On the night of 910 march 1945, the united states army air forces usaaf conducted a devastating firebombing raid on tokyo, the japanese capital city. May 19, 2015 the fire raids on japan started in 1945. His mission was to drop an incendiary fire bomb on the thick forest and cause a massive fire that would shock americans and divert resources from fighting the war. On the night of 910 march 1945, 334 b29s took off to raid with 279 of them dropping 1,665 tons of bombs on tokyo.
Edwin hoyt, world war ii scholar and author, argues against the u. More than three years of brutal global warfare would pass before marshalls prediction came true, but come true it did on the night of march 910, 1945. Targeting tokyo, nagoya, osaka, and kobe, as well as smaller japanese cities, major general curtis lemay 19061990 and his squadrons of b29 bombers flying low and carrying nothing but incendiary explosives unleashed an almost nightly bombing campaign througout the spring and summer of 1945 that reduced the residential and commercial centers of the nation to rubble and charcoal. B29 bombers launched one of the most devastating air raids in history. Starting on the night of march 910, 1945, the united states. American fire bombing and atomic bombing of japan in. A good overview of strategy used, and effect on japanese war industries and workers. In late february 1945, over 300 b29s began a nightattack on the city of tokyo. A force of 334 b29s was unleashed each plane stripped of ammunition for its machine guns to allow it to carry more fire bombs. The plan was for bombs to explode in west coast forests and start fires, kill people, and. The fog of war documentary film by errol morris featuring robert mcnamara.
Aerial shots of bombed mitsubishi aircraft plant at nagoya near tokyo. Mar 02, 2021 bombing of tokyo, march 910, 1945, firebombing raid codenamed operation meetinghouse by the united states on the capital of japan during the final stages of world war ii, often cited as one of the most destructive acts of war in history, more destructive than the bombing of dresden. In 1945, a japanese balloon bomb killed six americans. Frustrated at first by the ineffectiveness of highaltitude bombing of japan from china, lemay began to explore the alternative of lowaltitude incendiary or fire bombing introduced first in the european theater by the british and famously applied at the end of the european war in the destruction of dresden on february, 1945. Beginning on thanksgiving day 1944, b29 fire bomb raids began on japan from saipan in the mariana islands.
The myth that the japanese were prepared to fight on the bitter end was a total fabrication, and the us high. The effect of all of this mining and bombing can be seen in the kobeosaka area. The atomic bombs of hiroshima and nagasaki have dominated the retelling of wwii history, but as a single attack the bombing of tokyo in march 1945 was more destructive. These socalled fire balloons were filled with hydrogen and carrying bombs varying from 11 to 33 pounds, and were part of an experimental japanese military offensive. The fire bombing of japan, march 9 august 15, 1945. The fire raids were ordered by general curtis lemay, who some see as the bomber harris of the pacific war, in response to the difficulty b29 crews had in completing pinpoint strategic bombing over japanese cities. With the initial test explosion of the atomic bomb in new mexico on july 16, 1945, the atomic age had begun in earnest. Japan released the first of these bomb bearing balloons on november 3, 1944. From february 1945, the bombers switched to lowaltitude night firebombing against urban areas as.
They had shipped 320,000 tons in march, 1945, but by july this had dropped to 44,000 tons. Between april 1944 and august, 1945, an estimated 333,000 japanese people were killed and 473,000 more wounded in air raids. The bombing of tokyo, tokyodaikushu was a series of firebombing air raids by. The united states dropped atomic bombs on japan in 1945 to end world war ii as quickly and with as few casualties as possible. The lack of reference to civilian losses also reflected the pervasive notion that incinerating civilians, however regrettable, was justifiable if it ultimately saved american lives. That time us firebombed a japaneseoccupied chinese city. To understand this i recommend considering three facts. The effects of the atomic bomb on hiroshima, japan the. His mission was to drop an incendiary fire bomb on the thick forest and cause a massive fire that would. Receiving a distinguished flying cross for piloting the largest planes used in during wwii, his last mission was august 6th, 1945 the day of hiroshima the.
However, the air raids of march 1945, and particularly on the night of march 9, were a different story altogether. Along with the controversial smithsonian exhibit of the enola gay, the subject of bombs during the war was one of the most talked about in 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of world war ii. Strategic bombing survey of hiroshima is the key compendium of data, with much more data than any nuclear test report from the 1950s. The final moments of a japanese dive bomber, 1945 rare. Grayling explains the different responses to firebombing and atomic. And that crew was chosen as the lead crew on the first firebomb mission. Although no one in the united states knew it at the time, the japanese, lacking information about the fire balloon programs effectiveness, had abandoned it in early april 1945. Randall hansen and sinclair mckay detail the personal. But in early june 1945, secretary of war henry stimson ordered kyoto to be. In what is generally referred to as strategic or area bombing, waves of bombers flew low over tokyo for over two and a half hours, dropping incendiary bombs with the intention of producing a massive firestorm. By dawn, more than 100,000 people were dead, a million were homeless, and 40 square kilometers of tokyo were burned to the ground. Lemay, therefore, decided that blanket bombing raids on cities to undermine. Japanese bomb carrying balloons were 33 ft 10 m in diameter and, when fully inflated, held about 19,000 cu ft 540 m 3 of hydrogen.
That is the compelling and elegantly simple argument newman puts forward in his new study of world war iis end,truman and the hiroshima cult. The two men, along with their armaments officer and chief engineer, worked out the ordnance questions of the firebombing of tokyo. Deadly wwii firebombings of japanese cities largely ignored. Aug 10, 2016 they each carried four incendiaries and one thirtypound highexplosive bomb. A photo taken march 19, 1945, shows the incendiary bombdevastated. Pathfinder aircraft went out first to mark the targets using napalm bombs, then the horde of b29s flew in at an altitude of between 2,000 feet and 2,500 feet and proceeded to firebomb the city. Hoyt accuses major general curtis lemay, the air force leader who helped plan the destruction of dresden, of committing a war crime through his plan to burn japan s major cities to the ground. The man who saved kyoto from the atomic bomb bbc news.
Mikesh, now 91, was a pilot and author who wrote one of the first books on operation fugo, japan s world war ii balloon bomb attacks on north america, in 1973. Jul 28, 2017 and so on march 9, 1945, a total of 334 b29 bombers took off for operation meetinghouse. The americans too had come round to supporting area bombing by 1945 in. The atomic bombing of hiroshima actually killed less. Japan surrenders, august 1015, 1945 the manhattan project and the second world war, 1939 1945 in the early morning hours of august 6, 1945, a b29 bomber named enola gay took off from the island of tinian and headed north by northwest toward japan. In august 1945, the united states dropped atomic bombs on hiroshima and nagasaki, and the immediate aftermath was documented by japanese photographers. In his 1995 book, drop the atomic bomb on kyoto, japanese. In 1945, a japanese balloon bomb killed six americans, five. Not only were civilians targeted, but they were targeted via use of scientific methods. W hen the united states launched a bombing operation over japan on mar. The japanese bombed michigan during world war ii using balloons. Some were published widely in japan during the 1950s, though not in the united states. I found this source credible because it is in direct reference to the account papers of general ferrell who as there to experience the event.
The photographers who captured the toll of hiroshima and. A successful incendiary raid required ideal weather that included dry air and significant wind. Why did the americans use precision bombing in europe and yet. Hitchcock the world believes the atomic bombs on hiroshima and nagasaki ended world war ii. Each cluster would release thirtyeight incendiary bombs of napalm and phosphorus, creating a rain of fire over the city. Attack of japans killer wwii balloons, 70 years ago. The key development for the bombing of japan was the b29 superfortress strategic. The program was designed to send inexpensive weapons to traverse the pacific ocean via the jet stream and strike north america. May 22, 2019 on august 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of hiroshima, followed three days later by another on nagasaki. Jul 11, 20 the effects of the atomic bomb on hiroshima, japan, secret, unpublished threevolume may 1947 report the 14 october to 26 november 1945 u.
This outfit has been getting a lot of publicity without having really accomplished a hell of a lot in bombing results. By 1945, however, the precision bombing of japan had proved frustrating. B29 bombers flew over tokyo in the dead of night, dumping massive payloads of cluster bombs equipped with a thenrecent invention. In what is generally referred to as strategic or area bombing, waves of bombers flew low over tokyo for over two and a half hours, dropping incendiary bombs with the intention of producing a. In japan, the us air war reached peak intensity with area bombing and climaxed with the atomic bombing of japanese cities between the night of march 910. Their launch sites were located on the east coast of the main japanese island of honshu. Tokyo was hit by incendiaries on 25 february 1945 when 174 b2. The bombing of germany, 1940 1945 the big lie about socalled area bombing of germany during the second world war is that civilians werent targeted. This fairly short tome provides a concise summary of the firebombing attacks on tokyo and other japanese cities in 1945, prior to the availability of atomic bombs. Oct 11, 2000 in his new book, inferno, hoyt shows how the u. Japanese balloon bombs fugo atomic heritage foundation.
Father wilhelm kleinsorge, a german priest of the society of. Bodies in the street after the allied fire bombing of dresden, germany. Allied forces conducted many air raids on japan during world war ii, causing extensive. In total, an estimated 500,000 or more japanese civilians would be.
The bombs were mostly the 500pound 230 kg e46 cluster bomb which released 38 napalmcarrying m69 incendiary bomblets at an altitude of 2,0002,500 ft 610760 m. A new book from osprey is helping to offer new perspective on the fire raid on tokyo. World war ii north african campaign geni family tree. Japan was already attempting to surrender before the atomic bombs were dropped.
The atomic bomb and the end of world war ii national. Tokyo wwii firebombing, the single most deadly bombing raid. Nearly 80,000 people are believed to have been killed immediately, with possibly another 60,000 survivors dying of injuries and radiation exposure by 1950. Site of a japanese balloon bomb explosion omaha, nebraska. On march 1617, 331 american b29 bombers launched a firebombing attack. And whats sometimes forgotten in this history is that these b29s were firebombing japan long before the nuclear bombs were dropped. As us planes bombed japan during wwii, the japanese sent. By 1945 most people accepted the bombing of urban areas, especially japanese cities. Tokyo was hit by incendiaries on 25 february 1945 when 174 b29s flew a high. There are a greater number of books about air warfare in general that contain important sections relating to the air attack on japan, including. Tokyo had already been virtually destroyed by fire bombing in march, so was. The japanese tried to do minesweeping, but it wasnt very effective. A hundred thousand people were killed by the atomic bomb.
The japanese militarys balloon bomb or fire bomb weapon utilized hydrogen balloons carrying incendiary and antipersonnel bombs. Fire and fury the allied bombing of germany and japan. In 1945 a japanese bomb exploded in oregon, killing six. Bombers over japan during world war ii washington, 1996. Mar 03, 2017 a japanese plane caught squarely by antiaircraft fire leaves a trail of smoke and flame as it falls toward the ocean.
Indeed, more people lost their lives in lemays raid on tokyo in march 1945 100,000 than were killed by either of the nuclear bombs that were dropped five months later. After trials on the japanese village set on the dugway proving grounds, curtis lemay of the american forces ordered the b29 bombers to drop incendiary bombs to burn japan s mostly woodandpaper houses, in an experimental carpet bombing against kobe on february 4, 1945 march 1617 raid. In japan 194445, mark lardas paints a new and devastating picture of what the attack looked like from the air. Army built prototype atomic bombs during world war ii. The curious history of japans balloon bomb attack on america, author ross coen called the weapon the worlds first intercontinental ballistic missile, and the silent. B29s had been bombing japan with little success from china since mid1944. A photo taken march 19, 1945, shows the incendiary bomb devastated. Dec 01, 2016 world war ii was a landmark in the development and deployment of technologies of mass destruction associated with air power, notably the b29 bomber, napalm, fire bombing, and the atomic bomb. Mar 09, 2020 first lieutenant, 874th bomb squadron, 498th bomb group on saipan, i was in quonset hut barracks with another crew. The pilot might have already been dead by the time the bomber was going down. This source made little or no reference to the actual bombs dropped on japan in 1945, but provided specific details about the creators reactions to the first test atomic bomb exploded in new mexico. Mar 09, 2015 w hen the united states launched a bombing operation over japan on mar. The atomic bombing of hiroshima actually killed less japanese.
He made a bomb out of a condensed milk tin and gunpowder and at great risk to himself, destroyed a german freighter. The fire bombing of japan, march 9 august 15, 1945 by edwin p. The deadliest air raid in history daily planet air. Lemay decided to drop e46 clusters that would explode at 2,000 feet above the ground. For the most part the images they produced were censored or confiscated, but many were preserved in secret. Air force bombing strategy change in the pacific on. There wont be any hesitation about bombing civiliansit will be allout. It was so black under the books and debris that the borderline between. Apr 25, 2012 in 1945 a japanese bomb exploded in oregon, killing six. Mar 09, 2020 kobe in the early hours of march 10, 1945, 279 u.
Flash of light, wall of fire japanese photographs documenting. While the united states began conventional bombing of japan as early as 1942, the mission did not begin in earnest until mid1944. The bombings and resulting fires inflicted a greater area of fire damage and loss of life than the nuclear bombings of hiroshima or nagasaki as single events. Elsie winters mitchell of port angeles and five children. American fire bombing and atomic bombing of japan in history. Receiving a distinguished flying cross for piloting the largest planes used in during wwii, his last mission was august 6th, 1945 the day of hiroshima the same day he was forced to ditch his aircraft into the sea. Overall, 1,700 tons of bombs were dropped, 16 square miles were burned, and 100,000 people lost their lives. Mar 27, 2012 tokyo on a clear night in march 1945, more than 300 u. Jun 11, 2017 a pall of smoke lingers over this scene of destruction in hiroshima, japan, on august 7, 1945, a day after the explosion of the atomic bomb. The balloons would claim six american lives on may 5, 1945, but they were widely considered a military failure. Oct 23, 2011 on monday, august 6, 1945, a mushroom cloud billows into the sky about one hour after an atomic bomb was dropped by american b29 bomber, the enola gay, detonating above hiroshima, japan. Over the following month, lemay and his fleet continued to firebomb many of the smaller cities in japan and took out the large manufacturing sites.
Japan s latest weapon, the balloon bombs were intended to cause damage and spread panic in the continental united states. Your institution does not have access to this book on jstor. Weather reports predicted these conditions over tokyo on the night of march 910, 1945. Mar 09, 2015 flying fortresses will be dispatched immediately to set the paper cities of japan on fire. B29s dropped 1,665 tons of bombs, mostly 500pound e46 napalmcarrying m69 incendiary bombs, killing approximately 100,000 civilians in a.
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