*** World War II air campaign -- Battle of Britain - British retalitory raids








World War II Battle of Britain--RAF Berlin Raid (August 25-26, 1940)

RAF retalitory raid on Berlin
Figure 1.--The Germans after killing large numbers of civilians in Luftwaffe attacks on Polish cities, were outraged when German civilians were harmed. This wire service photograph with the heading, "War strikes close to Beliners" appeared in American newspapers On September 9, 1940. American journalists were still in Germany at the time, but this photograph was supllied by Goebbels propaganda machine with a caption. The German caption read, "This photo shows a mother ahd two childrenwho were injured during recent R.A.F. raids upon Berlin." The [German] caption went on to excoriate what it described 'British air pirates' who waged death and destruction upon 'innocent civilians'. The American newspaper added, "This was in all probability part of the press campaign which preceeeded Chacellor Hitler's speech announcing retalitory bombings upon British cities."

After the errant Luftwaffe attack on London (August 23-24), the British immediately ordered a reprisal attack. This was not, however, as is sometimes portrayed, the first British raid on German cites. Attacking Germany at this stage of the War was a very difficult undertaking. The Luftwaffe was attacking Britain from air bases in occupied France close to England. Berlin was deep in Germany and on the outer limit of the range of existing RAF bombers. In addition, because of the German fighter defenses and the slow speed of the existing bombers, the British were forced to bomb at night. This meant that they could not target specific military targets, but could only bomb cities. Sometimes they could not even find the targeted cities. But it meant that when the cities were hit, the casualties would be mostly civilians. RAF Bomber Command conducted a small reprisal raid against Berlin (August 25-26). The attack was of no military significance, but it enraged Hitler and Goering and embarrassed Goebbels. Churchill writes, "The War Cabinet was much in the mood to hit back, to raise the stakes, and to defy the enemy. I was sure they were right, and believed that nothing impressed or disturbed Hitler so much as his realization of British wrath and will-power. In his heart he was one of our admirers." [Churchill, Finest, p. 342.] Chamberlain had at first ordered the the dropping of leaflets, the British were now prepared to fight the War with all the tools at their disposal. At the time they were limited. The NAZIs who had bombed Warsaw and other Polish cities without concern for civilian casualties were outraged that German cities were targeted and civilians harmed. Goebbels approved the released of images showing German civilian casualties. At this point in the War, the Luftwaffe had not yet suffered a defeat and Hitler still believe he could wage war without his adversaries effectively striking back. At the time the RAF's means were limited.

Bombing Cities

The Luftwaffe was designed as a ground-support force. It did not have a strategic bombing capability. But Hitler was not above using it in that capacity. The Luftwaffe Condor Legion bombed Spanish cities (1937-39). The Czechs cave in during the Munich Crisis because Hitler threatened to bomb Prague (1938). The Luftwaffe bombed Polish cities from the beginning of the War (September 1939). Hitler describes the tactic as 'Schrecklichkeit' (frightfulness). After the Polish campaign, Hitler held a press conference in the ruins of Warsaw and told the international press that this is what could be expected by the countries that opposed him. The British responded to the bombing of Polish cities by dropping leaflets. One of the early atrocities of the War was the the Luftwaffe fire bombing of Rotterdam (May 1940). As the War progressed, the Germans and British began bombing each other's cities. The one limitation that held was that their respective capitals, London and Berlin were off limits.

Bombing Germany

Attacking Germany at this stage of the War was a very difficult undertaking. The Luftwaffe was attacking Britain from air bases in occupied France close to England. Berlin was deep in Germany and on the outer limit of the range of existing RAF bombers. This was especially true of Berlin because it was in eastern Germany--950 kilometers (590 miles) from London. In addition, because of the German fighter defenses and the slow speed of the existing bombers, the British were forced to bomb at night. This meant that they could not target specific military targets, but could only bomb cities. Sometimes they could not even find the targeted cities. But it meant that when the cities were hit, the casualties would be mostly civilians. Chamberlain had at first ordered the the dropping of leaflets, the British were now prepared to fight the War with all the tools at their disposal. At the time they were limited. Bomber Command had been active during the Battle of Bruitain, although nothing like the Luftwaffe campaign. There were attacks both in Germany, northwestern Germany, bit deep into the Reich. Primority was given to synfuel plants, Lufwaffe bases, commuicatiin centrs, and naval bases. These attacks away from the coast were generally ineffective because attacking at night the pilots were unable to find let alobne hit the targets. Just how baddly Bomberr Command was doing would come out later with the Butts report. Theseraids were an irritatiion, but not a major German concern. There were also attacks on Luftwaffe bases in France and the Low countries, The raids were more effective. Raids also hit Italy which had enered te War in June. Bomber command raided Turin and Millan. Bomber Command also participated in mine laying. There were not yet attacks on the German invasion barges because the Germans wee not yet concentrating them. 【Richards, p. 62.】

Errant Luftwaffe Bombing: London (August 23-24)

The first German bombing of London is believed to have been an accident (August 23-24). The principal Lufwaffe raids were daylight raids. This was when targets could be actually hit as well as when the RAF fighters came up so they could be destroyed. In addition tio the big daylight raids, the Germans also cinsucted small nightime raids. Thee seem to have been more to distract and pressure the Briish as well as to test their elctroniv guidance system. It was two or three of these of these bombers that dropped bombs on London. It is not clear if they were off course or merely jettonsing their bombers before returning to their vases. It was at night and they apparently unintentionally dropped them on blackouted London. Whatever the reason, the nombs fell on the sothern sunburbs and some in the central city. 【Richards, pp. 62-63.】 This violated Hitler's standard orders prohibiting bombing London. The pilot or pilots involved were to be disciplined, although there are few details available on the pilots and units involved. The Briish had no way of knowing this.

British Reprisal: Berlin Raid (August 25-26)

After the errant Luftwaffe attack on London, the British immediately ordered a reprisal attack. The incident understandably was interpreted by Prime-Minister Churchill as deliberate and and an escalation. He ordered Bomber Command to retaliate. Churchill writes, "The War Cabinet was much in the mood to hit back, to raise the stakes, and to defy the enemy. I was sure they were right, and believed that nothing impressed or disturbed Hitler so much as his realization of British wrath and will-power. In his heart he was one of our admirers." 【Churchill, Finest, p. 342.】 Churchill focuses on the War Cabinet. We suspect he was laedin g the charge. This was not, however, as is sometimes portrayed, the first British raid on German cties. RAF Bomber Command conducted small reprisal raid against Berlin (August 25-26). London was an easy target with the Luftwaffe operating from French bases. Berlin was a much more difficult target. Bomber Command launched 95 bombers to strike back at the Germans. Given the limitations of RAF bombers at the time at the lack of navigational aids, reaching and finding Berlin was a challenge. (At night the bombers had to depend on celestial navigation. The Germans had electronic navigational aids, the British did not. This would lead to the Battle of the Beams.) Bomber Command at the time had to bomb at night because of German fighter defenses. They could find and bomb port cities, but inland cities could not be effectively bombed with their basically obsolete two-engine bombers, let alone a city deep in to the Reich. The target was to be Klingenberg power station and Tempelhof Airport near the center of Berlin. 【TNA, p.23.】 Amazingly 81 of the attacking force actually found Berlin and dropped bombs. 【Moss, p. 295.】 This was only possible because the city was lit uo. Many of the attacking bombers failed to find Berlin and losses were very high, primarily because of the distance and navigational difficulties. Hitler might have tolerated this one raid, but in the following 2 weeks, Bomber command persisted. There were five more raids raids of a comparable size.【Questar. p. 115.】 Information on the raids are available in detail. 【López Ruiz】

Impact

The attack was of no military significance. Damage was insignificant, but bombs did fall on Berlin. At this state of the War, German civilians were largely unaffected. Berlin was no blackouted. he German capital was lit up like a Christmas tree. The city could not be missed if you got anywhere close. Even though there was little damage, the raid enraged Hitler. This was not how his war was supposed to go. It was the Germans who were supposed to do the bombing. At this point in the War, the Luftwaffe had not yet suffered a defeat and Hitler still believe he could wage war without his adversaries effectively striking back. It also enraged Luftwaffe Chief Göring who had publically assured the German people that Germany could not be bombed. A few days after the initial raid, Hitler not only canceled his ban on bombing London , but Göring to attack the Btitish capital (August 30). Göring was champing at the bit. Not only had his public reputation been brused, but his all imprtant prestige with the Führer had been sriusly dented. The primary impact of the British raid was not just that Hitler ordered a retaliatory raid -- the beginning of the Blitz. The real imprtance was this was a complete change in the German Battle of Britain tactics. The initial focus on Fighter Command bases which was having an impact was shifted to the people of London. It proved to be a fatal mistake, arguably the most catertroophic of thec War. Rather than destroying Fighter Command, Hitler decided to break the spirit of the British people. Three days before Göring's Luftwaffe launched the Bittz, Hitler speaking at the packed Sportpalast made it clear what he was going to do (Sptember 4, 1940). "And should the Royal Air Force drop two thousand, or three thousand, or four thousand kilograms of bombs, then we will now drop 150,000; 180,000; 230,000; 300,000; 400,000; yes, one million kilograms in a single night. And should they declare they will greatly increase their attacks on our cities, then we will erase their cities! We will put these nighttime pirates out of business, God help us! The hour will come that one of us will crack, and it will not be National Socialist Germany! [The fervent audience answered, Never! Never! Never!] In my life, I have once already waged such a fight unto the last. And then the enemy cracked who now has his seat in England as the last available island in Europe." Goebels had packed the audience with enthusiastic nurses, older Hitler Youth girls, and social workers. Hitler and Göring reacted emotiionally with a desire for vrevenge and distruction. But there was support among the professional Luftwaffe generals, especially Albert Kessering, commanding one of the two Luftwaffe Flotte waging the assault on Britain. Kessekring was more aware than most that his attacks had vnot yet destroyed the RAF which was necessary for the invasion was rapidly approaching. The ivcasion had been postponed to September 21, but the RAF was still an undefeated force. Kesselring thought that bombing London might bring what was left of the RAF up to battle. 【PRO Air 41, p. 478.】 Luftwaffe inteligence believed that they had danaged the RAF muchn more than waht was these case. (This was not an absurd military strategy. It was the same tactic the Americans used in Big Week to destroy the Luftwaffe in 1944.) Destroying the RAF was a potentially achievable goal, but no over London. The Me-109s prorctecing the bombers had only enough fuel for 10 minutes over London. Kesselring was one of the most effectuve German commanders. He should have known that. Göring lainched the Bliz (September 7_. Some 300 German bombers raided London. In would lead to 57 consecutive days of bombing, althiough the climaz would come early (September 15. It is remembered tioday as Battle of Britain Day. And not understood at the time or for that matter today was that bombing was a very ineffective and costly method of killing people -- especially if they country has an effective air defense system. An attacking London meant that Fightr Command's damaged 11 Group forward bases (southeastern England) had the time needed to recover. It meant that the Germans were expending valuable military resources that they would desperately need in the coming Ostkrieg to knock down British homes. Wars are not won by knocking down people's homes. Some 40,000 people were tragically killed, but in World War II terms this was not a high death toll, and a fraction of the deaths had the Grrmans suceeded in invading Britain, More importantly very few fighting men men were killed or war industries damaged. While the Blitz would have little impact on the British war effort, it did instill in once pacifist-minded Brit, a burning desire to hit back.

Propaganda

It was left to Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels to spin the attack. The NAZIs who had bombed Warsaw and other Polish cities without concern for civilian casualties were outraged that German cities were targeted and civilians harmed. Goebbels approved the released of images showing German civilian casualties.

Molotov and the NAZIs (November 1940)

Interestingly, this was not the only early bombing of Berlin. Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov as part of heir alliance made a state visit to Berlin to discuss issues arising from their alliance and zones of influence and the delivery of oil and other vital supplies as part of the NAZI-Soviet Pact to the Germans (November 1940). Churchill ordered another strike on Berlin. The Germans were assuring their Soviet ally that the British had been defeated. The upshot of all of this was Molotov and NAZI big-wigs spent some time together huddled in a bomb shelter. (Molotov had plenty stories to tell Stalin about that experience.) Molotov asked his NAZI allies why we were in this bomb shelter if the British were defeated.

Sources

Churchill, Winston. Their Finest Hour (Houghton Mifflin: Boston, 1949), 751p.

López Ruiz, Pablo. "Bombing raid on Berlin," Berlin Luft Terror (May 2, 2021).

Moss, Norman. Nineteen Weeks: America, Britain and the Fateful Summer of 1940 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: 2004).

(The) National Archives of the UK (TNA). Operations Record Books: AIR 27/894. 2.

Public Records Office (PRO) Air, AHB Narrative. "The Campaign in France and the Low Countries."

Richards, Denis. Hardest Victory: RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War (London: W W Norton & Co Inc, 1994), 393p

Quester, George H. Deterrence before Hiroshima: The airpower background of Modern Strategy Transaction Publishers: 1986).







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Created: 5:35 AM 10/1/2010
Last updated: 4:46 PM 8/15/2024