*** war and social upheaval: World War II air campaign Luftwaffe terror bombing








World War II Air Campaign: Luftwaffe Terror Tactics

Nazi terror bombing
Figure 1.-- This is one of the iconic imaage of World War II, taken only days into the War. A Luftwaffe pilot had just murdered this girl's older sister while they were digging up potatoes. The NAZI leadership as in Spain, ordered the Luftwaffe in Poland to use terror bombing as a tactic of war. The NAZI onslaught against Poland is sometimes portrayed as their war against the Jews. This is in part correct, but the NAZI crusade in Poland was aimed at the Polish nation and people. They planned to expel Poles in the western areas from their homes, kill the educated Poles, and turn the rest into slaves of the Reich. The photograoher here was Julien Byan who provide details on the what happened .

It was the Germans who began bombing civilian populations rather than military targets as a terror tactict calculated to destroy civilian morale. Visionary military planners in the 1930s built the world's most advanced air force at the time--the Luftwaffe. [Corum] Germany was the first World War II combatant to use bombers to terrorize urban populations. This began even before World War II during the Spanish Civil War. The Luftwaffe experimented with the bombing of Guernica in 1937 and other Spanish cities were targeted. At the onset of World War II began the tactic was used on Warsaw and other Polish cities (September 1939). One historian writes, "The bombing of Warsaw early in the war made it clear to the Allies how Hitler intended to fight his war. It was to be Schrecklichkeit ('frightfulness') with no regard for the civilian population." [Snyder] Actually the avowed purpose was to cause civilian casualties. The Luftwaffe demolished the Polish Air Force on the first day of the War and for 6 days 400 bombers pounded the unprotected Polish capital day and night with no pretense of targetting military or industrial targets. The same tactic was employed in Germany's western campaign in 1940. This time it was Rotterdam (May 1940). The Luftwaffe targetted the Dutch seaport of Rotterdam AFTER the city had surrendered. Screaming Stuka dive-bombers leveled the center of the city. Luftwaffe bombers on May 13-14 concentrated on Rotterdam without regard for civilian casualties. Hitler describes the tactic as "Schrecklichkeit" (frightfulness), the use of terror to break a country's will to resist. It worked in the Netherlands. The terror bombing of Rotterdam and threats of similar bombings of other Dutch cities convinced the Dutch that resistance was futile. The Dutch Army surrendered on May 15. It proved a disaster against the British. The success of this strategy in Poland and the Netherlands had convinced Hitler, who had a predelection for massive destruction, that it could be successfully employed in the upcoming Battle of Britain instead of following the strategy devised by the Luftwaffe. Hitler's insistance that the Luftwaffe switch to terror bombing of British cities was a crucial element in the eventual German loss of the battle as well as a major swing in Ameican public opinion. Hitler was, however, not deterred from the tactic. He ordered the terror bombing of Belgrade in 1941, calling it "Operation Punishment". Some authors challenge the common perception that the Luftwaffe itself embraced terror bombing of civilian populations. Terror was Hitler's preferred tactic, not the Lufwaffe's strategic doctrine. Actually the Americans and British were more interested in startegic bombing than Luftwaffe planners. It was Hitler that decided to use the Luftwaffe for terror bombing. [Corum] The British Royal Air Force (RAF) in contrast were very reluctant to use it bombers during the opening phase of World War II. RAF bombers actually dropped leaflets on German cities, but that was to change after the Blitz.

Specific Luftwaffe Terror Actions

The Germans bombed Bondin and other British cities during Wokld War I. After the War, military strategiusts debated the use od=f asir oower in another war. Novelists wrote about the terror of another war and what the increasingly capable air craft being develooed could do to European cities. This possibility bcame all too real when Adolf Hitler and the NAZI Party seized power in Germany (1933). He immediately began building an air force, at first secretly. He and Göring anounced the creatiionn of the Luftwaffe (1935). Tragically for the world, this was just when major advances were being made in aviation. So the new German aircradt were state of the art. Hitler and N=Musolini sent theur advabced aircrft into Soain to aud Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936). The attack on Guernica broought all the horror authors had been depictung to life (1937). Hitler used the Luftwaffe to threanen the Czechs, forcing them to concede the partition of their territory (1938). Next the Luftwaffe began bombing Polish cities. Next Ritterdam was bombed, fiorcing the Dutchb ton surrender (1940). The French surrendered rather than having Paris abd other countries bombed. Hitler thought that the Blitz on London and other Brutish cuties wioukd also force a surrender. In fact it produced the first NAZI setbavk of the war. Next would be Bekgrade, a 4-day series of attacks on the undefended Yugoslav caoital. Hitler ordered it purely to punish the Yugoslavs for defying him. Next would be the terrir sttcjs ion Sioviet cities as oart if Opertionn Basrbasrossa (1941). The kast Siviet city to exoeriebnce a Luftwaffe terrir attack would be Stalingrad (1942). This would be the last Luftwaffe terror attacks by its bombers. The final terror attacks would be the V-weaopns (1944).

Spanish Civil War (1937)

It was the Germans who began bombing civilian populations rather than military targets as a terror tactict calculated to destroy civilian morale. Visionary military planners in the 1930s built the world's most advanced air force at the time--the Luftwaffe. [Corum] Germany was the first World War II combatant to use bombers to terrorize urban populations. This began even before World War II during the Spanish Civil War. Luftwaffe units were dispastcghed to Spain (November 1936). Both the German Luftwaffe Condor Legion and the Italian Fascist Aviazione Legionaria conducted the attacks. Republican cities for the most part did not have air defenses. Madrid was heavily bombed throughout much of the War. It was, however, a large city and the force of the bombing dipersed. It is the Luftwaffe's bombing of Guernica that has most endured in the popular mind (April 1937). This is probably because Guernica was a small town of very little military importance. The town had no air defense. Estimates of the number of deaths range from about 200-1,600 people. The small size of the town allowed the Luftwaffe to concentrate its force. The results were devestating, although only a small taste of what would transpire during World War II itself. We are not sure at this time who planned the Luftwaffe bombing raids and what was military assessment of the impact. We also are unsure how Goebbels Propaganda Ministry handeled the Luftwaffe's activities in Spain. The bombing was, however, heavily reported by the Western media and depicted in the movie newsreels. Perhaps most importantly, the fledgling Luftwaffe learned a great deal from the Spanish War in the way of strategy, tactics, logistics, and operations.

Czechoslovakia (March 1939)

One terror bombing which did not occur needs to be mentioned, the bombing of Prague. Here we have direct evidence even before the War began that both Hitler and Göring were personally willing to order the Luftwaffe to use terror bombings of civilian populations. I do not think that Hitler directly threatened Chamberlain and Daladier with aerial bombardment at Munich (September 1938). It was very different when a few months later he decided in violation of his persinal commitmnt to occupy what remained of Czechoslovakia. Hitler summoned elderly Czech Persident Emile Hachla to Berlin (March 14, 1939). Both Hitler and Göring made it very clear that the historic beauties of Prague would be destroyed. There was no reference to military targets. Hitler and Göring were threatening Czech civilians and the historic buildings and artitistic treasures of Prague. Hachla feinted and had to be revived to telephone instructions to surrender back to Prague and to sign over his country to the NAZIs.

Poland (September 1939)

At the onset of World War II began the tactic was used on Warsaw and other Polish cities (September 1939). One historian writes, "The bombing of Warsaw early in the war made it clear to the Allies how Hitler intended to fight his war. It was to be Schrecklichkeit ('frightfulness') with no regard for the civilian population." [Snyder] We certainly think it should have been clear, but in fact Polsnd was isolated between NAZI Germany and the Soviet Union. Thus it was difficult for press reports, especially images to resch the West. The avowed purpose og the arracks on cities was to cause civilian casualties. The Luftwaffe demolished the Polish Air Force on the first day of the War and for 6 days 400 bombers pounded the unprotected Polish capital day and night with no pretense of targetting military or industrial targets. The Luftwaffe bombings of Guernica and Rotterdam are more comolicated affairs. The Luftwaffe's attacks on Poland are not complicated and are not clouded by any moral ambiguity. The Luftwaffe's attacks on Warsaw were a clear example of the terror bombing of a largely defended civilian population. Estimates vary but 25,000 Poles are believed to have been killed in air attacks, most in Warsaw. Hitler visiting the destruction, remarked to journalists, "That is how I can deal with any European city." Some German authors claim that it was the British that began attacks on civilians. It is well to remember what Hitler and the Luftwaffe did to Warsaw in the first days of the War, before German civilians were targetted. What Hitler did not realize at the time was that Germany did not have a strategic bombing force and that the British and Americans were both building just such a force.

Helsinki (November 1939)

The Soviet Union signed the NAZI-Sioviet Pact becioming a NAZI ally (August 1939). TYhe Siviets had a huge aur firce, but less capable than the Luftwaffe. The Soviets participatedng with the NAZIs in the invasuiinn of Poland laubching Wkirkd war II (Septenmber 1939). As a NAZI ally they invaded Finland launching the Winter War (November 1939). This was largely a ground campuign, but there were bombing raids on Helsinki. The tinyb Fuinnishb airforce was powerless to priotect the city. Societ Fireignn Minister Molotov claimed that the Red Air Force was dropping food supplies for the Finish people. The Finns answered with the Molotov Cocktail to stop Red Army tanks.

Rotterdam (May 1940)

The same tactic was employed in Germany's western campaign in 1940. This time it was Rotterdam (May 1940). The Luftwaffe targetted the Dutch seaport of Rotterdam AFTER the city had surrendered. Screaming Stuka dive-bombers leveled the center of the city. Luftwaffe bombers on May 13-14 concentrated on Rotterdam without regard for civilian casualties. Hitler describes the tactic as "Schrecklichkeit" (frightfulness), the use of terror to break a country's will to resist. It worked in the Netherlands. The terror bombing of Rotterdam and threats of similar bombings of other Dutch cities convinced the Dutch that resistance was futile. The Dutch Army surrendered on May 15. A Dutch reader tells us, "When Rotterdam was attacked by the Luftwaffe in 1940, I was 11 years old and living 65 km miles east of that city. I do remember the airplanes in the sky. They flew very low over our heads, ready to drop the bombs. We did not hear the actual bombing, but the next day the westwinds blew clouds of ashes in our direction. Pretty soon everything was covered : the roof on our house, the plants in our garden. Then we knew that something terrible had happened."

Battle of Britain: The Blitz (September 1940-May 1941)

The Battle of Britain was the first major camapign fought in the air. The German initiated their long awaited western campaign (May 1940). Paris fell (June 14) and France capitulated (June 22). The fall of France meant that Britain stood alone and for a year had to valiantly fight the Germans without allies. Itbtook the Luftwaffe several weeks to organize anair camapign. Hitler expected the British to follow thev French example and capitulate. But therevwas to be no Frenbch Vichy. Hitler would have to fight forb it. This began with the Channel Kammpf (July). Then thev Luftwaffe began to attack RAF forward airfieldss in Southeastern England where the designayed beaches for Ooeration Sealion were located (August 1940). Also attacked were ports and aircraft factories, but not London. Hitler still belivedv he could cowe the British Governmenhtb tom capitulate and achieve a British Vichy. When an off course Luftwaffe bomber inadvertedly bombed London, Churchill ordered raids on Berlin. They caused little damage. but an enraged Führer did what he did best, set out to dstroy London. It proved a disaster against the British. The success of this strategy in Poland and the Netherlands had convinced Hitler, who had a predelection for massive destruction, that it could be successfully employed in the upcoming Battle of Britain instead of following the strategy devised by the Luftwaffe. The Blitz (Septenber 1940-May 1941) was 8 months of unrelenting night-time terror attacks on British cities, most promnently London. Hitler's insistance that the Luftwaffe switch to terror bombing of British cities was a crucial element in the eventual German loss of the battle. At the end of the Battle, the Luftwaffevhad kniocked down a lot of British homes, but Britain was stronger than before and thev Luftwaffe was seriously bweakened. In additiin there was as a major swing in Ameican public opinion, in part due the couageous reporting of CBS corespondent Edwardc R. Muttow. Both were key ingredients in Germany's eventual loss of the War.

Belgrade (April 1941)

Hitler's efforts to bomb the Brutish people into submission failed miserably (1940). And he wasted consuderale numbers of planes and men in the process. Hitler was, however, not deterred from the tactic. He wanted other countries before his might. Other than murdering innocentb Jewish ciciians, including women and children, therev was nothing hev wanted more. A group of junior Yugoslav officers staged a coup when King Paul caved into Hitler's demands to join the Axis Pact. Personally offronted that a country he had courted as an ally had rejected him, Hitler ordered the terror bombing of Belgrade. He calling it 'Operation Punishment. [Fest, p. 711.] Itb was not to force complince. It was to punish thev Yugoslav people. The Luftwaffe flew more than 500 sorties against Belgrade killing more than 17,500 people (April 6-10, 1941). There was no air defensse. In fact the Yugoslavs declared Belgrade van open city. The Luftwaffe raidsvonn Belgrade was against an undefended city that was not resisting. Again the tactic worked. Itbwouldvbe the lastb time itbworked. A resourceful SS officer with six men after the bombing managed to seize the city ahead of the Wehrmacht timetable. It was an important factor in the stunning defeat of Greek and British forces in the next few weeks. [Heaton] German media did not hide these attacks on cities. We wonder how many of the German civilians at he time objected to the Luftawaffe bombing civilians, The Allies still did not have the capability of answering these attacks with bomb raids on German cities, but that was to begin to change in 1942 and sudenly Grman propaganda would begin calling bombing civilians a ar crime. .

Soviet Cities (1941-42)

The Grmans launched Operationn Barbaross, thv invasion of the Soviet Union (Junev 22, 1941). The Lufwaffe largely destroyed the huge Red Air Force during the first week of Barbarossa. Most of the aircraft were destoyed on the fground, so many of the pilots survived. But thec destruction of thec Red Auir Firce meant that Soviet cities for the most partb had no air defenses and were largely undefended. The Luftwaffe proceeded to pound them mercilessly. . Stalingrad would be the last Soviet city destroyed by the Luftwaffe (August-Septenmber 1942). After Stalingrad the battle swung westward as the Red Army liberated city after city and the Luftwaffe lost most of its offensive capability. German factories turned out lsrge numbers of fighters, but increasingly fewer bombers. The fighters were needed because the Brutish and then the Americans began to pound German cities. The Luftwaffe withdrew squadrons from the Ostkrieg to defend German cities. In addition huge amounts of artillery and amunition wasc divertedv from the Ostkrieg to build FLAK bateries around German cities.

Baedecker Raids (1942-43)

The Luftwaffe was streached to the limit with operations in the Soviet Union, North Africa, Norway and over the Reich cities. Hitler ordered, however, that the Luftwaffe must strike back against the British. The result was the Baedeker Raids. They were a series of Luftwaff air attacks on British cities. The targets of the raids were chosen for their cultural or historical significance, rather than for any actual war industries. Both the Germans and British used the term. This was because German diplomat Baron Gustav Braun von Stumm, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry, following Hitler's lead after learing about Rostock, made a statement, "We shall go out and bomb every building in Britain marked with three stars in the Baedeker Guide" (April 24, 1942). This was not, however, what Goebbels in the Propaganda Ministry wanted to hear. With Germany losing its capability of terror bombing, he had been pursuing the line that Germany stood for Europen culture and that the British were fighting a dirty war, killing women and children and destruying cultural treasures. Stumm's remarks indicated that Germany was doing just that. The Baedeker Raids, involved a relatively small bomber force, began (April 1942). The Germans hit Bath, Canterbury, Exeter, Norwhich, and York (April-May 1942). Smaller raids followed, continuing into 1943 with bdecling fiorce. The raids were smaller because of planes lost. The cities were hit and therews damage. The Luftwaffe managed to destoy some landmaks such as the cathedral town of Exeter (April 24) and the Regency town of Bath. This included the Assessmby Rooms in Bath. Many homes were destroyed (April 25-27). Next the Luftwaffe hit the cathedral city of Norwich (April 27-29). The Luftwaffe staged a small raid on Canterbury (May 31). There was another small attack on York (October 31) in reprisal for the RAF raids on Cologne and Mainz. This was the final reprisal raid. The depleted Luftwaffe was no longer capable of mounting further raids. Hitler was unable to strike again at Britain until the V-1 campaign following D-Day (June 1944).

V-Weapons (1944)

The NAZI V weapons are sometimes referred to as rockets. Rockets were effectively used in the World War II, but the German V-weapons were not rockets. The V-1 was a unmanned jet bomb or primitive cruise missle. The V-2 was a much more complex weapon system, a balistic missle. The NAZIs in 1944 launched these revolutionary weapons in an old fashioned terror campain against Britain. The V stood for Vergeltungswaffe--vegence. The vegence was retaliation for the Aliied strategic bombing campaign. The Germans were the firt to build and deploy these weapons. These wee extremely innovative weapons system and are today key components of modern militaries. The V-1 or buzz-bomb was a realitively simple weapon, a flying bomb using a ram jet engine. The V-2 balistic missle was very different. It was a technological achievement of the first order. Intelligence played a key role in the Allied response to these weapons. [Keegan] Both weapons are generally dismissed as of little importance and introduced too late to have any real impact on the War. This is not entirely accurate. This was true of the V-2. It was so costly and time-consuming to build that it was not an effective weapon with rhe conventinal war heads the Germans used. The V-1 was, however, a different matter. It was a simple system that could be easily mass-produced in large numbers. Amassive attack on the English Channel ports could have delayed or seriously hampered the D-Day landings.

German Public Knowledge

Hitler, Luftwaffe commander Göring, and NAZI propagandist Gobbes used their modern Luftaffe to threaten other countries and in Spain he demonstted the willingness to use it on cities and civilians (1936-39). This was most famously done at Basque town od Guernica, but Madrid, Barcelona, and other Spanish cities were also bombed. Hitler treatened President Hácha with unlashing the Luftwadffe on Czech cities. It was the reason besides Britain and France abndoning them that Czechoslvakia gave into the NAZIs. President Hácha collapsed when Hitler and Göring threaten to bomb Prague. Hitler did unleash the Luftwaffe on Poland (September 1939). A month later syrrounded by the ruins of Warsaw he openly threatened foreign journalists that this would happen to their cities if they resisted German arms. After the Victory in Poland The bombing of Rotterdam cused the Dutch to yield. We all knpow the trail of destruction the Luftwaffe left in its wake, especially with the Blitz because the British did not yield and the horrifying images reached America and other countries in countless numbers. This does not mean, however, that the German people were aware of this. Goebbels had convinnced most Germans, both civians and the soldiers, that the War was a justified defensive action to protect Germans inside and outside the Reich. Thst may seem incredible, but notice how President Putin has sucessfully comvimced most Russians that the 2022 action in Ukraine is a defenive matter and Ukraine cities are not being destroyed. Russians have access to more alternative sources of information than Germans during World War II. After the War began, Goebbels propaganda machine came up with 'Die Deutsche Wochenschau', weekly newsreels shown in movie theaters. It was the primary source of visual information about the War available to the German people (1940-45). . We have only viewed short clips, but much of the war content was on the lighter side of war. BNombing and destruction was shown, but as far as we know, it was the bombing abd destructiom caused by the Allies and after invading the Soviet Union, the Red Army. One Dutch observer tells us Goebbels did not depict the Lufwaffe bombing of enemy cities. "German people for sure weren't shown these horrible images." [Rops] They did depict Luftwaffe formations, but not the destruction wrought in Spain, Warsaw, Rotterdam. Lindon, Belgrade, and other cities. We can not confirm this, but it may well be ths case, thus German civilians camne to see the Allies Strategic Bombing Campaign as an unjustied war crime.

Luftwaffe Tactics

Some authors challenge the common perception that the Luftwaffe itself embraced terror bombing of civilian populations. Terror was Hitler's preferred tactic when opponents resisted German attacks, not the Luftwaffe's strategic doctrine. The Luftwaffe focused on ground support operations for the Wehrmacht. Neither the tactics for strategic bombing or a firce to conduct such operations were developed by the Luftwaffe. Actually the Americans and British were more interested in startegic bombing than Luftwaffe planners. It was Hitler that decided to use the Luftwaffe for terror bombing. [Corum]

The RAF

The British were hesitant to use the Royal Air Force (RAF) bombers during the opening phase of World War II. RAF bombers actually dropped leaflets on German cities, but that mindset was irrevocably changed after the Blitz. Sir Arthur Harris was given Bomber Command in February 1942. He is one of the most controversial figures in the War and soon stamped Bomber Command with his own vision of war which was to wreak a terrible revenge on Hitler's Third Reich and the German people. Not only was Bomber Harris determined to bring the War to the Germans, but the arrival of new haevy bombers had created a force willing to do just that and with far graeter leathality than the short-range medium bombers of the Luftwaffe.

Sources

Corum, James S. Luftwaffe: Creating the Operational Air War, 1918-1940" (University Press of Kansas, 2000).

Heaton, Colin D. "Taking Belgrade," World War II (January 1998), pp. 30-36.

Snyder, Louis L. Historical Guide to World War II (1982).

Fest, Joachim C. Hitler (Vintage Books: New York, 1974), 844p.

Hillgruber, Andreas. Strategie=Hitlers Strategie: Politik und Kriegführung 1940 bis 1941 (Frankfurk am Main, 1965).

Rops, Stefan. Personal commibication (April2, 2022). Rops has a history channel--History Hustle. One of his programs is "How Germans Saw the Battle of Britain (1940)".

Speer, Albert. Inside the Third Reich (New York, 1970).






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Created: November 1, 2002
Last updated: 7:01 AM 2/24/2024