Military History
On February 22 and 23 of 1945, Allied formations consisting of about 3,500 heavy bombers and 5,000 fighter/bomber aircraft rained hell all over Germany. The 15th and 8th US Air Forces, along with the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, destroyed critical transportation systems at Bamberg, Stendal, Wurzburg, and many more cities. It was all part of Operation Clarion, a series of massive Allied bombing raids across Germany to cripple its communication networks, including rail stations, bridges, docks, and transport facilities. However, the Wehrmacht was suddenly reinvigorated by the Allies’ secondary objective to demoralize the population by deliberately targeting civilian areas. —