The Berlin Raids: R.a.F. Bomber Command Winter 1943-44 (Penguin press history)

by Martin Middlebrook (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  1994

  $11.54

• Used

  Paperback
  1990

  $4.63

  Between the end of August 1943 and the end of March 1944, RAF Bomber Command carried out a sustained offensive against Berlin, 19 major attacks being made. It was the climax of the RAF's effort to knock Germany out of the war by the strategic bombing of cities. Although much damage was caused in Berlin, the results of the bombing were not decisive. Bomber Command on the other hand, suffered a major defeat. A total of 619 aircraft and crews were lost in the raids on Berlin alone, with many other aircraft crashing on return to the UK. At the end of the battle of Berlin, Bomber Command was switched to support the invasion and the bomber dream - that the RAF alone could knock Germany out of the war - was over.

• Used

  Hardcover
  1988

  $3.39

  The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained bombing offensive against one target of World War II. 19 major raids between August 1943 and March 1944 and more than 10,000 aircraft sorties dropped over 30,000 tons of bombs on Berlin. The city was not destroyed, however, and the RAF lost over 600 aircraft and their crews. The controversy over whether the battle was a success or failure has continued to this day. The author has interviewed more than 400 people in this study in an attempt to bring together both sides of the story - the tactics of the bombing force and the experiences of ordinary people in the target city. The battle is described month by month, and tactical factors that helped first the bombers and then the night fighters are identified. The experiences of the people of Berlin are also recounted, showing how bombs destroyed homes and families, affected morale and reduced the German war effort. Martin Middlebrook is the author of many books on military history including The First Day on the Somme , The Bomber Command War and Operation Corporate , a study of the Falklands War.