How was Bombing Significant in Determining the Outcome of the

Second World WarBy Jacob

Significance of Bombs

• Allowed nations to bypass armies, navy and tricky land formations.

• Deliver massive fire power to enemy’s industry, resources or towns.

• Tactical air support for ground infantry in battlefields.

Significance of Bombing

• Resulted in the significance of population becoming less apparent.

• Meant countries with stronger industries were able to prosper.

• Allowed for the price of War to be paid for with more money and less blood.

Negative Aspect of Using Bombs

• Highly inaccurate.• “Just one in five aircrafts lands a bomb within

a five mile distance of its target.”• More civilians are affected rather than

soldiers.• Unexploded bombs can hurt future

generations. For example, in Goettingen on June 3rd 2010.

Types of British Bomber Planes

• Wellington – Long range carrying 2 tons.• Lancaster – Night bomber carrying 10 tons.• Halifax – Night bomber carrying 8 tons, first

plane with a radar.• Mosquito – Carried 2 tons very quick and

agile, relied on speed rather than machine guns.

Significant British Bombings

• 1942 RAF pounded Germany with 48,000 tons of explosives mostly in air raids.

• 1943 RAF delivered 207,600 tons of explosives mostly in air raids.

• The bombing of Dresden killed slightly over 50,000 people many of which were civilians.

• Dresden involved 1500 tons of explosives and 1,200 tons of incendiaries

German Bomber Planes

• Junkers 88 – Medium range carrying 3 tons• Junkers 87 Stuka – Dive bomber, airborne

equivalent of the Blitzkrieg tactic.• Heinkel He 111 – Most common German

bomber carrying 2 tons.• Dornier 217 – 4 tons of bombs and 2 radars• Arado 234 Blitz – The worlds first jet bomber,

came to late to impact the outcome of war.

Significant German Bombings

• Germany attacked nearly every city in Britain excluding Oxford and Blackpool.

• Air raids on different cities were more common than large scale attacks.

• First attack on London killed 430 injured 1600.• Attacked during night for terror and to weaken

the British through sleep depletion.• Like the allies they targeted areas of industry.

Pearl Harbour

• December 7th 1941 due to tensions surrounding colonies in Asia, Japan attacked Hawaii.

• Pearl Harbour was a massive attack without any warning.

• 188 Aircrafts were destroyed, 2,400 people were killed and 1,280 people were injured.

Significance of the Attack

• Although the attack on Pearl Harbour received praise from Hitler, it was responsible for the switch in power.

• It caused the U.S entry into the war which was a key factor in the Allied victory.

• December 8th the U.S declared war on the Japanese. December 11th Germany and Italy declare war on U.S.A which is reciprocated.

Atomic Bombs

• On August 9th 2010 occurred the most significant bombings in history.

• The United States launched two atomic bombs, one on the city of Hiroshima the other on Nagasaki.

• Hiroshima killed an estimated 200,000• Nagasaki killed an estimated 80,000

Significance of the Atomic Bombs

• The bombs were effective in causing Japanese surrender.

• Most of the people killed were Japanese civilians, not soldiers.

• The ethical justification for the use of Atomic Weapons is still a subject of debate among scholars.

The Ethics of the Atomic Bombs

• The four main arguments made in terms of using the bomb were. – Preferable to an invasion– The speedy end of war saved lives– Part of Total War– Japanese leaders simply refused to surrender

Opposition to use of Atomic Bombs

• Reasons that suggest it was immoral as well as unnecessary to launch the bombs.– Fundamentally immoral– The bombings are war crimes– Militarily unnecessary – State terrorism – To intimidate Soviets– Nagasaki bombing unnecessary – Racism and Dehumanization

Conclusion

• Bombs were extremely significant in the outcome of war but also responsible for war crimes.– Bombs killed thousands of people and destroyed

thousands of Aircrafts and buildings. – Bombs allow armies to bypass rough terrain, infantry

unit and even tanks. – The atomic bomb marked the end of the war but

raised serious questions over humanity and ethics.– Bombs are also responsible for causing thousands of

civilians deaths.

Works Cited• 1945, By February. "The Bombing of Dresden." History Learning Site. Web. 28 Aug. 2010.

<http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/bombing_of_dresden.htm>. • "Atomic Bomb." Arts & Sciences | Arts & Sciences. Web. 31 Aug. 2010.

<http://artsci.wustl.edu/~copeland/atomicbomb.html>. • "BBC ON THIS DAY | 14 | 1945: Thousands of Bombs Destroy Dresden." BBC News - Home. Web. 26 Aug. 2010.

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/14/newsid_3549000/3549905.stm>. • "The Bombing of Nagasaki." History Learning Site. Web. 28 Aug. 2010.

<http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/bombing_of_nagasaki.htm>. • Callan, By Paul. "He Blitz That Could Not Beat Britain." Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. Web. 30 Aug.

2010. <http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/192940/The-Blitz-that-could-not-beat-britain/The-Blitz-that-could-not-beat-britainThe-Blitz-that-could-not-beat-britain>.

• "Debate Over How to Use the Bomb, Late Spring 1945." Department of Energy - CFO Home. Web. 29 Aug. 2010. <http://www.cfo.doe.gov/me70/manhattan/debate.htm>.

• "The London Blitz, 1940." EyeWitness to History - History through the Eyes of Those Who Lived It. Web. 28 Aug. 2010. <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/blitz.htm>.

• "Pearl Harbour." Aviation History, History of Flight, Century of Flight. Web. 9 Aug. 2010. <http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation history/WW2/pearl harbour japan2.htm>.

• "WW2 Bomb Kills Three in Göttingen as Experts Attempt to Defuse It | Mail Online." Home | Mail Online. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1283273/WW2-bomb-kills-G-ttingen-experts-attempt-defuse-it.html>.

• "Index of /photos/visite/hiroshima_02." Environmentalists For Nuclear - International Home Page Homepage (EFN)� . Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.ecolo.org/photos/visite/hiroshima_02/>.

• "Bomber Wallpaper." Flying Kiwi. Web. 31 Aug. 2010. <http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Aircraft/Bombers/index.html>.