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Thirty Seconds over Tokyo

in memorium

March 10, 1945

FC 84

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Thirty Seconds Over TokyoThe Doolittle Raid

The Air War

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• April 18, 1942 – Doolittle raiders bomb Tokyo, taking off from USS Hornet, approximately 700 miles off the Japanese coast

• Led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle

• A little “shock and awe” air campaign

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Doolittle pilots in China

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Air power

Allied forces developed doctrines of urban aerial bombardment as key to waging total war

British General “Bomber” Harris – planned the fire bombing of Dresden

U.S. Gen. Curtis LeMay – planned aerial campaigns against Tokyo, went on to head the Strategic Air Command

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US Air campaign

Bombing started in earnest in 1944Needed Pacific island bases for bombers Mockups of Japanese cities built in the US

southwest for bombing practices Invention of napalm – intended for burning

wooden cities

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American bombings 1944-45• Over 130 Japanese cities intensively bombed

• Massive evacuations of urban civilian population

• Culminated in the fire bombing of Tokyo March 10, 1945

• Casualty estimates run as high as 150,000 people in a single night

• Raids planned to maximize damage and terror to civilian population

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Kanto region

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March 10 raids

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Aftermath of March 10 raids

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Aftermath of March 10 raids

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up to 150,000 casualties

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The Ultimate Shock and Awe

Hiroshima, Aug 6

Nagasaki, Aug 9

V-J Day, Aug 15

Thirty Seconds over Tokyo��in memorium��March 10, 1945Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo�The Doolittle Raid Doolittle pilots in ChinaAir powerUS Air campaignAmerican bombings 1944-45Kanto regionMarch 10 raidsAftermath of March 10 raidsAftermath of March 10 raidsup to 150,000 casualtiesThe Ultimate Shock and Awe