Bombing Nazi Germany: The Graphic history of the Allied Air Campaign that Defeated Hitler in World War II

Vansant. Wayne. Bombing Nazi Germany: The Graphic history of the Allied Air Campaign that Defeated Hitler in World War II. 2016. 104p. ISBN 978-1-93958-176-1. Available at 940.54 VAN on the library shelves.

The Second World War saw fighting in every environment and with every type of weapon. One of the scariest mode of attack for civilians was the bomber, a lumbering airplane that carried up to 4,000 pounds of bombs. Tens or hundreds of bombers could drop enough bombs on a target to destroy it. But bombers were indiscriminate weapons. Targeting was more an art than a science.

This illustrated history of the Allied bombing campaign discusses the events that led to the creation of the strategic bombing corp and the development of the bomber as offensive weapon. The Battle of Britain had demonstrated to the British military authorities the awesome power that bombing inflicted on the population. Military authorities believed that bombing an enemy’s infrastructure could hasten the end of the war, so the British began assembling large fleets of bombers to target German industrial facilities. But flying over occupied Europe was dangerous, as bombers could not be accompanied by fighters that could protect them. Both sides endeavored to create longer-ranged fighters.

Various bombing campaigns proved the resilience of the German economy, so both American and British bombing commands switched to destroying cities in the hopes that the population would rise up and denounce their leaders. This strategy had not worked for the Germans, however, and so it proved ineffective for the Allies. Cities such as Cologne and Dresden were essentially destroyed by bombs and fire, yet the war ground on. What eventually made the difference was the appearance of longer-ranged Allies fighters that could support the vast bombing armadas, and the lack of German pilots to man their planes. Terms like carpet bombing originated in the Second World War.

Ultimately, bombing proved its worth when supporting armored and infantry drive on the ground by pushing the enemy back, revealing its positions and demolishing its infrastructure. But as a strategic component, its impact was mitigated. Beautifully illustrated, this volume makes the war vivid and provides an excellent visual component for readers unfamiliar with this era.

Other books in this illustrated series include The Battle of the Bulge: A Graphic History of Allied Victory in the Ardennes, 1944-1945 and Normandy: A Graphic History of D-Day. The Invasion of Hitler’s Fortress Europe.