The Liberation of France: Alied Air Campaign (1942-44)


Figure 1.--.

An critical aspect of the liberation of France began in 1942 nearly 2 years before the D-Day landings in Normandy. Soon after Pear Harbor the United states began building up the 8th Air Force in Briain (early 1942). The Americans by late 1942 had begun raids into occupied France. And after the Casablanca Conference (January 1943) the Americans and British began around the clock attacks into the Reich. Targets in Germany resulted in unsustaniavle casualties during 1943. There were also extensive raids on France. A priority target was U-boat facilities. Several port coties were hard hit. There were also attacks in French industrial sites supporting the German war effort. Another major target were Luftwaffe bases. The Allies had by 1944 gained air superority over France as the Luftwaffe pulled back to defend the Reich. As D-Day approached attacks on beach defenses increased and a major effort was made to destroy the French rail sytem making it difficult for the Germans to supply and reinforce the beach defenses when the invasion came. This campaign aided by the Resistance proved highly effective. An unfortunate consequence was substantial civilian casualties. Many of the French World War II civilian casualties resulted from the ait campaign.

Allied Air Campaign in France

An critical aspect of the liberation of France began in 1942 nearly 2 years before the D-Day landings in Normandy. Soon after Pear Harbor the United states began building up the 8th Air Force in Briain (early 1942). The Americans by late 1942 had begun raids into occupied France. And after the Casablanca Conference (January 1943) the Americans and British began around the clock attacks into the Reich. Targets in Germany resulted in unsustaniavle casualties during 1943. There were also extensive raids on France. A priority target was U-boat facilities. Several port coties were hard hit. There were also attacks in French industrial sites supporting the German war effort. Another major target were Luftwaffe bases. The Allies had by 1944 gained air superority over France as the Luftwaffe pulled back to defend the Reich. As D-Day approached attacks on beach defenses increased and a major effort was made to destroy the French rail sytem making it difficult for the Germans to supply and reinforce the beach defenses when the invasion came. This campaign aided by the Resistance proved highly effective.

Civilian Casualties

An unfortunate consequence was substantial civilian casualties. Many of the French World War II civilian casualties resulted from the air campaign. There were substantial civilian casualties, altough many countries, even smaller countries like the Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, and Yugoslavia sustained far greater civilian casualties than France. The subject has been studied in some detail by historians. One histirian estimates deaths from the fall of France to the end of the War at over 67,000 civilians. [Florentin] He estimates that the Allies bombed 1,570 French cities and towns. The number woulnded was higher, probably more than 100,000. About 432,000 homes were destroyed and 890,000 heavily damaged. The heaviest damage ovvurred inn port cities, especially ports that supported U-boat operations. By far the greatest casualties were reported in the region around Normandy. Another historian estimates over 50,000 civiluahs were killed there. [Amouroux] Military historians have questioned the effectiveness of many of these attacks.

Souurces

Amouroux, Henri. La Grande histoire des Fran�ais sous l�Occupation volume 8.

Florentin, Eddy. Quand les Alli�s bombardaient la France (Perrin, Paris 1997). (When France was bombed by the Allies) Florentin heavily relied on official documents.






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Created: 4:49 AM 8/2/2007
Last updated: 4:49 AM 8/2/2007