Originator of Strategic Bombing?

Which country first practised strategic bombing?

WDA

end

Subject: Originator of Strategic Bombing?
From: "W. D. Allen Sr."
Date: 2/11/04 12:04 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

Which country first practised strategic bombing?

WDA

end



I'd say the Greeks when they hurled "Greek Fire" over enemy walls.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"W. D. Allen Sr." wrote:

Which country first practised strategic bombing?

WDA

end

The Russians (pre-Soviets) bombed a railway works with the giant Illya
Mouromets bombers in WW1.

And the Germans of course bombed London - using Zeppelins, Gothas and
Stakkens (?)

It all depends on your definition of 'strategic' ??

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++
Ken Duffey - Flanker Freak & Russian Aviation Enthusiast
Flankers Website - http://www.flankers.co.uk/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++

On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 12:04:51 -0800, "W. D. Allen Sr."
wrote:

Which country first practised strategic bombing?

WDA

Here's the short bio of the guy I always thought was the theorist:

Douhet, Giulio, 1869–1930, Italian military officer and early advocate
of airpower. He was an early supporter of strategic bombing and the
military superiority of air forces. He served in World War I,
organizing Italy’s bombing campaign, but was court-martialed for
criticizing the Italian high command by publicly declaiming Italy’s
aerial weakness. He was released when his theories were proven true by
the defeat of Italian arms by the Austrian Air Force at Caporetto. He
was later recalled and was promoted (1921) to general. In 1922 he was
appointed head of Italy’s aviation program by Benito Mussolini. His
book Command of the Air (1921) was very influential, especially in
Great Britain and the United States and was regarded as a classic by
early airpower theorists. He argued that command of an enemy’s air
space and subsequent bombing of industrialized centers would be so
disruptive and destructive that the pressure for peace would be
overwhelming. He maintained that control of the air could win a war
regardless of land or sea power. Douhet’s theories remain very
popular, especially among military aviators. He is known as the father
of airpower.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8

Which country first practised strategic bombing?

Italy.

Lt. Gavotti bombed the Turks on November 1, 1911, in Libya.

The Turks, of course, reported that Gavotti had hit a hospital.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email:

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com

The Turks, of course, reported that Gavotti had hit a hospital.


Which began the trend......


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote in message ...
"W. D. Allen Sr." wrote in message
news
Which country first practised strategic bombing?

It depends, of course, of how you define strategic bombing.
The actions of individual pilots in bombing foreign cities
probably don't count, as this was no organized efforts.
I think one can also exclude the early British raids against
Zeppelin sheds on Germany, because these were essentially
counter-force efforts, not yet the bombing of strategic targets.

Then probably the attacks of German airships (Zeppelin
and Schutte-Lanz) on Britain deserve to be called the first
organized strategic bombing offensive. These began in
January 1915. The targets authorized by the Kaiser were
coastal areas, docks, and military installations; not yet
industrial or population targets. In May Wilhelm II authorized
the bombing of targets in London east of the Tower; in July
he expanded this to anything except historical buildings.

The first organized strategic bombing offensive by aircraft
appears to have been the work of the Italians, who began
bombing Austria-Hungary in August 1915 with their large
Caproni bombers. The German 'Brieftauben Abteilung
Ostend' was formed later, in early 1916, and it would not
undertake large-scale attacks on Britain for another eighteen
months. The first RNAS strategic bombing unit was formed
in July 1916.

All wrong information. The Zeppelin Z-6 was sent in to attack a fort
near Leige on August 4, 1914 dropping 8 200kg bombs to support the
German columns. The High Command sent the airship in on orders.

Rob

"robert arndt" wrote in message
om...
"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote in message
...
"W. D. Allen Sr." wrote in message
news
Which country first practised strategic bombing?

It depends, of course, of how you define strategic bombing.
The actions of individual pilots in bombing foreign cities
probably don't count, as this was no organized efforts.
I think one can also exclude the early British raids against
Zeppelin sheds on Germany, because these were essentially
counter-force efforts, not yet the bombing of strategic targets.

Then probably the attacks of German airships (Zeppelin
and Schutte-Lanz) on Britain deserve to be called the first
organized strategic bombing offensive. These began in
January 1915. The targets authorized by the Kaiser were
coastal areas, docks, and military installations; not yet
industrial or population targets. In May Wilhelm II authorized
the bombing of targets in London east of the Tower; in July
he expanded this to anything except historical buildings.

The first organized strategic bombing offensive by aircraft
appears to have been the work of the Italians, who began
bombing Austria-Hungary in August 1915 with their large
Caproni bombers. The German 'Brieftauben Abteilung
Ostend' was formed later, in early 1916, and it would not
undertake large-scale attacks on Britain for another eighteen
months. The first RNAS strategic bombing unit was formed
in July 1916.

All wrong information. The Zeppelin Z-6 was sent in to attack a fort
near Leige on August 4, 1914 dropping 8 200kg bombs to support the
German columns. The High Command sent the airship in on orders.

"Supporting the german columns" implies tactical, not strategic, use; it
matters not a whit what level of command ordered them to do it.

Brooks

Rob

"robert arndt" wrote in message
om...
"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote in message
...
"W. D. Allen Sr." wrote in message
news


The first organized strategic bombing offensive by aircraft
appears to have been the work of the Italians, who began
bombing Austria-Hungary in August 1915 with their large
Caproni bombers. The German 'Brieftauben Abteilung
Ostend' was formed later, in early 1916, and it would not
undertake large-scale attacks on Britain for another eighteen
months. The first RNAS strategic bombing unit was formed
in July 1916.

All wrong information. The Zeppelin Z-6 was sent in to attack a fort
near Leige on August 4, 1914 dropping 8 200kg bombs to support the
German columns. The High Command sent the airship in on orders.

Rob

Which is a tactical bombing not strategic.

Keith

On 12 Feb 2004 06:16:13 -0800, (robert arndt) wrote:

"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote in message ...
"W. D. Allen Sr." wrote in message
news
Which country first practised strategic bombing?

It depends, of course, of how you define strategic bombing.
The actions of individual pilots in bombing foreign cities
probably don't count, as this was no organized efforts.
I think one can also exclude the early British raids against
Zeppelin sheds on Germany, because these were essentially
counter-force efforts, not yet the bombing of strategic targets.

Then probably the attacks of German airships (Zeppelin
and Schutte-Lanz) on Britain deserve to be called the first
organized strategic bombing offensive. These began in
January 1915. The targets authorized by the Kaiser were
coastal areas, docks, and military installations; not yet
industrial or population targets. In May Wilhelm II authorized
the bombing of targets in London east of the Tower; in July
he expanded this to anything except historical buildings.

The first organized strategic bombing offensive by aircraft
appears to have been the work of the Italians, who began
bombing Austria-Hungary in August 1915 with their large
Caproni bombers. The German 'Brieftauben Abteilung
Ostend' was formed later, in early 1916, and it would not
undertake large-scale attacks on Britain for another eighteen
months. The first RNAS strategic bombing unit was formed
in July 1916.

All wrong information. The Zeppelin Z-6 was sent in to attack a fort
near Leige on August 4, 1914 dropping 8 200kg bombs to support the
German columns. The High Command sent the airship in on orders.

Rob

That is clearly a tactical rather than a strategic attack.

Al Minyard