In 1943, Allied bombers from Italy launched strategic attacks on Axis oil fields, factories, and Danube supply routes.
Following the inter-Allied Casablanca Conference in January 1943 the outline for the Combined Bomber Offensive
was agreed and resulted in early February with the 'Casablanca Directive'. This required the "progressive destruction
and dislocation of the German military, industrial and economic systems and the undermining of the morale of the
German people to a point where their capacity for armed resistance is fatally weakened". This directive was clarified
in June when the Combined Chiefs of Staff issued the 'Pointblank Directive' that stated that the highest priority
targets were the fighter aircraft factories to ensure that in the coming invasion of France the enemy would not have air
superiority.
When these directives were issued it was envisaged that as well as attacks by RAF Bomber Command and the US 8th
Air Force based in England, the strategic bomber forces in Italy would begin operations once suitable bases were
available. After the Allied landings in Italy and resulting collapse of the Italian fascist regime a network of bomber
bases was hastily developed. Thus, on 1 November 1943 the US 15th Air Force was formed to conduct the daylight
bombing offensive against strategic targets in southern Germany and across southeastern Europe. Key among these
were the Rumanian oilfields and traffic along the River Danube. This new formation was joined by the smaller, but
highly effective 205 Group, RAF that was trained and equipped for night bombing so mirroring their equivalent
British-based formations.
The damaging attacks on the Reich's oil supplies and the highly effective Danube mining campaign conducted at night
by 205 Group delivered huge strategic effect. The latter reduced vital oil and goods traffic into the Reich to a trickle
but also dislocated the supply and logistics train into the southern part of the Eastern Front so giving manifest support
to the Soviets.
In this volume the early months of this hugely significant air campaign are described in minute and original detail, and
are accompanied by hundreds of hitherto unpublished photographs. In combating these attacks, Germany's Axis allies
such as Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria and Slovakia were encountered for the first time by the Western Allies.
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing
Published: 09/30/2025
ISBN: 9781911714231
Pages: 576
