,96*5° mm H
4#fu/'ai
*s
ilm
STRATEGIC BOMBING OF AXIS EUROPE JANUARY 1943
SEPTEMBER 1944
BOMB DAMAGE TO AXIS TARGET SYSTEMS
-*
Office of the *
i~ Assistant
Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence
Analysis Division, European Branch
Washington,
D.C.
15 November 1944
29 JAN .
-
-
f
p|
?0.}55009-y '^-j^^Gr-B*
"^
mi
.» J[. :V
?.^ijJngtom „
t
i
c
MEMC.UAHDU?i FOR Command and General Staff School, Att: Library Subject:
I Thors
Koport-
»
is .J'orwardyd
vhic;., revi(vwfi ros;lbs nT bonib in •\u25a0]:.'.rcpo.
''Strategic
Boinbiaf;
; oi A^iy
Europt)'*
herowith ocpy of the' eubjeot report. duaia^e to strti^egic fcßrget ayat*>m«
c : TKia raoort is; oroaoatod &s a rac'-url record of the effect of tho Coabi nad Borabor Offensive uurinj:; 1940 :;nci the i'irst -'• coapreher.;Sive liol- of : T?portant damaged dine' months of 1944pltmr,s,. with the racorcl of attacks on them.., in irio^udsaU '6,It ia felt that the roport will be sr.round. \nforrsatioaal and research purposes
/
\f value £or back
V
j i\ajo;. Concra);, o\, ii, Amy / /• >&lBtant ChioX' of Air ot&.i'f, ¥1
•-*
Intel ligasice
jiarHIBUTTOM i;
f*
-»
oa-s'i'.. of subj rpt
V
V,,
\
*^r STRATEGIC BOMBING OF AXIS LUROFE
- SEPTEMBER
JANUARY 1943
194-4
BOMB DAMAGE TO AXIS TARGET SYSTEMS
•
Office of the
Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence
Analysis Division, European Branch
*%
Washington,
D. C,
1 December
1944
b
It /*;
•
ll
r .^
\u0084
\
(«.***
:-^cm
*'*•\u25a0*
«v^
./:«5-52^8,AF
1 ?1 ft
$4^
f
*fp 5%
«
INTRODUCTION This study is presented
as a factual record of the effect
of the Combined Bomber Offensive during 1943 and the first nine months
of 1944-
.
It is considered
that this report will be of
value to the offices of the Assistant Chiefs of Air Staff and agencies
other interested research
for background,
informational and
purposes.
In general,
the Combined Bomber Offensive directives
assign
ed to the R.A.F. Bomber Command the task of destroying German
•
cities, dispossessing man morale.
the working population and breaking Ger
To the U.S. Strategic Air Forces
destroying key industries
fell the task of
in the German War Economy.
The results of this combined program of precision and area bombardment
of Germany is the subject of this report.
all evaluation
of bombing and statements
each major target system are presented
An over
of results achieved in in the following sections.
A comprehensive
list of important damaged plants also is included
in the attached
Appendix.
#
\u25a0-I
rip
I*
I'
**
C5-52^8, AF
cbrWf ITO '& i* MSm EJ
TABLE OF
#
Page
-
I Introduction
II ITI IV
Summary
-— — — ~ *-
i
•
\u25a0
—
VITI IX
X XI
#
XII
XV JJJ J
XVII
Armaments
Machine Tools and Precision
Electrical Equipment
- Steel
Chemicals
-,
r-.—
Instruments
,--,
,„—^-^^.^
Transportation
~
Military Installations
— — „»
,
Bomb Damage
,
.
,, — — ._
to Axis
,-t~
—^
26
30 31 31 32
,
-.*.,
«^,
,_
P
General Level of Industrial Output--,
25
27
—
„-,-,,
w-,^-p-,«,w-,^-p-,«,
and Explosives
—
,-»•
Engireering
and Non-Ferrous
22
,^-,
,—^,
-.„
and Miscellaneous
*~
„ , ,
„.—\u25a0
Tanks and Motor Transport
Appendix A
+
—— — ——
~—
r—»
Rubber and Tires
XITIMetals XIV
"
ards
19
-^-
/ >-~
yardsv
6 13
,
Oil
VT I Submarine
.
<
Anti-Friction Bearings.-. VI
1
ard Target Pattern
Bombing Operations
Aircraft
' '
\u25a0
r—^.
Industries^
33 34. 39
42 43
-
C \u25a05268,AF
ii.SUMMARY
+
A. Bombing Operations
and Target Pattern
At the end of September 1944 the weight of bombs dropped byAllied Air Forces in Europe since the beginning of the war reached a total of 1,704,470 tons. The RAF Bomber Command accounted for 40 percent of this total, U.S. Strategic Air Forces 33 percent, U.S. Tactical Forces 17 percent and RAF Tactical Forces 10 percent. The growth of both U.S. and 3ritish strategic bombing has been in creasingly rapid in the last two years. US3TAF tonnages averaging 73,160 tons per month in the summer of 1944 were sixteen times \u25a0greater than in 1943. RAF tonnages of 65,700 per month in the summer of 1944 were more than three times as great as in 1943 • The target pattern for U.S. Strategic Air Force attacks has in These in volved successive priorities for several target systems. cluded submarine installations in earl}' 1943, aircraft and antifriction bearing factories in late 1943 and early 1944, and oil installations, tank factories and motor transport plants in mid-1944. During the first nine months of 1944 these high-priority industries absorbed 27.4 percent of the USSTAF bombing effort. Railway instal lations absorbed an equivalent amount, while airfields, other tacti cal targets and area attacks accounted for the remaining 45 percent, Bomb- tonnages dropped on targets in Germany have of the tonnage. steadily increased, and in the third quarter of 1944 amounted to 60 percent of the USSTA.F total effort.
'•
RAF Bomber Command attacks in 1943 were directed mainly against German cities. During 1944, on the other hand, such attacks were limited to about 25 percent of the total RAF effort. Attacks against railway installations in occupied countries, counter measures against flying borab installations on the Channel Coast and bombing of troop concentrations absorbed more than half of this 1944 RAF effort. Oil installations and miscellaneous targets accounted for the balance of about 20 percent of 1944 t,onnages
.
.
B. Aircraft Between late July 1943, when attacks upon the German aircraft industry were launched, and 30 September 1944, a large number of attacks were made on Gernan assembly, component, repair and aeroengine factories. Plants damaged by bombing totalled 58 in 1943, and 146 in 1944. Single-engine fighter aircraft factories bore the brunt of attacks, but production of twin-engine fighters, bombers Practically and miscellaneous types also was materially reduced. all the important aero-engine producers likewise suffered bomb damage
.
#
As a result of bombing attacks it is estimated that up to 30 September 1944 the GAF had been deprived of 10,000 aircraft that would hava been produced in the absence of aerial attacks. Bombing prevented a large planned increase of single-engine fighter output, and until the summer of 1944 held production below the level prevail ing in mid-1943. From T'arch to September 1944 aircraft output rose sharply from a low of 1320 to 1950 combat aircraft, most of which were single-engine fighters. This rise in production, in spite of greatly increased bombing of aircraft factories, reflects a success ful dispersion and expansion of the German aircraft industry follow ing the vury successful 1943 attacks. Although this expansion pro-
C5-5268.AF
gram was in considerable measure successful, the increased output came too late to build up a successful aerial defense of Germany,
m
Combat losses of German aircraft during the period August 1943 Soptember 1944 are estimated at about twice the losses of factory production. A sizeable part of this combat wastage, however, was accounted for by the strategic bombers and their fighter escorts. Bombing and strafing attacks on GAF repair depots and airfields also destroyed aircraft and in addition lowered serviceability of remain ing aircraft through destruction of hangars, repair facilities, supplies, etc. The reduction of fuel supplies following successful bombing of Axis oil installations also contributed to lowered activity of the GAF.
i \
C. Anti-Friction Bearings
Attacks on anti-friction bearing targets resulted in damage to 14 Axis factories. The resulting production loss, together with loss of imports, averaged 20 percent of pre-attack supply during the period August 1943 February 1944, and 50 percent during the following 7 month period. The cumulative loss of bearings in the 14-month period ending 30 September 1944 is estimated at the equiva lent of 5 months normal supply.
-
The effects of these bearing shortages were cushioned to a con siderable extent by a reduction of requirements resulting from direct damage to user industries producing aircraft, tanks, etc., and by .. .'. redesign of equipment. Effects were also postponed to some extent by reduction of industrial allocations, use of pipe-line stocks and inten sified salvage t Nevertheless it is estimated that only 90 percent of vital requirements were covered in the first seven months of this offen September 19Uu These sive and about two-thirds in the period March shortages are believed to have resulted 'in reduced assemblies of tanks, trucks, machine tools, etc., in addition to the losses caused by direct bomb damage to these industries.
-
D. Oil
<\u2666
The heavy aerial offensive against Axis oil installations, launched April in 19hk, caused widespread damage and a rapid drop in production. Up to 30 September 2k synthetic plants, 6° refineries, numerous storage installations and a number of miscellaneous liquid fuel plants were Production dropped to 50 percent of predamaged by aerial attack. 1; output attack in July and to a low of 23 percent in September following occupation of the remaining refineries in Ploesti, Cumulative losses of oil products by 30 September are estimated at 3*660,000 tons, or the equivalent of 23 A months pre-attack output.
Reduced production of oil has forced the enemy to lower military and industrial consumption and to draw upon accumulated stocks. Local shortages of fuel have frequently appeared and have been an important
C5-52f8,AF
<
c-> J c.
Attacks against GAF factories and operational installations can be credited with (l) holding down production of the latest type German aircraft, (2) reducing GAF resistence to a point where wide spread strategic bombing of Axis target systems became feasible, (3) forcing a concentration of GAF fighters in Western Europe at the expense of Italian and Russian fronts and (4) aiding greatly in the landings and subsequent invasion operations in Western Surope.
*
\u25a0
(
\u2666
factor in limiting vehicular traffic and restricting German panzer and air force operations. In view of Germany's critical oil stock position, continued attacks against the industry will further re strict mobility of German ground and air forces. E. Submarines During the early part of 19ii3 v/hen U-boat installations were top priority targets, 12 German shipyards assembling submarines and the 5 large operational bases in France were damaged by bombing, These attacks v/ere only moderately successful and were abandoned following spectacular successes of anti-submarine operations at sea f Attacks were resumed in 19hh 9 however, when damage was inflicted on 17 German shipyards and several important operational bases. These attacks may serviceability remaining have reduced of the German submarine fleet. F, Rubber
and Tires
Synthetic rubber plants at Kuls, Ludwigshafen and Oswiecim and several tire factories have been damaged during Allied bombing missions. In view of Germany's relatively large synthetic output and excess pro cessing capacity it is not believed that damage to these factories materially hampered the German war effort. G, Tanks and
Motor Transport
*
»
Bombing attacks on this industry, though limited in 19h3 resulted in widespread damage during the spring and summer of 19hhj Damage to 6 of the 9 known major tank assembly factories combined with damage to important producers of engines, gear assemblies and other components reduced tank production by an estimated 20 to 25 percent during the summer and early fall of 19U* f
Production of trucks and other motor transport also suffered in 19hh as a result of damage to 23 producers of motorized equipment, including the 5> main truck assembly plants, numerous components plants and several ordnance depots Production of trucks half tracks and miscellaneous vehicles in mid-l^Ui was reduced an estimated 15 to 20
.
,
4
percent below the former rate of lit,ooo monthly. Occupation of im French and Belgian plants in August 19 hh increased this loss of trucks and miscellaneous AFV equipment to at least 140 percent of previous production levels f
portant
The effect of these losses on German military operations is diffi cult to evaluate since shortages of fuel have already restricted use of available motorized equipment. However, if fuel output is increased during the winter months, losses of tanks and trucks as a result of bomb damage v/ill constitute serious blows to German forces already operating with inadequate equipment
.
•
H. Armaments and Miscellaneous Engineering Production of artillery, shells and various other armament and engineering products has suffered considerably from bombing. At least hh factories in this category were damaged in 19h3, and 89 in 19J414, including such. large plants as Krupp at Essen and Rheinmetall Borsig at Dusseldorf t Losses of engineering equipment 'and armaments components have supplemented specific losses of aircraft, bearings, oil, etc, and have contributed to the overall reduction of German fighting strength,
C5-5268,AF -
w&L£%&'\u25a0.
?3 £kl !j«..
.* --i
(»\u25a0-<•\u25a0
•
*?•
3
/
•
I.Machine - --,Tools and Precision -_. , . Instruments . . n
i.ii.i .i
.r
j
i
n
\u25a0_\u25a0..-.
Ul l u£. i-sBta/JJ, «% is*§» 1 d$T 1 wife* II \u25a0
--' mm i^t
I
\u25a0
j^
Ka^m
The production losses in these industries resulting from damage to 15 plants in*l°li3 and 21 plants in 19hh has intensified recon struction problems in bomb damaged industries f Lowered machine tool production has also limited normal reequipment of plants and prevented the use of former excess capacity for direct armaments production
.
J # Electrical Equipment Damage to 25 plants in 1910 and 30 to have reduced output of the electrical least 10 to 15 percent. It is possible necks were created, particularly by the and important plants in Berlin,
X , Metals
- Steel
plants in 19hh is estimated equipment industry by at that certain equipment bottle heavy damage
inflicted on large
and Non-ferrous \u26 6
•
Damage to 16 steel plants in 19h3 and 17 plants in 19hh is be lieved to have reduced ortput, but only in- moderate degree because of the existence of excess capacity in the industry and the general invulnerability of steel plants. The loss of industrial plants in 'western Europe and loss of imports of iron ore from Sweden and other sources has far overshadowed losses from bomb damage, and must soon lower Gorman steel production to a fraction of former levels. Non ferrous metal producers also neve been damaged by Allied bombings, but it is doubtful if German war production has thereby been materi ' ally damaged, 1
L, Chemicals and Explosives Fairly widespread damage has been inflicted on German chemical factories. Included in the list of 37 plants damaged in 19hh were 6 plants producing hydrogen peroxide, used by rockets and robot air craft. Five large explosives plants in France also were knocked out by RAF attacks. Other bomb damage contributed somewhat to the over all decline of Axis industrial output. M,
General Level of Industrial Output
,
Damage to German industries as outlined in preceding sections, combined with damage to residential property, public utilities and administrative agencies, has reduced overall industrial output in Ger many by an estimated average of 12/15 percent during the period under review. Factories damaged by bombing in 19h3 included 252 of the more important plants in Axis Europe, In 19hh such damaged plants totalled 536, In addition, hundreds of small factories, mostly unidentified, ' were damaged or destroyed by bombing. Damage to housing by 30 Septem ber I9IUI is estimated at a total of 2,600,000 units destroyed or ren dered uninhabitable.
•
German industrial output has been greatly enhanced during the war by the impressment of foreign labor into service in Germany, by acquisition of strategic resources in conquered territory, and by receipt, of contributions from occupied and satellite countries. Foreign workers have comprised about 20. percent of Germany's labor force, and contributions from occupied countries, in financial terms, have amounted to as rcuch as 30 percent of the total Axis outlays for war purposes. The recent losses of European territory have deprived Germany of most of these contributions and practically all of certain
C5-52^8,AF
Jlly &«£
*^; ::
- -' '\u25a0*'•' v:u *-'
'
#
production. al to war The combined efTect" »-*aoJ strategic materials vital war production. of materials heavy damage important bomb and the even more loss raw of and industrial contributions from occupied countries is rapidly in creasing Allied superiority in production and must seriously weaken German military resistance in corning months.
N.
Transportation
In addition to the strategic bombing of industrial objectives, the strategic air forces have devoted a large percentage of their efforts to the bombing of rail centers, road and rail bridges and port facilities. This bombing has supplemented tactical air force ' missions in several programs of interdiction. In Italy, the .Bal kans, Southern France and "Western Europe the bombing of transport facilities has slowed the movement of German supplies and reinforce ments and materially aided in the success of Allied ground operations.
Air action and mining operations by British Air Forces have des troyed or damaged shipping, port facilities and inland waterways. This has cost the Axis valuable cargoes, disrupted his industrial plans and slowed military traffic. As the weight of tactical and strategic air force attacks against transport shift into German territory, the enemy's industrial power and economic system,, as well as bis military strength and mobility, will be increasingly impaired by bombing, 0, MilitaryInstallations
#
During amphibious landing operations and subsequent advances in Italy, Southern France and Normandy, heavy bombers operating with medium and fighter bomber forces have contributed materially to the success oi ground operations. Co inter action against launch ing and supply sites for flying bombs required diversion of a- size able portion of the strategic air forces efforts but aided in res tricting robot bombing attacks against England.
•
C5~5268,AF
—5—
111. BOKBING OPERATIONS AND TARGET PATTERN
A. Weight of Attack Bombs dropped by Allied Air Forces ning of the war reached
19kk«
For detailed
total of 1,70k,k70 tons on 30 Sept'mber
?
data
table 1.
see
This total effort was divided
U.S. and British forces,
almost equally between
U.S. Strategic Air Forces U.S. Tactical Air Forces U.S. Total
RAF Bomber Command
RAP Tactical Air Forces
RAF Total
Total
Strategic
bomber forces accounted
percent.
A considerable
for
part of t lnis
however, was devoted to tactical bombirg,
ing sections
The monthly weight of attack by t he
showed an impressive increase dropped
in
19UU
on Axis Europe by British and
3>0,570 tons in 19U5, an average of 108,990 tons
ped in the first half of
of
I9UU.
revealed
19141+, and 177,930 tons
The spectacular
incrcrse in weight of
by tie fact that 70 percent of the tot
dropped in 19kU, compared
with 21 percent
prior years.
U.S. Strategic Air Forces. bombers
committed
Although p.ttecks
to strategic bombardment
were on
minor scale until late in 19U^, these
percent of Allied strategic
tons on
30
September
(USSTAF ] increased
19UU-
air force
Attacks by the U.S.
sharply in 19hh, e.s shown in T
\u25a0'*'ii'uj jjf'"".'<" '"'if !! , JJ 8
TABLE 1
BOMB TONNAGE ALLIED AIR FORCES IN EUROPE
i
JJ
U. S. Air Forces
\u2666
Bth
Period
R. A. F.
; n
v
AFilsth AF :l2th AF: 9th AF:
*Tacti-; . : kJ x : ;Command: A F Med. Total
:
1942
:'
1,713:
Total
\u26 6
: :
739;
— — — —
«
;
— — — ——
705:
1,530:
: 1,130: : 2,677: j
2,468:
: 1,983: : 1,773: : 2,773: :
5,042:
: 7,436: : 8,409; : 13,850: : 02, 460:
~~
3,171:
Dec.
: 4,103: : 3,779: :. : 5,743: : 5,132: : 6,868: : 12,577:
4,368:
4,087: 5.815:
Total
: 47,451:
7,539:'
86,484:
Jan.
Feb. Mar.
.
:
:
: 12,397: 11,051: : 19,146; 6,747: : 21,346: 10,376:
13,941:
8,915:
8,0-46; 4,848:
14,632:
2,828: 17,460
35,508:
14,317: 49,825
6,123-::' 51,028:
4,410:*
1943 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.
—
— ——
\
Bomber, cal
1939-40: 1941
"
249:
25,258^
76,535
—
: 2,722:: 4,868: : 1,368: 2,478:: 12,274:-— : : 832: : 4,303:: 11,858: -.- : 2,752: : 6,172:: 12,843: 83: 3,332:
—
6,236 13,106 14,610
16,258
11: 10,134:: 14,460: 52: 2,978: 17,490 : 10,877;: 17,101: 282: 2,938: 20,321 263: 18,216:: 18,852: 491: 4,688: 24,031 1,292: 17,531:: 22,569: 531: 5,429; 28,529 2,777: 22,4-61:: 16,642: 1,239: 4,786: 22,667 882: 14,929:: 15,428: 363: 2,829; 18,620 1,444: 15,570:; 16,236: 1,370: 2,350: 19,956 1,541: 24,301: t 13.221: 1,054: 1,001: 15,276
8,210 i 149,684: -176, 352
\
5,465: 35,283:217,100 .
1,618: 33,1125: 20,639: 1,696: 34,161:: 13,500: 1,781:
3,420:
m
2,279: 24,614 1,819: 17,100 3,240: 35,434 4,465:. 43,941 7,150: 54,046 4,451: 74,293 23,404:249,428 7,584: 77,236
7,064: 5,193: 43,979:: 31,021: 1,173: 27,576: 21,253: 8,603: 10,964: 68,396:: 37,515: 1,961: 38,029: 30,355: 15,720: 18,845:102,949:: 41,722: 5,174: June 59,625: 24,465: 11,821: 26,023:121,934: : 64,139: 5,703: 6 Mo. :178,119: 104,247: 56,102: 66,063:404,531: :208,536:17,485: July : 46,605: 32,183: 9,586 : 16,457:104,831:: 64,528: 5,124: Aug. : 49,305: 28,230: 12,441: 18,272:108,248:: 73,760: 6,561: 8,796: 89,117 Sept, : 42,162: 20,971: 8,394:" 8,946: 80,473: : 58>89&: ~3,9OO: 11,082.: 73,880 Mo, ;316, 191; 185,631: 86, 523; 109, 738; 698 ,083:; 405, 722; 33, 073: 50,866:4-89,661 .9 ' • • • 1939-Sept. 1944 * : : i : Total :365, 355:193,170:177,417:117,948:853, 890; :683,242;'38, 787:*128,552i850,581 * • Apr. May
s
•
1/ 2/ 2/ 4/
—
1
,
L.
:
:
;;
;
Data from Statistical Control Division, Office of Management Includes 9th Air Force when in Mediterranean Theater
Control
Includes Air Support Command of Bth Air Force in early 1943 Includes Mediterranean Strategic Air Force.
iI^IPI
"*"'*"
sir ji C5-5268,AF 7
i
*&-
percent of the total for these air forces
was concentrated
afc
5J
_»
jj^j|
in the
third quarter of 19hh, 50 percent in the first half of I9kh, and only
#
10 percent in the preceding
months.
17
tons of bombs dropped in the summer of than in
19U3
73 »160
The monthly average of
19UU
was sixteen times greater
<
Attacks b;/ British heavy bombers
RAF Bomber Command.
f
account
ing for 55 percent of the total Allied strategic effort, up to
30 September 19UU, also increased greatly in 19W4, as- shown in Table 1. Nearly
30
percent of the RA.F 5-year total was dropped in the third
quarter of
in
19U3,
19UU» 30
a^d
percent in the first half of the year,
percent in preceding years.
15
26
percent
The monthly average of
65,700 tons reached in the sumner of 19Uil- was more than three times
•
as great as in
19U3»
U.S. Tactical Air Forces. . Attacks by t c U.S. 9th and 12th Mr Forces have accounted
for nearly two-thirds of the tonnage dropped
by Allied tactical air forces in Europe during the war.
were not begun until late in 19U2,
U.S. tactical air force operations
the growth of these forces has rapidly overshadowed particularly in 1914i|-»
U.S. tactical forces
dropped about the same tonnage in
Although
Vshh
in the Mediterranean
as in
Force based in Britain showed large increases
RAF operations,
19U3»
area
"but the 9"th Air
to a peak effort of
26,020 tons in the invasion month of June 1914J4.
About
25
percent of
the^ total U.S. tactical effort was dropped in the third quarter of
19141+, I+l
percent in the first he. lf of 19W+, p.nd
3U percent
in the pre
ceding fourteen months.
British Tactical Air Forces.
•
Britain and the Mediterranean naval forces) have accounted
tical air force tonnages.
British forces operating from
area (excluding Coastal Command and for somewhat more than one-third of tac
The long participation of these
air forces in the war is shown- by the fact that only
26
British
percent of a
C5-5268,AF H Jsl £w 'ilifi If k^
k
L^
v
'i'^
I
t
\
Tj|
&J
SB
\u25a0*\u25a0 "W W 'O' U. S. ,STRATEGIC AIR FORChS 15th)
' ' (Bth and 15th) HEIGHT OF ATTACK BY TYPE OF TARGET TARGET
\u25a0
#
ila|Jf
*.i
f:
1943 1943
°
1944
T_-_
;an-Mar:i :• Jan-Mar June ne ; iJulyc juiy-Sept apr-jui apr-jui :Apr-
Type of Target Target
Tons
A/C
:Percent: Percent:
Tons
-
y
a
*«\u25a0_\u25a0_
j
Tons
Jan- Sept
:
Tons
Tons; Percent
Construction
: 2,419
" "
4.4
9,542
19,431
19,323^ 48,796
9.7
Repair Repair
: 3,208
5.8 : 1,512
2,273
: 3,785
0.8
."
Airfields
s
8,623
28,767
20,038. 57,428
11.4
! 19,677
50,471
39,86i;i10,009
21.9
!
150
20,436
44,018* 64,604
12.9
1,080
Total
5,135
9.4
! 10,762
19.6
;
Oil Oil
'!
Bearings Bearings
: 2,235
4.1 : 1,906
I-ST-AFV-Rubber
: 1,223
\u25a02.2 :
•
Total
424
3,832
0.8
7.1
\
130 2,186
756 22,272
—
1,311*
4,297
0.9
13,366: 14,252
2.8
58,695
\
53,153
16.6
•.
*
8,440
15.3 : 22,342
64,408
Sub Yds-Naval Bases
: 20,490
37.3 : • 3,467
1,622
Flying Bomb Sites
: 2,274
RR Installations
:
52,003:138,753
27.7
«,
Defenses
- Troops Troops
•
Total Area
- T.O. - Misc.
31,204
: 9,142
9,665
1.9
16,337
9,104: 33,843
6.7
9,131
20,832: 29,963
6.0
34,211
91,498
86,515.!212,224 212,224
42.3
16.6 : 24,989
37,062
34,385: 96,436
— —-— -— —. .
19.2
4.1
56.7
•
8,402
;
4,576:
\u25a0\u25a0! \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0'
All Targets . Source of data;
: 54,990
100,0 :
81,063
,201,303
\u2666
\u25a0 \u25a0 I
}l
\u25a0
219,456.501,822
Statistical Control Division,
Office of I4magement Control
1
Prepared
•
by
Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence Analysis Division, European Branch, Target Section
C5-5268,AF
9
100.0
TABLE 3
r<
—
**:—:
1
RAF BOMBER COMMAND COMMAND
UVEIGHT OB .ATTACK BY TYPE 1OF TARGET
•
1943
*
i
1944
.
Type' of Target
-L,
July—Sept July— Sept r Tons sj
Jan-Mar: Apr- June Tons • Tons
;
Tons :Percent:
Jan-Sept Tons :Percent
Precision Attacks «
A/c Repair Airfields Oil RR Installations Sub Bases Ports
3,374*:
1,234
p/A/C Installations - Troops Defenses
197
0.1
2,676 10,966 506
.1.5
:
ither Industry ither
17,869
Total
3,715:
4,253.
6,608
6.2 0.3
509 10,285 21,735
54,641 : 17,639 3,236
1,634
2.0
t
238
10.1
\
9,714
5,U7
1.3
14,000 25,993
6.4
3.5
19,4
20,020:
48,111
24,351:
50,277
78,558 3,236 69,765 : 74,628
1,3X5:
2,681
: 4,234
0.8 17.2 18 r4 1^
:275,86l
68.
111,6741 154,473
*.
. Major City
«
Attacks
Rhine land : 37,094 Ruhr : 29,322 Berlin : 21,952 Hamburg, Kiel, Wil helmshafen, Bremen-, "s 14,495 : Emden ; 1,006 Stettin, Rostock, Konigsberg : Hanover-Kassel 12-\»339 Brunswick- Magdeburg Frankfurt-Nuremberg :: 10,806 Gtuttgart-Leipzig: Munich \u25a0:
11,339:
21.0 :
6,228:
16.7. : 3,042 12.5 :16,435
11,824
8.2 0.6 : 1,252
4,067
:
7.0 :
:"4,513 6.1 : 7,711
1,498: .
-
•
.--
Prepared
*g<\
S-*" ifj llh T
•.:
: 18,349 : 9,270 : 16,435*
2.3 4.1
U,824
2.9
: 5,319
1.3
\u25a0:
917j-:
1,712
4.5
6,928
: 9,423
1.7 .
Statistical Control Division,
Office of Management Control
Source of data:
¥*> V-'
—
7,010
J
"
rwpa, "''\l \^ *'J
by
Office uiiiue of ox the one Assistant as sis baa 0 Chief oniei of Air Staff Intelligence Analysis Division, European Branch, Target Section
'
10
2,3
***$'&%$
5-year total was dropped during the third quarter of percent in the first half of 19141+, compared
vious years
#
8., Target
i
19UU snet!^
«
•*
with 50 percent in pre
.
Pattern The industrial pattern of U.S
Air Forces.
U.S. Strategic
Strategic Air Force attacks during
191+3
and
37
U-bost more than
In "the crucial battle against
19U3*
19U3
percent of total
.
ped on naval installations
of
, accounting
also accounting
19^3
in the
the
was drop
USSTAF tonnages
Of next iirroortance
were airfields and aircraft repair depots and railway installations
is shown in Table 2.
were the chief targets
Submarine building yards and naval bases these forces during early
19JJ+
for
program
15
percent,
19U3
for 15 percent of the
total bomb tonnage. of USSTAF attacks
The emphasis
+
in
I9WI was
shifted to railway
installations, synthetic oil plants and refineries, airfields and repair depots and aircraft factories. target systems
first nine months of
63
for
accounted
1914J1.
As shown in Table 2, these
percsnt of the total effort in the
The balance of the tonnage
w*.s
directed
at pilotless aircraft installations, troops and coastal defenses, targets.
area and miscellaneous The geographical increasing
of
19UU
pattern of USSTAF attacks
concentration
of attacks
on Germany.
the first he. lf of
19141+
Command attacks
55
and
RAF Bomber Command.
•
an
In the third quarter
about 60 percent of the total tonnage was dropped in the less than UO percent in
greater Reich, compared with considerably
.it
in I9UU showed
percent
in
19U3.
The industrial pattern of
in 19U3 arid
19UU
is shown in Trble
trial cities in Germany bore the brunt of
19U3
Bomber
3° Lprge indus
attacks,
cities in
the Rhineland and Ruhr, Berlin and various other large industrial centers tonnage.
for the
accounting
for more then three-fourths
of the total
Submarine bases and various miscellaneous
remaining
--
r
"
19U3
targets accounted
W^ W\
05^5268, AF
Ljs £*ar J^ff
-
v
181 « v
than in 1943 and accounted
#
RAF effort.
for only one— fourth of the total
Bombing of railway installations
port of the invasion of -France represented
Counter action against
RAF tonnage.
,„
involve*!* less J
In the first 9 months of 1944, major city attacks tonnage
k,
38
in sup
and defenses
percent of the total
pilotless aircraft installa
More
tions forced the diversion of 17 percent of the RAF total*
than 6 percent of RAF tonnage was aimed at oil installations in a program supplementing
aneous
targe
the heavy USSTAF offensive against
oil
The remaining 14 percent was dropped on miscell-
installations*
ts\
The geographical
pattern of RAF Bomber Command attacks
showed a heavy concentration
of attacks on Germany
three-fourths of the total tonnage.
- more
In 1944* however
f
in 1943
than
when support
of the invasion and counter action against flying bombs took first
priority-, attacks on Germany decreased.
W
Only 40-percent
of RAF
tonnage was dropped on German targets in the first half of
and only
23
1944
percent in the third quarter.
The effects of these Allied bombing operations upon the out put of various German war industries
sections.
are described
A list of the priority factories damaged
attack in 1943 and
1944 also is
in following by aerial
given, in Appendix A..
• VJ 11
*\u25a0
'
\u25a0"
w
C5~526g,AF
12
.-v
'ffl
tm
"/Ts*/5*/
IV AIRCRAFT A» Attacks on Aircraft Factories Since the middle of 194-3 factories
producing German fighter air
tJSTAAF
craft have been high priority targets for and operational
weather
conditions permitted*
attacks
whenever
Up to 30 September
194-4 U.S» Strategic Air Forces had made 254 attacks upon the Axis aircraft industry, including 177 attacks ents factories
.
factories
, 50
against
On 53 occasions
against
aero-engine plants
the RAF damaged
assembly
and 27 against repair
aircraft factories
course of area and precision bombing attacks.
components
in the
In addition to these
a large number of engineering industries
factories
and compon
producing minor
such as spark plugs, oil filters, propellors, metal cast
ings, etc., also were attacked. By 30 September
bombers
a total of 56,450 tons had been dropped by U.S.
on GAF factories; large RAF tonnages
also had been dropped
on French plants and German aircraft centers. attacks
against
The weight of USTAAF
the German aircraft industry averaged only 400 tons
monthly in the second half of 1943 but increased
month in 1944.
6,500 tons
to
Th^ maximum weight of U.S. attacks
per
occurred In April
1944 when 9,850 tons were dropped on German aircraft plants. As a result of this offensive against
aircraft production a
total of 58 aircraft plants were damaged in 1943 and A list of these damaged
1944.
Single-engine
attacks
against
factories
plants in
is given in Appendix A.
fighter aircraft have borne the brunt of USTAAF
the Axis aircraft industry.
by US bombing in 1943 were increased
9 months of 1944.
146
to
Seven SEF plants damaged
38 plants during the first
These included twenty-one factories
ponents for or assembling ?!e 109s and seventeen
All the important known SEF aircraft factories
producing com
producing FW 190s.
were attacked
from
one to seven times and production materially reduced at all locations.
"m
m
G5-5 26&,AF
- ->J damage list be-"" ** aß *<*& addfiri tn list be-" *aB Twin-engine fighter factories wfirfi were added to the the damage 1 I
ginning in January 1944.
#
attacked
By
30 September 16 TEF factories had been Seven long-range
from one to five times each.
bomber plants
producing He 177 and He 111 aircraft were damaged during 194-4 attacks.
Production of transports, bers also
yras
dive bombers
and Italian fighters and bom
curtailed as a result of a number of attacks
producing these aircraft.
became priority targets
In early 1944 aero-engine
for USSTAF attacks.
on plants
factories
also
In the following months
21 of 22 factories producing BI.IW, Daimler Benz and Jumo engines
damaged,
and supplies
of this major
A/C
component restricted for both
installation in new aircraft .and replacement B,
•
were
in older aircraft.
Results of Attacks- on Aircraft Factories Attacks upon German aircraft production have prevented
planned increase
in output and until the summer of 1944 held production
below the level prevailing in mid-1943 when attacks It is estimated
a large
that up to 30 September
were initiated.
1944 the G.A.F. has been de
prived of 10,000 new planes that would otherwise have been produced in the absence
of aerial attacks.
the GAF have been single-engine fighters also has been
Most of the aircraft thus lost to fighters.
Output of twin-engine
cut, however, and bomber output likewise mat
erially reduced both through direct damage
to plants and through con
version of facilities to sorely needed fighter production.
Tilhen strategic attacks were launched against the German aircraft industry in July 1943, German production of operational
types had in
to about 1740 monthly, including 910 single-engine
creased
Having recognized
launched
the threat
of Allied strategic bombing,
fighters.
the GAF had
a program of expansion that called for a monthly output
rising to nearly 3,000 operational planes in late 1944, including
#
about 1,700 single-engine
*•
:;
.;\u25a0.
-'
fighters.
'M i
C5-5268,AF 14
This schedule however.
#
nvprisinn bombing, of precision bnmbi n? . of
rT'r-.knn nn did not reckon on thp the suocpss success
As a result of aerial attacks
duced below the July level to a low of 1,320 planes percent
was re
output of combat types
in I larch 1944.
- 24
below July output and less than half of planned production.
From !'arch 1944 onwards production of operational planes rose sharply to 1950 aircraft in September,
of which 1400 were single-engine
The weight of aircraft produced
fighters.
943, i
was no greater than in July
how
ever, for the gain in fighter production was offset by a reduction of heavy bomber output.
The estimated
output of combat types by months
is shown in the following table;
All Combat Types
Month
•
: Est. Outputl./: » :
1943
July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
1944 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
. . .-. .
:
:
:
j
:
•
: : j
t
:
1740 1530 1520 1540 1550 1480
%of
Planned Output
Single-engine
: :
Est. Output
910
85
675
79
of Planned Output
100
70
630 645 690
•
77 71
i6s t
100 81
Fighters
63
61
63
65
740 0
M5O 1430 1320
1385 1480 1665
67 64 58 59 61
67
1740 1930 1945 2015
68 73
25,720
71
:
72 72
68
805 785 680 705 790
925
63
53
50
49 51
55
1100
63
1375 1500
uoo
58
59
14,355
60
#
Total
1/
•
Based on British Air Ministry Figures.
The rise in aircraft production since "'arch 1944 large increase
in weight of Allied bombing attacks
cessful reorganization
- in spite
- reflects
of the German aircraft industry,
of a
a suc
"i/hen attacks
were initiated in 1943, the German aircraft industry was organized
C5-5268,AF
' :"\ &m .fri**en )-'i . '";' into a relatively few highly integrated complexes of assNs&hly jand coispJ/M
ponents plants utilizing mass production methods
.
The 194-3 precision
attacks, involving a total of only 2,420 tons, resulted in very con
#
damage
siderable
and large production losses.
These attacks
proved
the vulnerability of the existing industrial plan, and compelled a reorganization
wholesale
of the German aircraft industry.
fort to expand single-engine was dispersed
fighter output, production of components
to many small plants,
including unused textile mills.
GAF airfields were pressed into use for assembly.
fighters to
New facilities were
Bomber plants were converted to production of
developed underground. fighter aircraft.
New plans raised production goals for single-engine
more than 2,000 per month in late 194-4 •
Expansion of German SEF production, however,
came too late to
save the German war effort from heavy Allied bombing.
«
of output of defensive conservation sistance
In an ef
The reduction
fighter planes forced upon the GAF a policy of
to retain an air force in being.
in turn made possible successful
Lack of adequate
re
strategic bombing of Axis
industries producing oil, bearings and other vital war materials. C.
Factory
Losses
in Relation to Combat Losses
The loss of aircraft production at bombed factories at 10,000 planes between 1 August
1943 and 30
September
- estimated - was 1944
roughly half of the somewhat more than 20,000 aircraft lost to the
GAF in combat in this period. considerable
part of these
The bomber offensive accounted for a
combat losses, however.
was inflicted on the GAF by Allied bombers during bombing missions.
•
pair depots accounted
Heavy wastage
and by escorting fighters
Allied bombing of GAF airfields and re
for additional sizeable losses
of German air
craft, as well as a lowering of serviceability. The remainder of the GAF wastage resulted largely from aerial combat with tactical air
forces, strafing of airfields and capture of GAF airfields with im mobilized aircraft.
C5-52^8,AF
MSat
_
OB iA NJt,^
, !tyl
.
The damage to aircraft factories was qualitatively of greater
than the 1:2 ratio of "lost" production to combat losses
importance
m
Factory attacks
indicates..
in conjunction with other counter .air
force -action (l) reduced German defensive resistance strategic
losses,
on Axis target systems
attacks
(2) forced the GAF to concentrate
to a point where
could be made without undue fighter aircraft in Western
Germany at the expense of German military capabilities
in Russia and the Mediterranean,
on land fronts
(3) aided in whittling down the GAF
to a point where it could not combat Allied land invasions, and (4) assured
unhampered
and minimum losses
Allied lines of communications
of men and material atf the vast military depots built up in Britain for continental invasion. Repair Depots
D. Attacks on GAF Bases and Since the early part of
1943 , 34 factories
repairing aircraft
and producing spare parts have been damaged by USAAF and RAF aerial
<J
attacks
involving a total of 12,100 tons of bombs.
Damage
to these
factories, most of which were French or Belgian, has slowed the re turn of repaired aircraft to front-line units and has reduced strength thru loss of planes
GAF
and parts.
Attacks upon airfields up to 30 September 194-4- have accounted for a material part of the Allied bombing effort
- 76,700
tons.
Since the first of 1944 U. S. Strategic and RAF bombers made attacks
531
on
" " " tt
"
H
!I
it
Total
135 airfields in i1i ranee and the Low Countries
75 47
257
•
These attacks
1
Germany and Austria Italy and the Balkans
have destroyed aircraft, and by damaging or destroy
ing repair facilities, hangars
and other airfield installations
have seriously lowered the' combat serviceability of aircraft re maining to the GAF.
Numerous
strafing attacks,
been made on airfields, with resultant
in addition, have
claims of several thousand air
craft destroyed. »
v*-% a
% I*®} *
C5-52£8,AF
w&0
i£sf&
.
E
Effect upon GAF jpomping .avoacKs xecx. of .Bombing Attacks Upon uax 1
oj.
.
s£ren|;ftr j^s * &'£E\u25a0"ir,- \ ' « DurengwH' «&% >
HL>
As a result of the Allied Bomber Offensive since July 1943 the GAF has been decisively weakened.
#
Tff .' rf H ,*»
.\
.''
"***\u25a0»\u25a0
This has been accomplished
through the combined effect of (1) bomb damage
to aircraft fac
tories, (2) bomb damage to repair factories and airfields, (3) combat losses
imposed on the GAF during strategic
strafing attacks,
bombing and
and (4) reduction of aviation fuel supplies
through bombing of synthetic oil plants and refineries
.
' The inferiority of the GAF has become increasingly evident in its reduced resistence
to Allied air and ground forces.
In the
summer of 1944 fighter aircraft strength of the GAF was great enough to permit an estimated 1,200 sorties per day, but actual sorties
flown were far below this level.
The inability of the GAF to fly
the sorties permitted by available numbers of German aircraft may be traced to a forced policy of conservation,
%
planes, and shortages
low serviceability of
of fuel and suitable pilots.
The overwhelm
ing superiority of Allied air power and the disorganization by
abandonment
contributed
caused
of airfields during rapid Allied ground advances
also
to the decline of the once great GAF.
It may be concluded
that the Allied bomber offensive has ac
complished the task of reducing the GAF to a state where it has
been unable to oppose effectively either the amphibious and ground operations
of land forces or the increasingly heavy bombing of
German industry.
•
1
C5-5268,AF 7 J&>jsr
r
/
P-
<
'\u25a0' t
'"
\u25a0
•
n»
[TI-FRICTIJNI BEAfiINGS ANTI-FRICTION BEAJTOGS
A. Attacks on Bearing factories On 17 .August
194-3 Bth Air
na iorce bombers
opened an offensive
the: Axis anti-friction bearing industry by bombing Schwein-r
against
furt, center of European bearing production.
30 September 1944
a total of
made by U.S. air forces.
Between this date and
26 attacks on bearing factories was
Bombs dropped totalled
tons., or 1.2
6^530
percent of the total U.S. Strategic Air Force effort in this fourteen-
month period.
also were made on Schweinfurt
RAF attacks
and Stuttgart
and two French -factories. This offensive against damage
on 14 factories
the bearing industry inflicted considerable
which before damage
cent of total Axis bearing supplies. tacks accounted plants
U.S.
84
accounted
for about
Strategic
Air Force at
for all or most of the damage
per
suffered by 12 of these
.
B. Pre-Attack Bearing Position In the building and maintenance large numbers
of a war machine Germany used
of ball arid roller bearings.
military equipment
Every type of mobile
and the industrial machinery needed
for the pro
duction and distribution of war materials and civilian goods utilized anti- friction bearings.
Prior to attacks
on this industry Germany's
bearing supply position was a comfortable
one according to available
evidence.
Bearings were widely used in military equipment and there
was no apparent
attempt
nation of bearings. use of bearings tion.
to economize
The considerable
through substitution or elimi
time* lag between
production and
in finished equipment indicated an easy stock posi
Available sources
of imports were not fully utilized as would
have been the case with inadequate
production.
The anti-friction bearing industry was nevertheless a high-priority target system because
of several
selected
outstanding
as
character
istics :
- 19 -
£5-5268,AF
UliiilLiriw»w-- nd^ll 1. Attacks on bearing plants offered possibilities of cutting
•
across
German industry and, with the limited forces
available, affecting output ol items not easily reached by direct aerial attacks.
2. Production was concentrated plants readily accessible
Schweinfurt
/
in a
relatively
to Allied bombers,
plants alone accounted
ror example,
for approximately 40
percent of Axis supplies.
3- The
small number of
f/
.
industry used a great deal of highly specialized machinery
difficult of replacement
and vulnerable
to fire and high
explosives.
C. Results
of Aerial Attacks
Bombing attacks
on the Axis bearing industry
gradual loss of imports that had accounted, pre-attack
#
supply
- reduced
2 of the following, table.
with the
for 9 percent of Germany 1 s
Axis bearing supplies as shown in column >
Supply as PerRequirements"*
Month
(1)
1943 August September October November December
1944 January February Average
•
- combined
March April May June July August September Average
1/
\u25a0
(2) (3) (in percent of pre-attack
cent of Requirements •
(4)
level)
93
97
95
92 89
99 87 80
35
91
85 85 89
87
79 79 74 73
78 81
84 78
.
84 90 73 59
64
67
63 59 _62
v
Requirements reduced through attacks on user industries such as aircraft, etc., and lower civil-industrial allocations.
C5-5268,AF
As shown in this table, supplies during the first seven months the bearing industry averaged
campaign against
#
of the
about SO percent of
Following a heavier scale of attack beginning in
former levels.
February 1944 supplies dropped still further to less than half of pre-attack
levels, in spite of dispersal oi plants and strenuous The cumulative loss of bearings in the
efforts to restore output.
fourteen month period ending 30 September 1944 is estimated at the equivalent of five months pre-attack
of bearing shortages
The effects
tanks and other end-products
reduction of requirements
on assembly
to this r^elay.
following bomb damage
and other industries, reduced allocations
•
of aircraft, trucks,
apparently were minor until well into
Several factors contributed
1944.
production.
These included a
to aircraft, tank
for civil-industrial uses
and the redesign of equipment to curtail use oi bearings. extent to which requirements column 3 of the above
The
were thus reduced is indicated in In addition, the normal time la? be
table.
tween production and iinal use oi bearings,
the utilization of pipe
line and reserve stocks and intensified salvage further delayed the of bearing losses.
effects
Although
effects. were thus
bearings ultimately appeared
since supplies
siderably more than reouirements
table above, August
1943 and
September
reduced
•
only 90 percent
.
1944.
of requirements
These shortages
significant
shortages
64
of
of bearings declined con
As indicated in column
February 1944, and
assemblies
to losses
postponed,
4of the
were covered between
percent in the period March-
are believed to have resulted in
oi tanks, trucks and other equipment in addition
of these items caused
by direct bomb damage.
'While the
highest priority itetas, such as aircraft, have undoubtedly
been
pro-*
tected, it is doubtful if any major item of military equipment could
have been completely shielded in view oi the extensive damage to the more important bearing factories 1
types.
Bearing shortages
producing a id.de range oi precision
thus have undoubtedly contributed
somewhat
to the decline oi German industrial output.
Ilil^ih^Z*¥ls^lW^^Bß
C5-5268,aF
W' '-iJ
VI OIL
l&iiHft
r* M
lH
i?iF
»tl l«li
it'll
A. Attacks Upon, the Industry
19U^
Attacks
-
Prior to Aprii IQU'-t. attacks upon the Axis oil
industry/ were small scale or sporadic.
war British bombers made numerous upon oil storage
ing
19U3
plants,
damage
spectacular
the early years of the
but re.lativelv ineffective
and refining; installations
in Western
\u25a0
Europe
attacks
.
Dur
was confined to two of the smaller synthetic oil in Western Europe, end refining installations
six refineries
at Ploesti.
Ir,
These latter refineries
in Romania were targets
low-level attack on 1 August
19U-3?
for a
during which an esti
mated k,000, 000 tons of refining capacity was knocked out for varying periods. \u25a0was
The chief result of the damage inflicted by this attack
to eliminate temporarily a large cushion of excess
pacity. ducts
Except for an estimated
7 0,000
refining ca
tons of oil and refined pro
destroyed by fire, output was not materially affected.
191411smashing
Attacks
- In Aprii19LJ4
aerial offensive
allied bomber Forces
against Axis sources
launched a
of oil products.
Following initial bombing of refir.ery and railway installations Ploesti, the pattern
"Balkan refineries in Germany,
spread over li/urone
of attacks
and oil stores,
and storage
German
installations
at
to include other
synthetic; plants, refineries
in France.
During the ensuing
five month period, a total of 9?, 780 tons of bombs were dropped on Axis oil installations. tons, or
September
1?«3
U.S* Strategic A? r Forces
dropped
6h$U5Q
percent of their total bombing effort in the lay-
period.
RAF bombers dropped
2r,3 02r ,33O tons,
chiefly in at
tacks against Ruhr synthetic plahts and French oil stores. As a result of 270 attacks
on oil-producing
total of 2)4 synthetic oil plants and been damaged. southern vegetable
In addition, numerous
'France,
Romania
69
- 22 -
crude oil refineries have
storage depots in western and
erd Germany,
oil plants have sustained'
installations, a
and a number of coal tar and
damage
from aerial attacks.
C5-5268,AF
B. Results
of Attacks on 4xis Oil Industries
Pre-Attack Position
#
-
19UU
In the first quarter of
Axis pro-
du-ction of synthetic fuels and refined petroleum products reached level estimated
at
1,3U4-,000 tons
monthly, made up as follows:
1+30,000 •tons 698,000 166,000
Synthetic Oil Oil Crude Refined.
Benzol, Alcohol, Etc. Etc.
1,31^,000
.
percent
35 »7 51.9
12 .k
""
nee^s for military
and civilian purposes a.nd still permit , accumulation
19^4
- including
variously estimated quantities
at;
of oil reserves.
3 to U million tons on 1 Apri
tied up ini the distribution system
distributed throughout Europe in accordance and industrial needs.
"
100.0
This production was sufficient to meet ; Germany's
These reserves,
a
- wer
with anticipated military
While oil was never plentiful for German
armed forces and industrial users,
supplies were sufficient to' support
heavy fighting and a high level of industrial production.
Post-Attack Position
- The
offensive against oil, mounted at a
time when Allied air strength permitted heavy, concentrated peated attacks,
cut deeply into Axis oil output.
duction is estimated
I'onth
(percent of
pre-attack
95 90
85 76
June July August
5U
82 82
50
69
September
39
52
23
U5
October Aye
.
ko ko 63
30
3U
November
•
Consumption
100
!
April-Fov.
I9hh,
During
pro
as follows:
Production
Farch April
and re
U9
Difference
production)
-* 55
.
6 -28
-19 -13
-22 -10
- 6
-11+
Output of gasoline
and lubricating oils, of particular importance
for GAF and Panzer
operations,
these averages
was reduced to a greater
extert than
for all products.
C5-5268,AF
s*f?
_ . . . losses of oil products by \u0084
Cumulative estimated
m
3»660
at
normal output.
._
30
_
.
.
September
rel="nofollow"> 000 tons, or the equivaleht of 2
This reduction of
30
to meet minimum requirements.
September
stocks
1,200,000 tons.
are
3 A- months d^sW
ar^ to
It is estimated
that by
were thus drawn upon to the extent of at least
Local fuel shortages
have frequently appeared
have been a most important factor in limiting, German vehicular fie in France and other war theaters of the GA.F
.
** "
,
oil production has forced the
enemy to restrict consumption by all possible means, upor stocks
._>
19UU
Continued shortages
and traf
and in restricting* operations
of oil as a result of sustained
will force depletion of repairing stocks and will
aerial attacks
further limit mobile warfare on the part of the Herman army.
•
I
•
..
-
'•>
r ft*^^^^PV
C5-5268,AF
By
''tS 7 I'^f l' *% F%
"'i
fil E?
ly
JP^^i ißi &3^l im.
mi
1W
-I
VII SUBMARINE YA.RDS During the early part of
19U3>
when the German U-boat menace
building yards and operating bases
at its peak, submarine
priority targets
for Allied borbing attacks.
yards assembling
submarines
against
Twelve German ship
were subsequently
mainly by Bth
damaged,
the orircipal submarine
at Brest, Lorient,
bases
St. Nazaire, La Pallice and Bordeaux in Western France. forts against naval installations Strategic
f ir
top-
became
Allied air forces also directed a heavy weight
Air Force bombing. of attacks
was
Force tonnages
in
nearly two-fifths of U.S.
absorbed
19U5, and
These ef
nearly one-fifth of RAF
bomb tonnages.
Bombing of submarine
installations
was abandoned
objective in the summer of 19U3, parti/ because
effectiveness success
of the relrtive in
of such attacks but mainly because
of anti-submarine
warfare at sea.
RAF area attacks.
installations
the Mediterranean
area,
additional damage in
during both U.S. precision and
In the first nine months
forces damaged 17 shipyards
of the spectacular
Attacks were resumed in
the summer of 19UU, however, and considerable flicted on submarine
as a primary
of
19^4 Allied bomber
in G rmnny and 2 operational bases
as well
s the French bases
in
which the Allies
stormed during the invasion of W stern EuroD e. Since the enemy had already greatly reduced boats
prior to these
construction
19^1- attacks it is doubtful if U-boat
was materially hampered by the recent bombing. may have been restricted
somewhat
of TJ-
building
Naval operations
through the destruction
of U-boats
and the lowering of serviceability of that part of the underseas fleet which the Nazis shifted from the lost Fremch ports to safer German North Sea bases
.
<
C5-5268,AF
o
VIII RUBBER AT D TIRES
During, a period in 19Uj> when rubber factories constituted
*
high priority target
made on Germany's
system,
V^\\h, damage
rubber plants
successful
attack was
second largest synthetic rubber producer at Huls.
Several other processing ing
an especially
a
plants were damaged
was corfir.ed
to
h,
in varyirg degree.
Axis tire plants
Dur
and synthetic
at Ludwigsnafen and Osweicim.
Attacks on the rubber industry apparently fect on German military operations. capacity has been available
have had little ef
P- large excess
of tire making
in Germany and France.
Though lack
ing natural crude rubber, supplies of synthetic and. reclaimed rubber apparently have been adequate
for all military needs,
in view of the reduction of requirements
particularly
following bomb damage
to
aircraft and motor vehicle industries.
>
- 26 -
wKF^^^^^^^^^^^
C5-5268,AF
i m mM ft IX
M
-i*si
TANKS AND MOTOR TRANSPORT
The German AW industry did not become a hig^-priority target system until the
sumirer
of
19UU
when a number
of successful
cut sharply into enemy production of mechanized
attacks
equipment.
Prior to
this time bomber forces were insufficient to permit concentrated or the industry.
tacks
widely dispersed
etc. necessitated
capacity was large, plants were
Productive
of large pools of trucks, tanks,
ard the existence large-scale
at
attacks
to materially reduce output
and affect military operations.
.
A
Tanks
During
the course
of RAF attacks
in 19U3 damage
components
tank assembly plants and a number of
on three
This damage
was inflicted producers.
is believed to have curtailed an expansion of the indus
try but probably had relatively little effect on German fighting strength
.
Attacks in
19hJk
included a successful
bombirg of Friedrichs
hafen in April during which the principal plants producing tank engines months
and gear assemblies
damaged.
severely
six of the nine known tank assembly
Additional producers
hulls, ordnance laneous
were
engineering
of damage. assemblies
factories
of principal components
depots
used for storage
and steel plants
succeeding
were damaged.
such as engines
and
and ropair, and miscel
also suffered varying degrees
As a result of these attacks in the third quarter of
in
19UU
it is estimated dropped 20 to
25
that tank percent
below the rate of about 600 tanks monthly that would otherwise have prevailed.
estimated
Monthly losses
in percentages
of potential output are
as follows:
l
- 27 -
C5-5268,AF
JV.
19U3 September October November December
#
7
Percent
February
13 15
March April May June July July
August September
Average
11
Average
5
11
lU
January-
B.
19Uh
Percent
Trucks ard Miscellaneous
2U 2U
20
21 21
19
19U3
amplified in
by
damage
2k
2k 23 23
, and
#
to these
.
of the
including the
This
55 5
t>larts and to various corroorerts
an estimated
15
to 20 percent
producers
was reduced
Production of
20 percent below former levels
monthly.
through bomb damage
by Allied occupation of French
tant factories
U0
AFV equipment.
cars was reduced an estimated
Losses
19UL
As a
below tV e previous monthly rate of
about l[;,000 trucks and miscellaneous
3*500
dsra^e was
main plants.
depots, output in the third quarter of
of about
factories
principal producers
and ordnance
personnel
tractors
to 11 assembly
components
19' 'L when 25
of motor transport were damaged, result of damage
'
AFVs
'and various plants producing; minor considerably
>
17
Production of trucks, armored cars, half-tracks was cut somewhat during
5^
in these
were overshadowed
during August
ard "Belgian plants.
countries
percent of Axis light trucks,
A number of impor
formerly accounting
25
19^*U
for more than
percent of medium trucks and 20
percent of heavy trucks were lost to Germany during Allied advances.
As a combined
result of territorial losses
and bomb damage
factories,, output of Axis trucks and miscellaneous
•
ing the summer and early fall of
19^U
to Herman
AFV equipment dur
was reduced more than J.iO per
cent below former production levels. The effects equipment
of these losses
of tanks, trucks and other AFV
on German military operations
is somewhat
difficult to
*£*!)
m
evaluate
in view of the restrictions
fuel following attacks anized equipment
\u2666
already^niosecr
upon the Axis oil industry.
ay shortages
Losses
of
of mech
through aerial attack may in fact have but little
effect on the duration of German defense the full use of the equipment
if fuel shortages
that is already available.
prevent
However,
should production of fuel recover during the winter mortbs, the loss of badly needed constitute
tanks and the depletion of the Axis truck dool must
serious blows to German military forces already operat
ing with inadequate
AFV
equipment.
#
#
- 29 -
C5-5268,aF
X
|J|lfSff j§4
ARMAMEHTS AND ICISCELLANEOUS ENG TIBERTNG
ll~'
' \ 38* I §
Xk
and various engineering products has
Production of armaments
suffered heavily from bobbing, particularly as a result of RIF area Forty-four factories
attacks.
as priority targets
19141+
at least
89
in this category, most of them rated
by the MEW, suffered bomb
important
category were plants
factories
were damaged.
the large armament
such as
damage
in
19U3 •
I?1
Included in this
works of TfruDp at
Essen and Rheinmetall Borsig at Dusseldorf, steel fabrication plants producing guns, shells, etc., heavy engineering plants producing loco motives and railway equipment,
boilers, diesel engines, etc., and
light engineering plants manufacturing
motor transport
small arms and various other engineering products.
components,
Many of these
plants could be considered
part of specific industries
craft and motor transport,
were itnot for the fact that several
products
are usually produced
such as air
and that definite information on
output
is usually lacking. Losses
Pmented
of output of these
the specific damage
bearings,
tanks, etc.
engineering industries
to industries
producing aircraft, oil,
Practically all branches
tion have been affected.
of German war produc
although no critical shortages
and military equipment have appeared,
have supple-
of armaments
the fighting strength of German
armed forces has been impaired and the task of Allied ground forces thus made easier.
:np
**\u25a0
- 30 -
C5~5268,AF
lEMs%m mnl*lf« a INSTRUMENTS ijiu'gf
B
XI.I ACFIIB TOCLS MD PHEC7SIOTST
producing rachine
Fifteen factories
and various precision instruments attacks,
Twenty one plants,
191|3» suffered
bomb damage
'^ *
/I % %
tools, abras^
damaged
yore
—
A
ff*f^
S^^'Tahe^^
ye
jP
in 1,9^3 during RfiF
including; several of those damaged in
19 4--.
in the first nine months of
The resulting loss of production in this industry ha.t intensi fied the difficulties of r<3pla6in£ irachine tools and equipment damaged
factories
IPJ+3
by
aerial attacks.
mo-re than half of the machine
used to replace bomb -damaged
equipment.
industry's
output
has been
The lowering of" machine
production es s r: suit of direct damage to the
restricted
that sirce early
It is estimated
tool
in
tool
has not only
industry
of de.maged slants but hag also limited
such re-equipment
of tools and removed any surplus industrial capa
normal replacement
city that might have boon used for direct production of armaments.
XII* ELECTRICAL EQU TPI^NT
Plant? producing various types of electrical frequently damaged Berlin,
in
19U5
of air attacks, particularly ir.
during tic course
Twenty-five important plants a n--l about
30
Between 1 I/arch
equipment have been
in this industry
plants in the first nine months
19U3
&&d 30 June
of
by bombing.
15
by the
of the
was seriously
plan
damaged
Output of the industry over this period was reduced
percent below tht
absence
factories
damaged
l^l+'-i.
I9LLI it is estimrted
British Ministry of Fome Security that about 20 percent rea. of German electrical equipment
i?'ere
of bombing.
Iqv©l
that probably would have prevailed in the
The production of particular item? has suffered
more than this average, led to bottlenecks
10
particularly in the Berlin area, and may have
in the production of certain military equipment.
-
31
-
C5-5268,AF
a
R Pi
XIII.METALS
- STEEL AND NOM^'gRROUS
m
1111 Ull Ug
v
on the Ruhr area in 1943, a total of 16
During RAF attacks
steel plants were damaged by bombing.
In 194-4- a total of 17
steel plants, including some of those hit in 194-3, were damaged. Non-ferrous
plants also have suffered,
metal
being damaged
8 important plants
in 1943 and 9 plants in 194-4.
Damage to German steel plants in conjunction with the ex
tensive area damage caused by RAF attacks
reduced German steel
output in 1943 by an estimated 10 percent. large amount of excess
with only moderate measure
cushioned
Existence of a
capacity in the steel industry, combined
vulnerability to damage,
in considerable
the effects of attacks and
mins_mized
losses.
In 1944 production was also lost as a result of bombing, but reduction of output from this cause
was far overshadowed
by the
loss of industrial plants in France, Luxembourg and Belgium and by the loss of imported ores from Sweden and other sources. The consequent
decline in German steel production,
well under way by 30 September
194-4, must soon critically re
strict output of shells, mechanized materials
already
equipment
and other war
.
Damage to German plants refining copper, zinc, aluminum
metals has been on a relatively small
or other non-ferrous scale.
In view of the large output of aluminum and the exist
ence of excess
capacity in the non-ferrous
metal industry, it
is doubtful if German war production has been materially affected by this damage.
HI
r.
_ _ 09
C5-5268,AF
\u25a0
XIV CHEMICALS AMD EXPLOSIVES
wmju#
\u25a0
/^
" t
9
The German chemical industry, though not a priority target system, has suffered
aerial attacks.
considerable
damage, mainly through RAF
A total of 14- rated or important chemical
plants were damaged
with 37 plants, two-thirds
in 194-3 compared
of which have MEW ratings, in 1944.
Included in this latter
group were 6 plants producing hydrogen peroxide, used by rocket
and robot aircraft.
Five large explosives plants in France,
taken over by the Germans
for propellant manufacture,
knocked out by devastating
RAF attacks
.
also were
It is doubtful if damage to the chemical industry has created any significant bottlenecks
in German war production.
Bomb damage to chemical plants has contributed,
however, to
the overall decline of German industrial output.
- - 33 -
*3a
C5-5268,AF
Ll
rm
XV
GENERAL LEVEL OF INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT
II
I
X
Allied strategic bombing of Germany has seriously impaired her war making potential. damage,
Attacks have resulted in enormous
widespread devastation
industrial
of residential and commercial property
in an ever increasing list of German cities, and the loss of millions of man hours of productive effort.
In addition to creating shortages
of aircraft, oil and other specific items, every branch of Germany's war effort has been affected, reduced.
and the level of total war production
The reduction of general industrial output may be attri
buted in large measure
to RAF attacks against
the larger
German
cities. A,
Industrial Damage Damaged industrial installations
relatively important factories damaged
in Axis Europe include 252 in 1943 and
53&
i n 1944.
Most of these plants have been "rated" as priority targets British Ministry of Economic Warfare. plants and a statement
A classified list of these
of the extent of damage
according to the following categories:
- 34 -
by the
appear in Appendix A
T In addition to these
•
factories, hundreds of small plants, mostly
unidentified, have been damaged I
*^ ®^ l ail^^ lll^^l I
or destroyed during area attacks.
In 1943 at least 1,200 such plants sustained varying degrees of damage,
and in 1944 it is believed that comparable
inflicted.
damage
has been
In view of the total gearing of the German economy to
war production, damage
to almost any plant would affect her war ef
fort in some degree. B. Residential
and Commercial Damage
The destruction of civic and residential property in German cities has steadily spread under the impact of growing Allied at Damage in the more heavily damaged cities on
tacks.
(in terms of the percentages
30 June 1944
of buildings destroyed or rendered un
inhabitable) was as follows:
•
City
Kassel Remscheid Hamburg
Population (Pre-war )
216,000 107,000
54
53 1 y/ 5i 1/
1,800,000
Aachen Cologne
49
164,000 906,000
Dusseldorf
530,000 450,000 570,000
570,000
Augsburg
44 44 42 y 40
Munchen Gladbach Ludwigshafen
37 37
Hannover
Frankfurt
Friedrichshafen Wuppertal
Schweinfurt
•
Percent of Property Seriously Damaged
46
.
186,000 186,000
130,000 430,000 25,000 411,000
36
33 32
60,000
720,000 550,000 170,000 1,139,000 4,400,000
Leipzig Dortmund Krefeld Essen Berlin
28
Mulheim
23
136,000
Total 21 cities
33
13,480,000
18 additional cities
10 (est.)
5,336,000
2 (est.)
16
13.957.000 32,773,000
9
69.622,000
Stettin
354 additional cities Total
393 German cities
Total German Reich
1/
25 25 24
23
y/ 1/ 20 1
Attacked by RAF between 1 JuLy^a|K|
380,000
3D
September 1944
\
kfi
Destruction of housing, estimated at the end of
#
s is believed
194-3
to
at 1,500,000 dwelling units
have reached a total of
nearly
2,000,000 units by 30 September 1944, and to have forced a -total of
6,000,000
persons
from their original living quarters.
The increasing weight of aerial attack on Germany combined with military defeats
and loss of territory
have reduced industrial out
put but have not broken German morale, in large part because
controls and propaganda.
of Nazi
Strategic bombing has helped destroy
Germany's faith in victory, however, and by intensifying war weari-* ness and difficulties of production have cut deeply into Germany's industrial war effort. C. Effect of
Bombing
on Production
As a result of aerial attacks
•
estimated averaged
that German industrial production since April 1943 has
from 12 to 15 percent below the level that would have pre
vailed in the absence of causes
on factories and cities, it is
of bombing.
This: loss -resulted from a number
including:
1. Loss of industrial man hours in destroyed and damaged
factor
ies, and loss of time, and efficiency of workers as a result of repeated air raid warnings. 2. Shortages
of
materials, equipment, power, transport, etc.
resulting from damage
to raw material and component pro
ducers, public utilities and administrative
agencies.
3- Diversion of manpower to repair of bomb damaged industrial, residential and other property, and replacement ery and materials
of machin
destroyed by bombing.
4. Evacuation of civilians and dispersal of industrial
The industrial
#
vital armaments
output lost through area attacks
and military equipment,
industrial supplies.
Overall losses
plants.
has included
as well as civilian and
of production have been dis
tributed over many types of industry, and have thereby supplemented
—
?6
C5-5268,AF 36
am 1^
msi
of aircraft, oil and bearings.
the specific shortages
to a critical degree by area attacks,
industry has been damaged
the
of industrial output have weakened the Wehrmacht and
general losses
#
Although no
contributed thereby to military successes
of the Allies.
D. Non-German Contributions
The industrial might of Germany has been enormously enhanced during the course
of the war by the acquisition of satellites
foreign labor impressed into service in
occupied territories.-
Germany has accounted
and
for an estimated
20 percent
of the total gain
fully employed in Germany. . Occupied countries have exported large
amounts of goods to Germany, supported German forces of occupation and satellite military forces, and provided labor for tasks such as These contributions,
building coastal defenses.
•
have amounted
in financial terms,
to as much as 30 percent of the Axis outlay for war
production, as shown below (data from FEA):
y.
Expenditures
(Billion R. !,'!.)
German
Other Europe
Other Europe as
% of Total
Total
70.0
22.6
75.0 93.0 95.0
30.5
105.5
19.0
114.0 :
92.6 :
40,0
133.0
assistance
30.1 16.6
;
While contributions from occupied countries of somewhat less importance
24.4
28.9
qualitatively were
than indicated in financial terms, the
exacted by Germany was nevertheless
very considerable.
The loss of most of the occupied territories and of the strategic materials essential
to German industry consequently
body blow to German war production. plies as of
30
September
These losses
constitute of strategic
a sup
1944 include:
# C5-5268,AF
$S « k}l&aF%.%3%$ £
, I'i-&* \L$
35 percent of Axis ft it 35 tt it ft 80
60
ti
70
#
it
it
manganese
n
it
nickel
75 60
it
M
ft
chrome
ft
't
II
20
M
ft
ft
50 35
II
tt
ft
It
copper aluminum bauxite wood pulp
ft
It
tt
motor vehicles
It
ft
It
bearings
30
10
'
tt tt
.
The combined effect of bomb damage and the even greater losses of raw materials and industrial Contributions from other countries is
steadily and rapidly increasing Allied superiority in production
and must seriously weaken German military resistance ing
during the corn
winter months.
• f
•
llMfl^ P-^^'^^l
C5-526a,AF 38
XVI TRANSPORTATION A. Rail and Road Installations
Attacks on transportation
objectives,
task of tactical air forces, have accounted bomb tonnage of the Strategic Air Forces system.
though primarily the
for more of the
than any other target
The 217,000 tons dropped on rail and road transpor
tation targets
of 194-4- represented
in the first nine months
28 percent of the U.S. Bth and 15th Air Forces effort and 20 percent of RAF bombing attpcks.
sive against transportation
The main targets in this offen
were rail centers
and rail and road
bridges in France, Belgium, Italy and the Balkans. September
194-4- * the transport system in Germany had not been
heavily attacked, transport
although some damage
had been inflicted on
installations, mainly by area attacks.
the German transport
\
Up to 30
requirements
These affected
situation chiefly by increasing
for relief, reconstruction
transport
and evacuation
of devas
tated areas. to rail, shipping installations
As a result of damage
motor vehicles, the transport
system supplying Axis fighting
fronts has been unable to carry adequate even defensive
fighting.
and
Damage
interdiction v/hich is acknov/ledged
military supplies for
to transport,
including bridge
to be the most effective
form of attack on enemy transport, has been most effectively accomplished
by medium and fighter bombers.
The strategic air
forces, however, have done effective work in attacking rail
centers,
port facilities, bridges at extreme operational ranges
and heavily defended
objectives.
In Italy the strategic
air forces have supplemented
tacti
cal air force interdiction by attacking ports and rail instal lations beyond the primary interdiction zone.
In the Balkans,
C5r5268.,AF
IJllv
•
where the Mediterranean Strategic Air Forces have been respon sible for all operations rail installations
except in Yugoslavia,
the bombing of
and mining of the Danube disrupted the flow
of German supplies to the Russian front and slowed the movement of oil and other vital raw materials
to central Europe.
Western France and Belgium the Allied Air Forces, strategic bombers,
were assigned
forcements
to the beachhead
transport
and transportation
rendered
and battle area by attacking his
facilities
.
Prior to t)-day the
Air Forces to the accom
of these objectives was a series
of attacks
which
and heavily damaged
37 selected rail centers unusuable
23 more.
including
the task of slowing enemy rein
principal contribution of the Strategic plishment
In
After D-day,- the restriction of enemy movement
in
the battle zone was largely the work of the tactical air forces, while the heavy bombers
#
combined with tactical bombers
to
and bridges in order to seal off the battle
attack rail centers
zone from supply and reinforcement.
The bombing of rail centers
and bridges in Southern France, most of which was done by stra* tegic air forces, denied freedom of movement
to the Nazi forces
and thereby greatly aided in the occupation of this part of the continent. Following the Allied advance
the major weight of attacks
to the frontiers of .the Reich
against
transportation
for the first time on German rail centers, waterways.
falls
bridges and inland
Attacks on the German transport system affects both
the enemy's military strength and deployment,
•
targets
his war industries
.
and the output of
Whereas the first impacts of previous air
attacks fell upon the economic traffic of occupied or satellite
countries, capacity,
or in some cases
upon a cushion of excess
transport
any reduction of traffic in the Reich affects vital
war production or the health and morale of the German homeland. 40
C5-S26B,AF
09
ttf
B. Ports and Naval Bases Hamburg, Attacks against port cities such as Smden, Hamburg^
at Kiel, Toulon, etc., and inland waterway ports and
naval bases
#
w'jpjkii
canals have constituted a significant part of the bombing offen sive against Axis transport.
Although the bomb tonnages
directed
against docks and shipping have been relatively small, the loss of ships and harbor facilities and the interruption of water borne traffic have affected both industrial output and military movements
.
C, Minelaying
I'ines laid by RAF Bomber Command since the beginning of the war
totalled
nearly 4-0,000 on
30 September 1944. Known casual
ties from this effort included more than 450 ships sunk 'and nearly 400 damaged. transport
#
Other casualties
by mining operations
Danube River, and by surface
mand and other air forces.
were inflicted on Axis
in the Mediterranean operations
of the RAF Coastal Com
The loss of vessels
air action has cost the Axis valuable cargoes the movement
of other industrial cargoes
Sea and the
by mining and by
and shipping, slowed
and disrupted the enemy's
military transport.
•
- 41 _
C5-5268,riF
XVII
Heavy ftomber forces operating in conjunction with medium and fighter bombers have played a vital role in amphibious operations
in Sicily, Italy, Normandy and Southern
breakthrough
success
in Normandy found heavy bombers
of Allied ground advances.
Strategic
France.
The
contributing to the
Allied
In such operations
Air Forces dropped 101j.,600 tons of bombs in the four
month period 1 June-30 efforts and
191+U
landing
19
September
About 6 percent
to the task of ground support.
Aircraft Installations
B. Pilotless
Defensive operations against for flying bomb attacks a considerable
launching
and supply sites
part of the strategic
bombing effort.
"feombs
this campaign.
During the first nine months of
""/ere
dropped by Allied Strategic
19hh>
cent of USSTAF tonrages
and 17 percent of WAF tonnages
on such installations.
As a result of these
was delayed and numerous
sites rendered
very large installations
intended
on England
used
ag?inst England required the diversion of
106,14.00 tons of
ing attacks
of USSTAF
of RAF efforts in the first nine months of
percent
were devoted
19i-|i4-«
attacks
unusable,
Forces in about 7
per
were dropped construction
including four
for heavy rockets.
were restricted
About
Robot bomb
although not eliminated by
these Allied bombing operations.
Pi%
S
- U2 -
C5-5268,AF
ky , il BA Ullil J» -^I i 1 Ll# wt wll %& §m il 3
\u25a0
\u25a0
APPENDIX A
BOMB DAMAGE TO AXIS INDUSTRIES The following table
lists important Axis plants that have been sig
nificantly damaged by Allied aerial attacks
of
19^1-*
and indicates
in
19U3
an<3- the first 9 months
the relative importance and the damage
suffered by
'
I The "MEW ratings shown for most industrial plants
each of these plants. are defined as follows; Class 1 Class 1 Class 2 Class
3
-
Plants of primary importance in Germany's war effort
and possessing bottleneck characteristics
Major factories in industries of major importance.
Minor factories in industries of major importance,
or major factories in minor industries.
Subsidiary factories of small output.
Not included in the list of damaged plants are very large numbers of unrated sustained attacks;
and unidentified
varying degrees
hundreds
factories.
At least 1,200 of these
of damage in
19U3
small plants
during the course of R^F area
of similar plants were damaged
or destroyed in
Though individually small, these plants in the aggregate
account
19^4-N for a
significant part of German industrial output. Damaged plants in the following tables
are listed as follows:
IAircraft A. GAF Single^Engine Fighters B. GAP Twin-Engine Fighters C. GAF Jet-Propelled Fighters D. Bombers, Transport, Misc. E. Italian Aircraft F. Repair G. Aero-Engines H. Minor Aircraft Components II Anti-Friction Bearings
111 Oil
A. Synthetic Plants B. Refineries C. Miscellaneous
IV Rubber and Tires
V Submarine Yards and Bases
VI Tanks and Motor Transport
VII Armaments and Misc. Engineering
VIII Machine Tools and Precision Instruments
IX Electrical Equipment
X Metals Steel and Non-ferrous
XI Chemicals and Explosives
-
i
05-5268, AF
- 43 -
n