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