Figure 1.--This German press photo was apparently designed to show that the country was holding up against Allied bombing. We think it appeared in American newspapers on April 1, 1944. This was just after Big Week when the air campaign had changed against the Luftwaffe. Of course we do not know when the photograph originated in Germany. We have the American press clipping, but it is not focused and very difficult to make out. Click on the image to see the clipping if you think you can improve our decryption. "Germany's War Babies: Here are some of Germany's hopes for an after 20 years ????, given ????? special protection against air raids on Berlin. The cliping is from the 'Berlin Illustrated Zeitung', just after the first big air raids on Germany. Propaganda analysts here believe the article is aimed at ?????? whatever fears German women might have about Nazies children during the war. The outlines under the big picture map war chikdren, well fed and well taken care of, is long ???? the little ones are lying in the big air raid shrlters built conforming to the most modern ???? deep under the earth. Their mothers sleep in the nect room. Outlines next to the babies ???? ????? ?????. Doctors and nurses are ready ????? ???? to care for them. 4/1/44. (This means April mbecause the clipping was from an American newsopaper.)

Numbers are a factor that have to be considered in assessing the strategic bombing campaign. There is a common argument to condemn the Allies for strategic bombing because so many more Germans and Japanese died from bombing than Allied civilians. Some claim that the Allies in their Strategic Bombing Campaign used undo, excessive force. We are setting aside here the German and Japanese being the first countries to bomb cities. We address that issue separately. Here we consider only the numbers. There are several issues to consider involving numbers. First, it is true that it was the Anglo-Americans that eventually bombed with the greatest intensity. It was late in war, but the Allies dropped more bombs and more tonnage than the Axis powers. And the Allies did more damage and killed more people than the Germans and Japanese. Second the number of German and Japanese civilians killed is far less than commonly believed as a result of very effective German air defenses and civil defense and the fact that significant bombing of Japan did not begin until very late in thee War (March 1945). We estimate some 0.5 million Germans and less than 1.0 million Japanese. Third, while Allied bombing killed more civilians than Axis bombing, bombing is a very expensive and very inefficient way of killing people. The numbers killed are barely more than footnotes compared to the huge numbers of people killed by the Axis powers in a wide range of killing operations. The Germans killed some 25-30 million Soviet civilians, mostly civilians. And that was just one country. Deaths in Poland were 25 percent of the population. Bombing deaths in Germany and Japan were only about 0.6 percent of the German population and 1.3 percent of the Japanese population. The numbers are not inconsiderable, but a tiny fraction of the number of people the Axis countries were killing. Fourth, we have to also calculate not only the 10s of millions of people the Axis powers actually killed during the War and the even larger numbers that they they planned to kill once they won the war. Here it is important to look at German Generalplan Ost. Fourth, last an most importantly, and the question the critics refuse to answer is how could the Axis murder operations have been stopped with less loss of life.

Intensity

First, it is true that it was the Anglo-Americans that eventually bombed with the greatest intensity. It was late in war, but the Allies dropped more bombs and more tonnage than the Axis powers. And the Allies did more damage and killed more people than the Germans and Japanese.

Numbers Killed

Second the number of German and Japanese civilians killed is far less than commonly believed. Civil Defense programs could signficantly bombing casualties. The British and Germns had very effective air defenses and civil defense systems. Casualties in Japan were affected by the fact that the bombing of Japan did not begin until very late in thee War (March 1945). Evacuations had an imoact on civilan deaths. We estimate some 0.5 million Germans and less than 1.0 million Japanese.

Effectiness

Third, while Allied bombing killed more civilians than Axis bombing, bombing is a very expensive and very inefficient way of killing people. The numbers killed are barely more than footnotes compared to the huge numbers of people killed by the Axis powers in a wide range of killing operations. The Germans killed some 25-30 million Soviet civilians, mostly civilians. And that was just one country. Deaths in Poland were 25 percent of the population. Bombing deaths in Germany and Japan were only about 0.6 percent of the German population and 1.3 percent of the Japanese population. The numbers are not inconsiderable, but a tiny fraction of the number of people the Axis countries were killing.

Calculating Deaths

Fourth, we have to also calculate not only the 10s of millions of people the Axis powers actually killed during the War and the even larger numbers that they they planned to kill once they won the war. Here it is important to look at German Generalplan Ost. This was a massive German killing program beyond imagination. Itb would have made the Jewish Holocaust lookmlije child;s play. It was focsed on EasterN europe, but had the Germans won the War, itb is likely that theybwoukd have also turned to assessing the racial cgharacter of Werstern Euroope as well.

Alternatives

Fourth, last an most importantly, and the question the critics refuse to answer is how could the Axis murder operations have been stopped with less loss of life.

Created: 5:27 AM 4/23/2023br> Last updated: 5:27 AM 4/23/2023