A thorough history of the RAF Bomber Command attack on the German city during World War II, by the author of The First Day on the Somme. This book describes one twenty-four-hour period in the Allied Strategic Bomber Offensive in the greatest possible detail. Author Martin Middlebrook sets the scene by outlining the course of the bombing war from 1939 to the night of the Nuremberg raid, the characters and aims of the British bombing leaders, and the composition of the opposing Bomber Command and German night fighter forces. The aim of the Nuremberg raid was not unlike many hundreds of other Royal Air Force missions but, due to the difficulties and dangers of the enemy defenses and weather plus bad luck, it went horribly wrong. The result was so notorious that it became a turning point in the campaign. The target, the symbolic Nazi rally city of Nuremberg, was only lightly damaged, and 96 out of 779 bombers went missing. Middlebrook recreates the events of the fateful night in astonishing detail. The result is a meticulous, dramatic, and often controversial account. It is also a moving tribute to the bravery of the RAF bomber crews and their adversaries. Praise for The Nuremberg Raid “Employing hundreds of eyewitness accounts, he shows the raid from the point of view of the German defenses and the civilians on the ground. Factual and analytical, this is a portrait of mechanized warfare at the level of personal experience.” —Simon Mawer, Wall Street Journal

From best-selling author of Tail-End Charlie and Tornado Down comes this powerful and deeply moving account of Bomber Command’s 1944 Nuremberg Raid – the RAF’s bloodiest night of the Second World War

NachtjagdBoitenSubtitled: The Night Fighter Versus Bomber War Over the Third Reich 1939-45. Of the 7,953 Bomber Command aircraft lost on night operations during WWII, an estimated 5,833 fell victim to Luftwaffe night fighters. This volume traces the parallel developments in RAF night bombing and the Luftwaffes night fighting capability using archive material and interviews with surviving aircrew from both sides.Hdbd., 7 3/4x 1, 24 pgs., 17 bandw ill.

Sir Arthur Harris - Bomber Harris - remains the target of criticism and vilification by many, while others believe the contribution he and his men made to victory is grossly undervalued. He led the men of Bomber Command in the face of appalling casualties, had fierce disagreements with higher authority and enjoyed a complicated relationship with Winston Churchill. Written soon after the close of World War 2, this collection of Sir Arthur Harris's memoirs reveals the man behind the Allied bombing offensive that culminated in the destruction of the Nazi war machine but also many beautiful cities, including Dresden.

A history of the British Army’s experience at the Battle of the Somme in France during World War I. After an immense but useless bombardment, at 7:30 AM on July 1, 1916, the British Army went over the top and attacked the German trenches. It was the first day of the battle of the Somme, and on that day, the British suffered nearly 60,000 casualties, two for every yard of their front. With more than fifty times the daily losses at El Alamein and fifteen times the British casualties on D-day, July 1, 1916, was the blackest day in the history of the British Army. But, more than that, as Lloyd George recognized, it was a watershed in the history of the First World War. The Army that attacked on that day was the volunteer Army that had answered Kitchener’s call. It had gone into action confident of a decisive victory. But by sunset on the first day on the Somme, no one could any longer think of a war that might be won. Martin Middlebrook’s research has covered not just official and regimental histories and tours of the battlefields, but interviews with hundreds of survivors, both British and German. As to the action itself, he conveys the overall strategic view and the terrifying reality that it was for front-line soldiers. Praise for The First Day on the Somme “The soldiers receive the best service a historian can provide: their story is told in their own words.” —The Guardian (UK)

Bomber Command's raid on Nuremberg in early 1944 should have been a routine 'maximum effort' operation. It wasn't: it was a major disaster. The target was only lightly damaged and 96 of the 779 bombers dispatched went missing. Martin Middlebrook recreates the events of the night of 30-31 March in astonishing detail. He consults archives, corresponds with the raid's planners, interviews RAF and Luftwaffe aircrew as well as the German civilians in the areas that were bombed. It is a meticulous, dramatic and often controversial account. It is also a moving testimony to the bravery of both the RAF's bomber crews and their opponents.

In July 1943 a series of heavy bombing raids virtually destroyed the North German city of Hamburg. In one night alone, some 40,000 people were killed largely as a result of the terrible firestorm. To this day controversy rages as to the morality of these attacks and their consequences. With his trademark thoroughness Martin Middlebrook has delved deep into the archives to uncover the facts. As ever he draws on copious eyewitnesses and participants a total of 547 British, American, and German. The testimonies of the Hamburg survivors are particularly revealing and harrowing providing a first hand description of what it was like to be subjected to prolonged and intense air attack. Paradoxically while Hamburg was arguably Bomber Command's greatest achievement it remains its - and Air Marshal Harris - most criticized. Often overlooked was the USAAFs role and this together with the contribution to the failure of German air defenses of a new device, Window, are fully covered. Firestorm Hamburg is a masterly description of a major air campaign and the author's aim of achieving a better understanding of the background, conduct, and results is fully realized. He does not shirk from studying the moral dilemma.

A detailed history of the American World War II bombing mission over Nazi Germany, by the author of The First Day on the Somme. On August 17, 1943, the entire strength of the American heavy bomber forces in England set out to raid two major industrial complexes deep in southern Germany: the Messerschmitt aircraft factory and the KGF ball bearing plant. For American commanders, it was the culmination of years of planning, the day when their self-defending formations of the famous Flying Fortress could at last perform their true role, reaching out by daylight to strike at targets in the deepest corners of industrial Germany. The day ended in disaster for the Americans. Thanks to the courage of the aircrews, the bombers won through to the targets and caused heavy damage, but sixty were shot down and the hopes of the American commanders were shattered. Historically, it was one of the most important days for the American air forces during the Second World War. While researching this catastrophic raid, author Martin Middlebrook interviewed hundreds of the airmen involved, German defenders, “slave workers,” and eyewitnesses. The result is a mass of fresh, previously unused material with which the author finally provides the full story of this famous day’s operations. Not only is the American side elaborated upon, but the previously vague German side of the story—both the Luftwaffe action and the civilian experiences in Schweinfurt and Regensburg—is also now presented clearly and in detail for the first time. Middlebrook also covers the important question of why the RAF did not support the American effort and follow up the raid on Schweinfurt as planned.

The content of this book are based on personal interviews, personal service stories among my mates, members of the Royal Australian Air Force, and with historic records of airmen who were mainly trained in the Empire Air Training scheme. The scheme was set up to keep up a supply of trained aircrew to replace the immense numbers who were giving their lives. This book also tells of Australians among the heroic crews of Bomber Command and of their amazing courage and the record of achievement that is recorded forever in this history of Australian courage. It tells in detail the high price paid by aircrews to achieve victory, the loss of comrades and the extreme hazards faced day after day, which called for great courage and effort that in the end stole their youth.

Includes the Aerial Warfare In Europe During World War II illustrations pack with over 200 maps, plans, and photos. This book is a comprehensive analysis of an air force, the Luftwaffe, in World War II. It follows the Germans from their prewar preparations to their final defeat. There are many disturbing parallels with our current situation. I urge every student of military science to read it carefully. The lessons of the nature of warfare and the application of airpower can provide the guidance to develop our fighting forces and employment concepts to meet the significant challenges we are certain to face in the future.