Oh. This is the story of a world shattered by bombs a world where the very sky became a threat. Where terror descended upon cities and transformed people into hunted price. Cuts. Those who controlled the skies fell to omnipotent. World war two saw the birth of a hideous idea that victory could be achieved more quickly by bombing civilian populations. Against a backdrop of total war hatred and megalomania immense sums of money and creativity what pumped into promoting this concept. It was a time of senseless massacres and the immolation and destruction of countless cities and towns. Millions of tons of bombs were dropped during the conflict in hiroshima the detonation of a single atomic bomb instantly killed sixty to eighty thousand people another fifty thousand died in the following days and weeks. The allied bombing of civilians in World War Two is a dark chapter in the wests history but precisely for that reason we must ask why did civilians become bombing targets. Thank you it all began with a marvelous dream at the dawn of the Twentieth Century infuse yes to crowds gathered toward my a human kinds First Aviation exploits these birds were good omens that had the potential to overcome great distances and bring people closer together. Yet planes could barely climb a hundred meters into the sky when out of the public eye other adventurous began transforming that dream into a nightmare. In one thousand nine hundred eleven be a tally an aviator judio gov ati hand dropped histories first bombs on libyan rebels. The colonial world became the Playing Field for the pioneers of bombardment the imperial powers of italy britain and france. Each was facing its own rebellion by supposed savages the peoples of libya syria india and iraq shortly after world war one a british officer named Arthur Harris served in iraq and was impressed at how air power could keep large stretches of territory under control. He noted in forty five minutes a village can be wiped out under third of its inhabitants killed or injured. In this news excited military commanders bombers would revolutionize war thrill straw. Suggests began calculating on the potential advantages of this new sort of warfare. They spoke of aerial domination of swift and decisive victories. Even as ever more imposing prototypes crisscrossed the sky ordinary europeans continued to believe that the threat of bombing was distant and theoretical. Up but the danger was drawing near. When he took power in one nine hundred thirty three adult hitler began the process of rearmament. His thirst for domination knew no limits. And he saw the last far as a main instrument of his future conquests. With no want to stop him hitler was free to develop germanys air force into a powerful offensive weapon. That. Darla bends b. M. W. And other leading companies were only too willing to go along with hitlers plants. The aviation factories have high messerschmitt and yonkers developed planes whose xterm all forms alone were meant to inspire terror. Flight schools attracted ambitious military personnel. But no amount of training could replicate the experience of just one day of war. Dogfights strafing fire with machine guns bombing Communication Networks strategic factors. Is it it is a nine hundred thirty six the legion condo a unit of nazi aviators intervened in the spanish civil war. Hitler supported francos fascists against the republicans but he also had another reason for deploying his air force. With france and britain staying out of the conflict hitler used spain as a site for accelerated training. Some sixteen thousand germans would find in spain. Alongside pilots and machine gunners where engineers meteorologists to determine the best times for bombing. And photographers who helped identify targets and assess the results of attacks. April twenty sixth nine hundred thirty seven believing they were out of the public eye nancy officers authorized a horrific experiment. That day twenty four german and italian bombers took off on a new type of mission. The objective to test the effects of bombing on the inhabitants of a small town of no military importance whatsoever. Can account. Was it eat feel. More than thirty tons of bombs rained down on the town and its seven thousand inhabitants killing several hundred people. A few hours later the bombers returned home. The mission was considered a success. But. The town was quickly occupied by francos troops tara had paid off. British journalist george steer was able to visit the town immediately after the massacre. He wrote. The whole of guernica was soon in flames monday was the customary market day the market was full. All together the deaths may run into hundreds. Many were forced to remain round the burning town lying on mattresses or looking for lost relatives and children. Astonishment. Incomprehension. Steere concluded the raid on guernica is unparalleled in military history. Hitler was not at all pleased by steeres article which made its way around the world and tarnished his militarys image there was no way the nazis were going to admit responsibility for such a massacre. His Propaganda Machine reacted immediately and found a scapegoat. You shouldnt read about that action so i get used up about it you dont watch the interaction out of it read it in the middle be about at random and over that what it is. They did then give them the stuff im. Needed. The most powerful response to the lines had nazi propaganda came from one of the most famous painters of the day. Monumental painting gana cat was a howl of protest against modern warfare and the targeting of civilians it depicted the horror of the survivors and the butchering of innocent people. To castros nightmare imagery would prove prophetic. Shanghai. Nonpaying. Chongqing in that same year nine hundred thirty seven japans invasion of china began with bombings. People in panic fresh out has. The bombs warped steel disfigured cities and slaughtered civilians. The second sino japanese war may have been a long way away but the image of an orphan abandoned at the shanghai train station moved west an opinion deeply. In european cities compassion gave way to concern a journalist from london recalled. The vision we all have there was a vision built up from china but also from the film the shape of things to come we all knew what war would be. This big budget film played in every western capital in one thousand thirty six. Adapted from a novel by h. G. Wells it was the apocalyptic account of a city obliterated by bombs. I believe it. Was well centuries tell of the aerial bombing and the near future. The citys name was every time. I am. Nine hundred thirty eight. Fears of a new world war began spreading reality was about to surpass science fiction. As protection against chemical gas attacks which had been used in world war one millions of gas masks were distributed. But the big. Threat would not come from poison gas in the two years preceding the Second World War western nations prepared themselves for the bombing of civilians. The city after city started analyzing its vulnerability in new york it was calculated the two squadrons of bombers alone could paralyze the city. In london with its eight million inhabitants the government launched an Emergency Program to build shelters. In a place thats not an issue that has been the company. But how much protection could thin corrugated shelters offer against a barrel of steel. On september first nine hundred thirty nine hitlers troops invaded poland. World war two had begun. Back out in european capitals lights were turned off so that enemy warplanes wouldnt be able to use them for orientation. In paris london and even in berlin no one felt safe anymore. The war many dreaded for so long had finally come. On september third france and britain declared war on germany. Later that day u. S. President Franklin Roosevelt announced. That. He had already sent a letter to germany poland italy france and england. I am addressing this urgent appeal to every government which may be engaged in hostilities publicly to affirm. That its armed forces shall not undertake the bombardment of civilian populations or un fortified cities at this Point England and france are at yet to fire a shot. Meanwhile germany enjoyed nearly total air superiority its not far fire was making quick work of poland. Was. Was a number of polish cities most notably the capital warsaw were bombarded. On october sixth one thousand nine hundred thirty nine poland surrendered to the right. Although at the time hardly anyone could envision it what happened to warsaw was but a small taste of things to come. Twelve percent of the city was destroyed by german bombs. Claimed that his forces had only gone after military targets. The luftwaffe or bombers were clearly engaged in psychological warfare. Fieldmarshal hammond getting commander in chief of the luftwaffe or proclaimed what we did to poland we will do to france and england. Despite the german Aerial Threat the french general staff was astonishingly confident they may have had more manpower and equipment than germany as well as the support of england but their strategy was hopelessly out of date. That. The First World War had been dominated by static trench warfare the Second World War. Was to be completely different. I. Feel. On may tense nine hundred forty the allies got their first taste of modern warfare in the form of the german blitzkrieg the cities of western Continental Europe were effectively presented with a choice surrender people. One by one western european cities fell. After a brief period of futile resistance brussels was declared an open city meaning it was handed over to the enemy without fighting. The netherlands also surrendered but too late for rotterdam this was fated german planes bombarded not only oil and gas facilities but also the mediaval city center. An area of two point six square kilometers was leveled and eight hundred fourteen people died. Millions of dodge belgians and french civilians fled the advancing german army and their force. Passed. To spare paris the fate of rotterdam the french government in exile in bordeaux declared the capital an open city. On june fourteenth the van marked entered the nearly deserted city. Six days later an armistice was announced. In two months six countries had fallen into the hands of the national socialists. Hitler now turned his gaze to britain. Thanks but the new british Prime Minister was undaunted by german threats Winston Churchill was determined to fight to the end. Yet the country was already in a state of high alert children were evacuated from the cities. Would head lead dab on london. When the battle of britain began to look for restricted itself to military targets like airfields and aviation factories. From the french coast where his bombers had taken up positions girling promised hitler that he would eradicate the Royal Air Force the r. A. F. In two or maybe three weeks. But soon what may have been an accident would dramatically change the history of bombing. On august twenty fourth one thousand nine hundred forty a few german bombs fell on the city of london and the eastend in the heart of the english capital the Fire Department recorded seventy six hits. How would churchill respond to this decision was critical britain was not in a position of strength. Within twenty four hours the Prime Minister nevertheless ordered the r. A. F. To strike a german cities including both of them. To reach the german capital r. A. F. Planes had to cross through one thousand kilometers of enemy territory. German defenses were for medical the mission almost impossible. Intense anti aircraft fire forced the planes to fly higher reducing the accuracy of their bombing. The damage was insignificant but for girling it was a humiliation had he not sworn that if germany were bombed he would eat his hat. In reality hit look at not have wished for anything better it gave him a pretense for loosening the reins on his bombers. Is under no its called the german air raids the blissed and it took on a new strategy the luftwaffe and now called for the destruction of english cities and the terrorizing of civilian populations military targets took a back seat london was bombed nearly every day. Had high hopes for this new strategy the constant lethal threat from above was intended to break the morale of the british people and destroy the countrys economy and capacity to do. Event itself once the social order had collapsed germany could launch an invasion. A londoner wrote dear brother there is not one building standing but a heap of earth brick. We took out eleven bodies but apparently there are others underneath. The wailing of sirens the incessant alerts theyre even worse than the bombing. Sleeping has become impossible. When he took office churchill had Promised Land toil sweat and tears how else to describe the fate of these bombed out people. State officials watched out for signs that morale was crumbling how would the british people react the public mood could be decisive in this war. But the British Public proved surprisingly resilient. When madness and chaos were expected there was solidarity. Where demobilization was feared there was an incredible combative spirit. People adjusted to the bombing. As many as two hundred thousand people spend their nights in the underground despite appalling hygienic conditions. Others commuted daily in order to spend their nights outside their cities. News reports trying to make people forget the blood chant they were careful not to film corpses. Of the forty three thousand deaths under the reign of german bombs we have only a handful of images. If the british were able to resist it was because their Prime Minister had promised them that revenge would be on its way to meet the german leg and the lake is. In reality British Aviation was quite incapable of standing up to germany. But churchills rhetoric did its job the british people held on and dreamed of vengeance some day. But. I the Prime Ministers Approval Ratings soared throughout the blitz. Ultimately hitler had to face facts the bombardment he believed would be swift and decisive was totally ineffective indeed counterproductive. The third reich also needed airplanes for the war it had declared on the soviet union in the east. The blitz was over. In the summer of one thousand nine hundred forty one hitler attacked the u. S. S. R. During this gigantic operation bombers once again played the role they had before the blitz supporting the advance of four million invading troops. Soon moscow was in sight. That same year on this. Number seven japan launched a surprise attack from and craft carriers against the american base of paul harbor on the island of oahu hawaii. Even though it was a military target the u. S. Was shocked. The americans declared war first against japan and then germany. America. By. The way. In late one nine hundred forty one the axis powers were dominating on all fronts but britain knew they could now count on two powerful allies. The soviet union. And the United States. In england they were still diffusing bombs from the blitz. A paradoxical situation arose although the british had just proven the ineffectiveness of bombarding civilians and cities it was in britain that the strategy of aerial bombing would resurface. It was the work of an oxford physicist named frederick lindemann. This scientist was little known to the general public he was nevertheless a primary advisor to churchill who gave him the friendly nickname of profit. As the very first bombs were falling on london lindemann and his Research Team set about to scientifically demonstrate that aerial bombing could ensure military victory. To this end he analyzed the vast amount of Data Collected from the ruins of the blitz. In much nine hundred forty two he communicated his conclusions in a one page memo to the investigation seems to show that having ones home demolished is most damaging to moral more than having their friends or even relatives killed. The number of houses destroyed for every tonne of the number of bombers available the distribution of the german urban population according to his frightening projections lindemann estimated he could force twenty two million germans to become refugees and topple the third reich. In the Prime Ministers circle these calculations were greeted with skepticism but the prophet was able to convince churchill. All that remained was to find the man able to conduct this dirty war one name stood out as the obvious choice. After harris soon to be nicknamed bomber harris. The new air officer commanding in chief of our a. F. Bomber command was made for this particular mission and a former pilot he had earned his stripes on bombing runs in the colonies where he gained his unshakable faith in aerial weaponry. He gladly took up the challenge that many thought impossible to win World War Two soley by air raids action. Well. That never been tried yet. And rostock were two of harriss early triumphs the targets chosen were close to britain and poorly defended. But harris wanted more his next target was supposed to be hamburg but whether their forced him to shift his sights to cologne and its seven hundred thousand inhabitants. Paris succeeded in getting all of the england sand force ported his disposal and all of the available pilots including instructors. The operation by the code name millennium. On the night of may thirtieth nine hundred forty two more than a thousand bombers took off from english bases. Never before had a raid involved this many planes. Germanys lines of defense were overwhelmed. After cologne it was the turn of the s. And braman to suffer a massive bombing. At our a. F. Bomber command enthusiastic reports spoke of raised citys massacres and masses of Homeless People on the basis of partially blurry photographs military analysts believe. The germany could be brought to its knees within a year. But what did they know about the true effectiveness of their bombing. The end. In cologne the bombers destroyed tens of thousands of homes and put more than forty five thousand people out onto the street. But in essence only eleven homes were hit bad weather meant that most british bombs missed their targets. I wasnt worried on the contrary the british bombs reminded civilians that they were engaged in a life or death struggle he ordered his minister for propaganda josefa gerbils to ready the german people for a lengthy fight. Goebbels rhetorical strategy stressed the idea of vengeance he promised to annihilate england with retaliatory weapons of inconceivable might. The the one and the two rockets. They were only in the developmental stages. So gerbils blamed scapegoat the jews whom the regime had been persecuting for ten years. They would be the ones to pay the ultimate price for the bomb damage. Apartments and property confiscated from german jews who had been sent to concentration camps were given to people who had suffered in the bombardments. And this system was extended to all the countries under german occupation. For instance twenty seven thousand train carriages full of Household Goods were sent from paris and and to german cities. Using looted property the nazi regime was able to compensate those who suffered from the first wave of british bombing. In late one nine hundred forty two party agents received three hundred seventy thousand claims for compensation for which the state immediately paid out one hundred twenty six million marks that was a relatively small sum for a regime that had billions at its disposal from europes jews it would not be easy for bombers to bring an end to such a powerful empire. But the fierce battle had begun. In britain Bomber Command was now receiving a third of the Defense Budget factories began producing a new category of plane heavy bombers. The average line caster and the halifax were twice the size of germanys hind comes from the blitz. In early one nine hundred forty three harris refined his strategy he decided to constant. Straight on cities in the world valley that ice leading industrial region was also its most populated the objective to destroy a working class neighborhood. To be certain of hitting a proposed extending the target range to include entire cities. This technique was dubbed carpet bombing. The engineers of Bomber Command also developed a lethal technique. A first wave of explosive bombs would blow off the roofs of buildings. A barrel of incendiary bombs would then start mass fires. And a second wave of explosive bombs would prevent firemen from extinguishing the flanks. The hope was that the fires would combine to form a blaze of such intensity that it would create a firestorm able to consume an entire city in a few hours. The British Government signed off on harriss plan. Churchill made a point to personally warn german civilians. That. To me. The british inflicted massive damage on the cities of the uk each air raid was now causing over a thousand deaths. At all on july twenty fourth one thousand nine hundred forty three operation gomorrah commenced against the city of hamburg pilots returning to england said the glow from the inferno was visible up to three hundred kilometers away. The bombing of hamburg was like no other some forty two thousand six hundred people were killed. After hamburg the british intensified their campaigns but still victory was not attacked. The general staff in the United States had promised not to target civilians but would they keep that promise of war continued and the nazi regime was more determined than ever to fight to the death slowly but surely the aerial bombardment was about to reach its deadliest face. Trillian drastic answer you kissed. For the record so the france all. Told the. Public school. Thirty minutes. W. s program guide. Dot com highlights. The scars on. The pain still tangible. For good. For cities and. They have survived but do they also have a future. I really understand people who say they dont want to stay here. But i also admire people who want to stay here and who decided to create something. Of a new beginning in peace time for the people making it possible what needs to happen if tolerance and reconciliation are to stand a chance. To fix bugs once a really difficult complicated difficult forgiveness for reconciliation forgetting they get stuck in your. Culture of darkness cities after war. Starting march tenth on t w. Al qaeda linked militants have claimed responsibility for shooting down a russian fighter jet over syrias province russian Officials Say the pilot ejected with a parachute but was killed in fighting on the grind the Russian DefenseMinistry Says it responded with an asteroid on the area which killed at least thirty militants. An italian man has been arrested after a shooting spree wounded six african immigrants in the city of match iraq the shootings came just days as