Strategic Bombing in World War II

Flashcards for reviewing strategic bombing in World War II, covering definitions, events, and key figures.

Strategic bombing aims to hit __ infrastructure rather than dropping bombs randomly.

vital military factories and air bases.

Germany began using strategic bombing during WWI because they were ineffective in __ the British navy at sea.

blockading.

Britain turned to bombing in WWII when they received __ from the USA.

support.

Britain bombed at night, losing less bombers, but sacrificing __ accuracy compared to the USA.

bombing.

Area bombing involves dropping bombs in the __ of the intended target.

radius and vicinity.

Area bombing allows crews to drop bombs in the vicinity without trying to __ the target accurately.

pinpoint.

Technological improvements from 1942 onwards included the introduction of __ navigation.

electronic.

The key goals of Britain's strategic bombing campaign against Germany were to hit __ and manufacturing plants.

bases.

The bombing campaign aimed to lower __ among German civilians and make them want to stop the war.

morale.

Although area bombing aimed to cripple the German economy, it did not __ the morale as intended.

lower.

Some RAF leaders believed bombing alone could win a war due to the __ and hell it creates.

destruction.

The bombing campaigns severely affected Germany's ability to __ their war machine.

supply.

Approximately __ allied aircrew were killed in the bombing campaigns.

100,000.

The text suggests that strategic bombing saw major unintended success at the __ of the strategy.

beginning.

The Blitz was the rapid bombing of __.

London.

The Blitz began on September 7th, __ and ended on May 11th, 1941.

1940.

Incendiary bombs use slow chemical reactions rather than __ for the intended destruction.

detonation.

The main objective of the U.S. bombing of Tokyo in March 1945 was to scare Japan into __.

surrender.

General Curtis LeMay justified the Tokyo bombings due to the original strategic bombing being __.

useless.

Incendiary devices were used in Tokyo to maximize __ due to its wooden and paper structures.

destruction.

The ethical implications of targeting civilian areas in war cannot be __ ethically.

justified.

Americans chose aerial incendiary bombardment as it allowed the B-29 to fly at higher __.

altitudes.

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki received more __ than the Tokyo firebombing.

recognition.

About __ people were killed immediately after the impact in Hiroshima.

70,000.

The response in Japan after the Emperor surrendered included shock, confusion, and __.

shame.

The official surrender of Japan took place on September 2, 1945, in __ Bay.

Tokyo.

The Battle of the Bulge occurred on December 16, __.

1944.

Germany's final counteroffensive to halt the Allies was known as the __.

Battle of the Bulge.

The Allies won the Battle of the Bulge due to __ winter conditions faced by the Germans.

harsh.

The significance of the Battle of Berlin was as the final stronghold of Germany and the capital city where many leaders, including __, were trapped.

Hitler.