Bombing of Warsaw in World War II
Encyclopedia
The Bombing of Warsaw in World War II refers both to the Strategic bombing
campaign of Warsaw
by the Luftwaffe
during the siege of Warsaw in the Invasion of Poland
in 1939 and to the German bombing raids during the Warsaw Uprising
in 1944.
In the course of the war approximately 84% of the city was destroyed in part due to German and Russian mass bombings, heavy artillery fire and a planned demolition
campaign.
bombers.
About 1,150 bombing sorties by German aircraft were flown against Warsaw on September 25, 1939, in an effort to force the remaining Polish garrisons into surrendering. 500 tons of high explosive bombs and 72 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped on the city.
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
campaign of Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
during the siege of Warsaw in the Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
in 1939 and to the German bombing raids during the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
in 1944.
In the course of the war approximately 84% of the city was destroyed in part due to German and Russian mass bombings, heavy artillery fire and a planned demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
campaign.
1939
During the September campaign the Luftwaffe used all available aircraft to drop bombs on Warsaw since the beginning of the war, including even obsolete Junkers Ju-52/3mJunkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
bombers.
About 1,150 bombing sorties by German aircraft were flown against Warsaw on September 25, 1939, in an effort to force the remaining Polish garrisons into surrendering. 500 tons of high explosive bombs and 72 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped on the city.
See also
- Air warfare of World War IIAir warfare of World War IIAir warfare of World War II was a major component of World War II in all theatres, and consumed a large fraction of the industrial output of the major powers....
- Siege of Warsaw (1939)Siege of Warsaw (1939)The 1939 Battle of Warsaw was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army garrisoned and entrenched in the capital of Poland and the German Army...
- Planned destruction of WarsawPlanned destruction of WarsawThe planned destruction of Warsaw refers to the largely realised plans by Nazi Germany to completely raze the city. The plan was put into full motion after the Warsaw Uprising in 1944...