Firestorm Hamburg: The Facts Surrounding The Destruction of a German City 1943

by Martin Middlebrook

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399013512
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	11/12/2021
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Martin Middlebrook has written many other books that deal with important turning-points in the two world wars, including The First Day on the Somme, Kaiser's Battle, The Peenemünde Raid, The Somme Battlefields (with Mary Middlebrook) and The Nuremberg Raid 30-31st March 1944 (all republished and in print with Pen and Sword).

Martin Middlebrook is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and lives near Boston, Lincolnshire

Table of Contents

List of Plates 7

List of Maps 9

Introduction 11

1 The Road to Hamburg 15

2 The Attackers - British 32

3 The Attackers - American 44

4 The Defenders 56

5 Hamburg - The City Target 75

6 Plans for Battle 93

7 Preparations for Battle 110

8 The First Blow 117

9 Under the Bombs 142

10 After the Bombs 169

11 The American Way 175

12 The Withdrawal Battle 203

13 The Americans Again 220

14 Concentrated Bombing 234

15 Firestorm 252

16 A Third Blow 282

17 The Battle Ends 299

18 The Reckoning 322

19 'Why?' 338

20 The Aftermath 355

Survivors' Stories 369

Appendix 1 Order of Battle of R.A.F. Bomber Command, 24 July 1943 381

Appendix 2 Order of Battle of American Heavy Bombers 385

Appendix 3 Order of Battle of Luftwaffe Fighters 386

Appendix 4 R.A.F. Group and Squadron Performances and Casualties 389

Appendix 5 U.S.A.A.F. Bomb Group Performances and Casualties 400

Appendix 6 Luftwaffe Successes and Losses 402

Acknowledgements 406

Bibliography 415

Index 416