News1 min ago
Had Hitler Invaded Britain.
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No, it's the exact opposite of the point you are making. I'm saying that they probably would have struggled to destroy it even if they'd tried to. Indeed, they'd probably have managed it by aiming elsewhere, such was the general accuracy of bombing.
Also, one of the biggest lessons from World War II that should have been picked up at the time but apparently wasn't (for, I think, cynical reasons) was that bombing a country into oblivion tends to have a surprisingly small effect on morale. The belief that sustained, heavy, civilian-targeted bombing would destroy morale was based on manipulated data and then used to justify the Allied Bombing campaigns later in the war that destroyed e.g. Dresden and other places, for major loss of life with minor military impact.
I'm sure that the effect of destroying Nelson's column would have been only to strengthen the resolve of the people to stand up to the aggressors, as was the case when we returned the favour later in the war,
Also, one of the biggest lessons from World War II that should have been picked up at the time but apparently wasn't (for, I think, cynical reasons) was that bombing a country into oblivion tends to have a surprisingly small effect on morale. The belief that sustained, heavy, civilian-targeted bombing would destroy morale was based on manipulated data and then used to justify the Allied Bombing campaigns later in the war that destroyed e.g. Dresden and other places, for major loss of life with minor military impact.
I'm sure that the effect of destroying Nelson's column would have been only to strengthen the resolve of the people to stand up to the aggressors, as was the case when we returned the favour later in the war,
Exactly, Jim and emmie - more to the point and the bombing of the East End was more "spray it" and see what is hit, again I stress that a 1/3 of bombs failed to detonate. When Shell sold Shell Haven to P&O 11 unknown bombs were found using GPR, and that was 50 years plus on - the London clay acted like 'jelly' in slurping them in......
also from wiki
In the early days of World War II, bombers were expected to strike by daylight and deliver accurately in order to avoid civilian casualties. Cloud cover and industrial haze frequently obscured targets so bomb release was made by dead reckoning from the last navigational "fix"—the bombers dropping their loads according to the ETA for the target. All airforces soon found that daylight bombing resulted in heavy losses since fighter interception became easy and switched to night bombing. This allowed the bombers a better chance of survival, but made it much harder to even find the general area of the target, let alone drop bombs precisely.
The Luftwaffe addressed this issue first by using a series of radio beams to direct aircraft and indicate when to drop bombs. Several different techniques were tried, including Knickebein, X-Gerät and Y-Gerät (Wotan). These provided impressive accuracy—British post-raid analysis showed that the vast majority of the bombs dropped could be placed within 100 yards (91 m) of the midline of the beam, spread along it a few hundred yards around the target point, even in pitch-dark conditions at a range of several hundred miles. But the systems fatally depended on accurate radio reception, and the British invented the first electronic warfare techniques to successfully counter this weapon in the 'Battle of the Beams'
In the early days of World War II, bombers were expected to strike by daylight and deliver accurately in order to avoid civilian casualties. Cloud cover and industrial haze frequently obscured targets so bomb release was made by dead reckoning from the last navigational "fix"—the bombers dropping their loads according to the ETA for the target. All airforces soon found that daylight bombing resulted in heavy losses since fighter interception became easy and switched to night bombing. This allowed the bombers a better chance of survival, but made it much harder to even find the general area of the target, let alone drop bombs precisely.
The Luftwaffe addressed this issue first by using a series of radio beams to direct aircraft and indicate when to drop bombs. Several different techniques were tried, including Knickebein, X-Gerät and Y-Gerät (Wotan). These provided impressive accuracy—British post-raid analysis showed that the vast majority of the bombs dropped could be placed within 100 yards (91 m) of the midline of the beam, spread along it a few hundred yards around the target point, even in pitch-dark conditions at a range of several hundred miles. But the systems fatally depended on accurate radio reception, and the British invented the first electronic warfare techniques to successfully counter this weapon in the 'Battle of the Beams'
AOG the house of commons was bombed but it didnt shut them up - ooh no
Bombing in 1940 and 41 compared to what came later was childs play
Bombs away with Curtis E Lemay ! L poured bombs onto Tokyo - in one raid more than on London in total sum
considering Hiroshima was the equivalent of 18 000 t HE
Tokyo got much more in conventional so no one gave a toss ....
1945 - 80% of the Japanese population were homeless/refugees
Bombing in 1940 and 41 compared to what came later was childs play
Bombs away with Curtis E Lemay ! L poured bombs onto Tokyo - in one raid more than on London in total sum
considering Hiroshima was the equivalent of 18 000 t HE
Tokyo got much more in conventional so no one gave a toss ....
1945 - 80% of the Japanese population were homeless/refugees
not sure Brendan, the Americans via FDR were already involved, it was just that he had to sell the idea of another conflict to the American people, but arms and men had already been gearing up long before they finally joined the fray, and i doubt very much that they would have allowed Germany to get the upper hand in Europe, seeing as how they could well have been the next target, going on just about everything i have read on WW2. They didn't so much save the day, but their help was invaluable, but it was largely the Russians who pushed the Germans back, they paid a massive price for their victories... The siege of Stalingrad goes down in history of one of most protracted and bloody conflicts of all times.
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i confess i don't know a fantastic amount about him, but this makes fascinating reading. perhaps i should read up a bit more....
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