Transcript 17: WW II : Combined Bomber Offensive

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
Total war: one in which the whole population
and all the resources of the combatants are
committed to complete victory
… and thus become legitimate military targets
… and rules of war are disregarded.
Automatic
Hugh Bicheno
Oxford Companion to Military History
Airpower Theory
Billy Mitchell
Giuilo Douhet
Curtis LeMay
Ira Eaker
All advocated the use of long range bombing
Strategic Bombing – WW I
First Raid:
January 19, 1915
First Raid on London:
May 31, 1915
Summary of Zeppelin Raids:
 52 raids
 556 dead, 1,914 injured
Zeppelin Raid on London (propaganda postcard)
Source
Early Demonstrations
Billy Mitchell and the Osfriedland
Early Demonstrations
Intercepting the Italian Liner Rex - 1938
Strategic Bombing
"The bombers will always get through."
Stanley Baldwin
British Prime Minister
10 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.
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.
Air Corps Tactical School, c. 1935
On Targeting Civilians
Sept. 3, 1939: Hitler issued War Directive No. 2
• No bombing of French, British cities
No mention of Poland, Holland
Battle of Britain, August 24, 1940
• German bombers accidentally attacked London
• RAF bombed Berlin the next night
• Hitler turned Luftwaffe against London, other cities
US Centennial of Flight Commission
"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. They sowed the wind, and
now they are going to reap the whirlwind." *
Air Marshall Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris, RAF
* Last sentence from Hosea 8:7
RAF Heavy Bombers
Short Stirling (1939)*
Avro Lancaster (1941)*
* First flight
US Airpower
First 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
Targeting Philosophy
U.S.: Daylight, high-altitude precision bombing against
specific industrial targets
British:
Night area-bombing of cities
Together: Combined Bomber Offensive
Precision Bombing
Norden Bomb Sight
Target: Germany
Target: Germany
Enlarged Version
Strategic Bombing
Challenge
Targeting
How to get the most bang for the buck!
Strategic Bombing
Challenge
Selecting the most productive target sets
Initially
• 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-47 Thunderbolt
P-51 Mustang
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
400 km
600 km
1,000 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 1945
Phillip S. Meilinger
Bogus charges Against Airpower
Air Force magazine, September 2002
Strategic Bombing
Video
YouTube (39:55)
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 Chastise
The Dam Buster Raids
May 16-17, 1943
Source
Concept
Dr. Barnes Wallis’ preliminary sketch
Source
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Source
Bouncing Bomb Concept
“Highball” Weapon
Royal Air Force Museum
Bouncing Bomb Concept
General Alignment Within Aircraft
Royal Air Force Museum
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Alignment Within Aircraft
Spin Mechanism
National Archives (UK)
Royal Air Force Museum
Bouncing Bomb Concept
Test of Highball Weapon
Click here for video clip
“Upkeep” Weapon
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)
National Archives (UK)
“Upkeep” Weapon
“Upkeep” mounted under Lancaster bomber
National Archives (UK)
Lancaster Bomber
Dropping the “Upkeep” Bomb
Royal Air Force Museum
617 Squadron Crest
The Aircrew’s Challenge
Green On – Go! by Robert Taylor
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 …
… at night
… over water!
How they did it
National Archives (UK)
Operation Chastise
The Dam Buster Raids
May 16-17, 1943
The Night They Breached The Dams by Robert Taylor
Video Clip (1:47)
Video Clip (10:26)
Operation Chastise
The Dam Buster Raids
May 16-17, 1943
Moehne Dam
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
Source
The Dambusters
The Movie
Trailer
First Dam
The Dambusters
The Movie
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)
Strategic Bombing
Video
YouTube (41:30)
Memphis Belle
"The Circle of Modern War" and logo
© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013
Next:
Lesson 18
WW II -- Amphibious Warfare:
The Normandy Campaign
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