German experience different from British during Blitz
"Bombing appreciably affected the German will to resist. Its main psychological effects were defeatism, fear, hopelessness, fatalism, and apathy. It did little to stiffen resistance through the arousing of aggressive emotions of hate and anger. War weariness, willingness to surrender, loss of hope in German victory, distrust of leaders, feelings of disunity, and demoralizing fear were all more common among bombed than among unbombed people."
US Strategic Bombing Survey, European War
German Cities Bombed
1,000 km600 km400 km
Consequences of Bombing
Germany Civilian Deaths:
300,000-500,000
Critique of Bombing Campaign
Established a “Second Front”
Precision bombing: results disappointing
Impact on morale: ultimately telling
Impact on war production• German production increased through mid-1944
• Late decision to mobilization
• Fighter production displaced bombers
• 85% of US bombs were dropped after D-day
• Influenced final ground war after January 1945Phillip S. MeilingerBogus charges Against AirpowerAir Force magazine, September 2002
End
Target: Electrical Production
Eder Dam – Ruhr Valley
Target: Water & Electrical Production
Potential:
• Ruhr dams controlled some 25% of German industrial water
Challenge:
• Dams were heavy masonry or earthen structures
• Located in narrow valleys
• Protected by torpedo nets
Operation ChastiseThe Dam Buster Raids
Source
May 16-17, 1943
Concept
SourceDr. Barnes Wallis’ preliminary sketch
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Source
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Royal Air Force Museum“Highball” Weapon
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Royal Air Force MuseumGeneral Alignment Within Aircraft
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Royal Air Force MuseumSpin Mechanism
Alignment Within Aircraft
National Archives (UK)
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Test of Highball Weapon
Click here for video clip
“Upkeep” Weapon
National Archives (UK)
Length: 60 inches (152 cm)
Diameter: 56 inches (142 cm)
Total Weight: 9,250 lb. (4,200 kg)
Explosive Weight: 6,600 lbs (3,000 kg)
“Upkeep” Weapon
National Archives (UK)
“Upkeep” mounted under Lancaster bomber
Lancaster Bomber
Dropping the “Upkeep” BombRoyal Air Force Museum
617 Squadron Crest
The Aircrew’s Challenge
The weapon had to be dropped “from an altitude of 60 feet, at a speed of 220 mph, between 425 and 475 yards” from the target …
National Archives (UK)
Green On – Go! by Robert Taylor
… at night … over water!
How they did it
Operation ChastiseThe Dam Buster Raids
May 16-17, 1943
The Night They Breached The Dams by Robert Taylor
Video Clip (10:26)Video Clip (1:47)
Operation ChastiseThe Dam Buster Raids
May 16-17, 1943
Results:
• Two of four dams breached
• 8 of 19 aircraft lost
• 53 of 133 crew killed (plus 3 POW)
• Commander, W/Cdr Guy Gibson, awarded Victoria Cross
Moehne Dam Source
The DambustersThe Movie
Trailer
First Dam
The Dambusters
Opening Credits (1:54)
The Dilemma (7:38)
The Solution (3:24)
Searchlights (2:45)
The Takeoff (8:38)
Entering Enemy Territory (8:53)
The First Dam (10:26)
The Second Dam (7:03)
Conclusion (6:38)
The Movie
Strategic Bombing
Video
YouTube (41:30)
Memphis Belle
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Lesson 18
WW II -- Amphibious Warfare:The Normandy Campaign
Next:
Lesson Objectives
• Build a foundation for understanding the complexity and potential of the amphibious assault as a military maneuver.
• Develop an appreciation for the magnitude and significance of the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord).
• Understand the importance of deception in Operation Overlord.
• Analyze Operation Overlord as a logistics operation.
• Understand the sequence of events from June 1944 that led to the downfall of Nazi Germany.
End
Video Title
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013