*British 1st to Bomb Cities 1940
Published by Campbell M Gold in Revisionist · Thursday 30 May 2024
Tags: British, Bombing, Cities, 1940, History, Germany, War, Crime
Tags: British, Bombing, Cities, 1940, History, Germany, War, Crime
The British started the Bombing of Civilian Targets in WW2.
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Things are not always as the victors teach them...
In the 1930s, the United States and Britain believed in refraining from targeting civilians in wartime bombings and regarded such tactics as "savage and ruthless."
Before the start of WW2, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain made a parliamentary speech declaring that it was “against international law to bomb civilians as such and to make deliberate attacks on the civilian population.”
The American State Department made a similar statement in 1937, condemning the Japanese bombing of Chinese cities, “Any general bombing of an extensive area wherein there resides a large population engaged in peaceful pursuits is unwarranted and contrary to the principles of law and humanity.”
President Franklin Roosevelt also spoke on the issue, calling civilian bombing “inhuman barbarism.”
However, by 1940, a transition from these earlier beliefs took place, and Britain commenced the Bombing of German Cities (Berlin - 95 Bombers) on 25 Aug 1940.
Timeline
Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding was the commander-in-chief of Fighter Command from its formation in 1936 until November 1940. He was responsible for the preparation and conduct of the Battle of Britain.
Battle of Britain—Phase 1: 26/06/1940 to 16/071940 - Initially, Germany targets Allied shipping and coastal areas, such as ports and towns with aircraft/munition factories.
10/07/1940 - Official Start of Battle of Britain (End 31/10/1940).
Battle of Britain—Phase 2: 17/07/1940 to 12/08/1940 - Germany increased daylight raids on shipping, ports, and airfields near the British coast.
Battle of Britain—Phase 3: 12/08/1940 to 06/09/1940 - Germany launches large-scale raids on Fighter Command airfields in south-east England and radar installations. The intention is to incapacitate the RAF.
18/08/1940—The Hardest Day—Germany believed its attacks were decimating Fighter Command and consequently launched a series of attacks on critical British airfields, including Kenley, Biggin Hill, Hornchurch, and North Weald.
The attacks resulted in both sides suffering the most significant number of losses to date - 29 Fighter Command aircraft and 69 German aircraft.
Things are not going well for the RAF and Britain - it's time to divert Germany's attention.
25/08/1940 - 1st British Bombing of German Cities (Berlin - 95 Bombers).
07/09/1940 - 1st German Bombing of British Cities (London).
Battle of Britain - Phase 4: 07/09/1940 to 02/10/1940 - Believing that the RAF is in collapse, as well as responding to the British bombing of Berlin - 25/08/1940 - Germany moves from bombing airfields, and ariel combat, etc, to the bombing of London (07/09/1940) and other British cities. This marks the beginning of the end of the Battle of Britain (officially ends 31/10/1940).
Battle of Britain - Phase 5: 03/10/1940 to 31/10/1940 - Germany continues night attacks against London.
The Battle of Britain officially ends on 31/10/1940; however, Germany continues bombing British civilian and infrastructure targets.
31/10/1940 - End of Battle of Britain (Start 10/07/1940).
14-15/11/1940 - German Bombing of Coventry.
13/06/1944 - Germany launches its first V-1 flying bomb against London.
22/06/1941 - German Invasion of Russia.
08/08/1941 - Russia Bombs Berlin.
Bomber Command Commanders-in-Chief
*** Dresden Firestorm Bombing.
It was Josef Stalin who requested the Dresden bombing - this was at the time that Winston Churchill was on his way to the Yalta Conference (04-11 Feb 1945).
Consequently, Clement Atlee, the then Deputy Prime Minister, approved/sanctioned the bombing.
- 722 British Bombers.
- 527 U.S. Bombers - 3,900 tons of High Explosive and Incendiary ordinance, including Phosphorus.
- >/= 250,000 people died (this number includes refugees).
- 22,700 - 35,000 Dresden residents died.
- Josef Goebbels said that, in total, > 200,000 people died in the Dresden Raids.
- c.600,000 persons died.
- Includes 76,000 children.
In Yalta, a Russian resort town in the Crimea, a conference between United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin took place from 04-11 Feb 1945.
The final strategy of the war against Germany (including its occupation), the defeat of Japan, and the settlement of territorial war-gains formed the agenda.
It had already been decided that Germany would be divided into occupied zones, which would be administered by United States, British, French, and Russian troops. Also, the "Big Three" agreed that the Allies had no duty towards the Germans, except to provide "minimum subsistence."
They also declared that the German military industry would be abolished or confiscated and agreed that major war criminals would be quickly brought to trial before an international tribunal, which subsequently was convened at Nürnberg.
The actual determination of reparations would be assigned to a commission.
Additionally, Roosevelt and Churchill negotiated, with Stalin, the conditions under which Russia would be willing to enter the war against Japan.
The Yalta Conference: The "Big Three" - Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin.
Consequently, the three agreed that, in exchange for Russian participation in the Pacific Theatre, Russia would be granted an influential recompense in Manchuria following Japan’s surrender.This would include the southern part of Sakhalin, a lease at Port Arthur (modern Lüshunkou), a share in the operation of the Manchurian railways, and the Kurile Islands.The above agreements were the outcome of the Yalta Conference and have often been referred to as the "dividing up the world by the Big Three."
Russian Gains from WW2
After WW2, Russia rebuilt quickly and rose to be one of the world’s two superpowers through its moves in Eastern Europe, post-war modernisation of industry, and the seizure of German factories and engineers as booty. The post-war Five-Year plans focused on the arms and heavy industries at the expense of consumer goods and agriculture.
Russia also won island holdings from Japan and further concessions from Finland (which had joined Germany in invading the Soviet Union in 1941) in addition to the territories seized because of the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression Pact.
Additionally, it is suggested that Russia accrued an estimated $65 billion worth of booty from WW2.
Russian Involvement in the Pacific Arena
The surrender of Japan was announced by Japanese Emperor Hirohito on 15 Aug 1945, and formally signed on 02 Sep 1945.
Tehran Conference - At the Tehran Conference in Nov 1943 Joseph Stalin agreed that Russia would enter the war against Japan once Germany was defeated.
Yalta Conference - At the Yalta Conference in Feb 1945, Stalin agreed to enter WW2 in the Pacific Theatre within three months of the end of the war in Europe (08 May 1945 (Allies) and 09 May 1945 (Russia). Consequently, it was Aug 1945 when Russia joined the Pacific Theatre of War.
Russia fought two short, undeclared border conflicts with Japan in 1938 and again in 1939, and then remained neutral because of the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact of Apr 1941 until Aug 1945 when it (and Mongolia) joined the rest of the Allies and invaded Manchukuo, China, Inner Mongolia, the Japanese protectorate of Korea, and Japanese-claimed territories such as South Sakhalin.
WW2 ended with Germany's unconditional surrender in May 1945; however, both 08 and 09 May are celebrated as Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day). This double celebration occurs because the Germans surrendered to the Western Allies, including Britain and the United States, on 08 May 1945, and a separate surrender took place on 09 May 1945 in Russia.
In the Pacific Theatre, the war ended with Japan's unconditional surrender on 14 Aug 1945, which was signed on 21 Sep 1945. The date of the Japanese surrender is known as Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).
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