Figure 1.--Here German civilians are workingbto clear up the streets. This photograph was taken in Munich, I think in 1945. The work was done by hand, often brick by brick.

German cities ere devestated by the resumed campaign following D-Day. The industrial cities of Germany were virtually leveled. RAF night bombing meant that specific targets could not be targetted, but only cities. The American bombers tried to target specific targets, but limitations in bombing technology meant that most bombs fell on areas of cities that were not targetted. Many cities were virtually leveled. This was especially true of Berlin which as the capital of the NAZI Reich was especially targeted by both the British and Americans. All important industrial cities were heavily attacked. Factories in the days before workers could afford cars were normally located in city centers. Nurmburg was also destroyed, presumably as a kind of symbolic symbol of NAZI Germany. It was here that the annual NAZI Party Congress was held, with parades by the Hitler Youth and other NAZI organizations. These were the cermonies vividly recorded in "Triumph of the Will". A GI tells us, "What I really remember is the utter destruction of the German cities. I remember driving through Nuremberg with my Jeep and it was one lane only and it wasn't straight." [Bill]

Created: 2:04 AM 8/14/2004
Last updated: 2:05 AM 8/14/2004