America’s Precision Bombing Myth: Part 1 - Area Bombing if Necessary (January to September 1943)

During World War Two American 8th Air Force commanders in England claimed they were carrying out a precision bombing campaign against German military and industrial targets, while avoiding deliberately targeting German civilians and cities. Despite these assertions however, American B-17s and B-24s engaged in deliberate area attacks on German cities on a limited scale during the first several months of American raids on Germany from January to September 1943, due to difficulties in implementing daylight precision bombing. This fact was hidden by American commanders, who allowed for area bombing attacks on German cities despite publicly disavowing such tactics. This limited allowance for area bombing attacks on a limited scale would open the door for an expansion of bombing raids targeting German cities starting in the fall and winter of 1943.

00:00 - Start
00:38 - Intro
02:56 - Norden Bombsight vs European Weather
07:10 - "Moling Raids"
12:34 - "Last Resort Targets"
25:50 - Conclusions

Tags:
8th Air Force, USAAF, United States Army Air Force, Ira Eaker, Carl Spaatz, Henry Hap Arnold, Arthur Harris, 8th Air Force, Emden, Area Bombing, Precision Bombing, Myth, Norden Bombsight, B-17, B-24, Memphis Belle, 12 O'clock High, Mighty Eighth, Royal Air Force, RAF, Germany, Luftwaffe, Targets of Opportunity, Moling Raids, America, World War Two, WWII, WW2