Assess the Significance of Allied Strategic Bombing of Germany During the Second World War

Assess the Significance of Allied Strategic Bombing of Germany during the Second World War
The Allied strategic bombing of Germany had various successes and failures over the course of the war. This essay will discuss the immediate significance that bombing had, the overall military significance that bombing had on the front line and military infrastructure; the economy, and how the Germans responded and finally how German morale was affected over the course of the war. This essay argues that Allied strategic bombing of Germany during the Second World War was very significant.

Allied strategic bombing was not very significant during the first three years of the war. When war broke out Bomber Command was limited to a mere 488 light bombers which did not have the range to reach German airspace. Bomber Command’s main target was the German fleet at Wilhelmshaven and any German warship out at sea that was within range. This was of very little significance and did very little damage to the German war machine which at the time was making steady advances through Poland.   Britain was the only power who was trying to bomb German military targets as America was still neutral and the USSR was allied with Hitler. Britain was ill-equipped and lacked any notable equipment that would help them hit their targets and there was no surprise that the accuracy was appalling with only one in three aircraft getting within five miles of the target due to the lack of radar or any other navigational aids. The lightly armed bombers were ripped to shreds during the daytime by anti-aircraft guns so bombing could only take place at night with near perfect conditions which made it essentially useless and therefore of little significance as bombing raids were easily anticipated by Germany.In 1940 Bomber command decided to changed tactics and started to bomb the Ruhr. British bombers barely had the fuel capacity to fly their and back, however some railway lines were bombed and other targets...