Schweinfurt Raids and the Pause in Daylight Strategic Bombing

<p>Avid readers of WWII air combat will find the Eighth AAF's strategic bombing mission #84 (the Schweinfurt-Regensburg raid on August 17th 1943) and mission #115 (the Schweinfurt raid on October 14th 1943) to be tremendous setbacks to the daylight strategic bombing campaign of Germany. As a result of the heavy losses the Luftwaffe inflicted upon Eighth Bomber Command's heavy bombers the daylight strategic bombing campaign was halted for over four months. The Eighth AAF could not sustain such heavy losses in both aircraft and aircrew and remain an effective force. During the halt in the daylight strategic bombing campaign only targets within fighter escort range were selected so Eighth Bomber Command could receive replacement crews upgraded aircraft revise its strategic bombing tactics and review its daylight strategic bombing doctrine. This paper examines the daylight strategic bombing doctrine before and after the Schweinfurt raids to answer the question After the costly Schweinfurt raids the Eighth AAF paused to reset its doctrine; how was this doctrinal change accepted and what were the implications?</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>