The RAF and Hamburg

[Gibbs505]

Been a while since I did a book review so here go's.

I have always been fascinated by the bombing campaign against germany, perhaps due to my farthers, god rest his soul, involvement. This book I receivved recently and it tell's the story from both sides. It also is the story of 'window' which is still in use today!

Inferno, The Fiery Destruction of Hamburg.

By Keith Lowe.

ISBN-13: 978 0 7432 6900 1
ISBN-10: 0 7432 6900 4



Code named Operation Gomorrah, the allied Bommer Command attack was the first substained allied attack on a german city by the fullweight of both the British and the Americian Air Forces. From July 24th to August 2nd, the allies mounted six raids, two but the USAF and four by the RAF, comprisiong their full forces, less those used on diversionery raids. Over the raids, the RAF dropped an approx total of 7800 tons of bombs on target, while the USAF dropped about 126.25 tons of bombs.

July 27th was the culmination of the raids and the firestorm that occured afterwards was a disaster on a level unimagined before the war! Tempetures reached in excess of 800 degrees celisus with winds greater then hurricane strength.

The raid, and it's aftermate, shoke the Nazi ierarchy to it's core. Even Goebbals seemed at a loss as to what to say or do. For many, as the news of the raid spread across germany, it was the beginning of the end.

Complete with eyewitness interviews of participants from both sides, potographs, maps and comprehensive tables, this book is well worth a viewing by those interested in the bomber offensive.

Of incidential intrest, numbers of thoses killed were greater then those of the two a bombs!. Also, there is a table in the book which calculates the finical cost to both sides. The allies spent, in 1943 dollars, the equivelent of about $46 million, but the cost to the germans was about $9,220 million.

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