Allied Bombing Against Europe
It is possible to think that the comprehensive allied bombing would have a devastating effect on the civil population of Germany (University of Exeter, 2003). Subsequently, the bombing would have a hefty effect on industrial productivity, either through destroying production plants or through a negative physical or psychological impact on its labor. The allies expected this devastation of the civil population would lead to civil confusion and a demonstration by the public against the Nazi regime.
The allied airstrikes were supposed to paralyze Germany’s war-making capability techniques and destroy the country’s will to retaliate. It is clear that the American and British Air Forces lost significant resources from the airstrikes and would, therefore, be deemed ineffective (Werrell, 1986). However, from an overall perspective, these air attacks led to effective penetration by the troops on the ground into the enemy territories. By 1944, the fighter planes were able to penetrate further into the enemy zones and escorted the ground bombers further into these regions. Therefore, regardless of the hefty loss of lives and resources, it is elaborate that the allied bombings on Germany were effective.
Response 1 (Michael P)
I agree with you that the overall effect of the allied bombing campaign was successful. However, success came at the expense of significant resources and lives. The British and American Air Forces targeted the production plants in Germany to destabilize the economic status in the country. This destabilization would cause a significant shift in attention to the Nazi regime. The allied bombers considered this an effective strategy that only worked in the long run. I believe that regardless of the ultimate success by the allied bombers, the British and American forces could have used other less expensive and life-threatening means to successfully conquer their enemies.
Response 2 (Kevin Lee)
I agree with you that the allied bombing campaign was effective after further strategizing. The focus of the bombings was the economy of Germany by attacking their production plants to maim the country’s power to produce war-making technology and their desire to resist the war. Germany lost significant resources that could have aided in its success in the war. Moreover, the British and American Air Forces lost a significant number of resources.
References
University of Exeter. (2018). The Bombing of Germany 1940 – 1945. University of Exeter Retrieved from https://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/history/research/centres/warstateandsociety/projects/bombing/germany/
Werrell, K. P. (1986). The Strategic Bombing of Germany in World War II: Costs and Accomplishments. The Journal of American History, 73, no. 3 (705).