68-490: Britain: China: France: Netherlands: Poland: Soviet Union: United States: Yugoslavia: Germany: Japan: Italy: Hungary: Romania: Bulgaria : Thailand : Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups World War II (1939–1945) involved sustained strategic bombing of railways, harbours, cities, workers' and civilian housing, and industrial districts in enemy territory. Strategic bombing as
136-555: A military strategy is distinct both from close air support of ground forces and from tactical air power . During World War II, many military strategists of air power believed that air forces could win major victories by attacking industrial and political infrastructure , rather than purely military targets. Strategic bombing often involved bombing areas inhabited by civilians , and some campaigns were deliberately designed to target civilian populations in order to terrorize them and disrupt their usual activities. International law at
204-403: A conclusion that a grave threat to a moral order would justify the use of an indiscriminate force. Air Marshal Sir Robert Saundby concluded his analysis of the ethics of bombing by these words, A study of the ethics of bombing cannot fail to remind one that man is an illogical creature, still far more swayed by emotion than by calm reason. Man has wonderful powers of self-deception, and of
272-463: A perfect geometric grid for calculations and measurements." In his book, Augen am Himmel ( Eyes on the Sky ), Wolfgang Schreyer wrote: Frampol was chosen as an experimental object, because test bombers, flying at low speed, weren't endangered by AA fire. Also, the centrally placed town hall was an ideal orientation point for the crews. We watched possibility of orientation after visible signs, and also
340-597: A post-war debate if it was moral. Three separate lines of ethical reasoning emerged. The first was based on the Just War theory and emphasized that noncombatants possess an inherent right to be spared from the harm of war and should not be intentionally targeted. Noncombatant immunity and proportionality in use of force were insisted upon. The second approach was grounded in the so-called "industrial web theory" that proposed to concentrate on destroying enemy military, industrial, and economic infrastructure instead of forces in
408-728: A series of Allied bombing raids during World War II , from mid 1941 to early 1944. Bulgaria declared war on the United Kingdom and the United States on 13 December 1941. The Southern Italy -based Allied air forces extended the range of their strategic operations to include Bulgaria and other Axis allies in 1943. During the invasions of Yugoslavia and of Greece , the Yugoslav and British air forces targeted strategic points in Bulgaria, from which German troops had staged
476-517: A similar type of practice were not prosecuted. Chris Jochnick and Roger Normand in their article The Legitimation of Violence 1: A Critical History of the Laws of War explains that: "By leaving out morale bombing and other attacks on civilians unchallenged, the Tribunal conferred legal legitimacy on such practices." The concept of strategic bombing and its wide-scale implementation during WWII led to
544-660: The Chemical Weapons Convention (1993). Many of the rules laid down at the Hague Conventions were violated in World War I. The German invasion of neutral Luxembourg and Belgium in August 1914 in order to outflank France, for instance, was a violation of Convention (V) of 1907, which states that belligerents must not violate neutral territory and move troops across said territory. Poison gas
612-569: The Luftwaffe confined attacks to purely military targets, the RAF should "launch an attack on the German fleet at Wilhelmshaven " and "attack warships at sea when found within range". The government communicated to their French allies the intention "not to initiate air action which might involve the risk of civilian casualties". While it was acknowledged bombing Germany would cause civilian casualties,
680-558: The Netherlands . Along with the Geneva Conventions , the Hague Conventions were among the first formal statements of the laws of war and war crimes in the body of secular international law . A third conference was planned for 1914 and later rescheduled for 1915, but it did not take place because of the start of World War I . The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 were the first multilateral treaties that addressed
748-624: The Nuremberg Trials , wrote that: If the first badly bombed cities — Warsaw , Rotterdam , Belgrade , and London — suffered at the hands of the Germans and not the Allies, nonetheless the ruins of German and Japanese cities were the results not of reprisal but of deliberate policy, and bore witness that aerial bombardment of cities and factories has become a recognized part of modern warfare as carried out by all nations. Article 25 of
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#1732775501196816-745: The Pacific War , the Japanese frequently bombed civilian populations as early as 1937–1938, such as in Shanghai and Chongqing . US air raids on Japan escalated from October 1944, culminating in widespread firebombing , and later in August 1945 with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . The effectiveness of the strategic bombing campaigns is controversial. Although they did not produce decisive military victories in themselves, some argue that strategic bombing of non-military targets significantly reduced enemy industrial capacity and production, and
884-1057: The State Printing House , the Regional Court, the Small Baths and the National Library . These were not restored to their original appearance. The Bulgarian National Theatre , the Bulgarian Agricultural Bank, the Theological Faculty of Sofia University , the Museum of Natural History , the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and other buildings were damaged but subsequently reconstructed. Captain Gerhard Wengel [ bg ] (1915–1944)
952-482: The United States , Great Britain , Russia , France , China and Persia , favoured a process for binding international arbitration, but the provision was vetoed by a few countries, led by Germany . The First Hague Conference came from a proposal on 24 August 1898 by Russian Tsar Nicholas II . Nicholas and Count Mikhail Nikolayevich Muravyov , his foreign minister , were instrumental in initiating
1020-493: The laws of war and war crimes . A major effort in both conferences was the creation of a binding international court for compulsory arbitration to settle international disputes, which was considered necessary to replace the institution of war. This effort failed at both conferences. Instead, a voluntary forum for arbitration, the Permanent Court of Arbitration , was established. Most of the countries present, including
1088-414: The 1899 Convention. However, the meeting of major powers did prefigure later 20th-century attempts at international cooperation. The second conference was called at the suggestion of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. It was postponed because of the war between Russia and Japan . The Second Peace Conference was held from 15 June to 18 October 1907. The intent of the conference was to expand upon
1156-531: The 1899 Hague Convention by modifying some parts and adding new topics; in particular, the 1907 conference had an increased focus on naval warfare . The British attempted to secure the limitation of armaments, but these efforts were defeated by the other powers, led by Germany, which feared a British attempt to stop the growth of the German fleet. As Britain had the world's largest navy , limits on naval expansion would preserve that dominant position. Germany also rejected proposals for compulsory arbitration. However,
1224-576: The 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions on Land Warfare also did not provide a clear guideline on the extent to which civilians may be spared; the same can be held for naval forces. Consequently, cyclical arguments, such as those advanced by Italian general and air power theorist Giulio Douhet , do not appear to violate any of the convention's provisions. Due to these reasons, the Allies at the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials never criminalized aerial bombardment of non-combatant targets and Axis leaders who ordered
1292-577: The British government renounced deliberate bombing of civilian property, outside combat zones, as a military tactic. The British changed their policy on 15 May 1940, one day after the German bombing of Rotterdam, when the RAF was given permission to attack targets in the Ruhr Area , including oil plants and other civilian industrial targets which aided the German war effort, such as blast furnaces that at night were self-illuminating. The first RAF raid on
1360-716: The French Air attaché in Warsaw reported to Paris, "the German Air Force acted in accordance to the international laws of war [...] and bombed only targets of military nature. Therefore, there is no reason for French retorsions ." That day – the Jewish New Year – the Germans concentrated again on the Warsaw's Jewish population, bombing the Jewish quarter and targeting synagogues . According to professor Szarota
1428-509: The Hague conferences as a nucleus of a future international federation that was to meet at regular intervals to administer justice and develop international law procedures for the peaceful settlement of disputes, asserting that "a definite political union of the states of the world has been created with the First and Second Conferences". After World War II , the judges of the military tribunal of
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#17327755011961496-523: The Jewish Quarter ablaze. On 22 September, Wolfram von Richthofen messaged, "Urgently request exploitation of last opportunity for large-scale experiment as devastation terror raid ... Every effort will be made to eradicate Warsaw completely". His request was rejected. However, Adolf Hitler issued an order to prevent civilians from leaving the city and to continue with the bombing, which he thought would encourage Polish surrender. On 14 September,
1564-765: The Luftwaffe began targeting British civilians in the Blitz . After the beginning of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, the Luftwaffe attacked Soviet cities and infrastructure . From February 1942 onward, the British bombing campaign against Germany became even less restricted and increasingly targeted industrial sites and civilian areas . When the United States began flying bombing missions against Germany, it reinforced British efforts. The Allies attacked oil installations , and controversial firebombings took place against Hamburg (1943), Dresden (1945), and other German cities. In
1632-620: The Polish Air Force. Polish Air Force bases across Poland were also subjected to Luftwaffe bombing from 1 September 1939. On 13 September, following orders of the ObdL to launch an attack on Warsaw's Jewish Quarter, justified as being for unspecified crimes committed against German soldiers but probably in response to a recent defeat by Polish ground troops, and intended as a terror attack, 183 bomber sorties were flown with 50:50 load of high explosive and incendiary bombs, reportedly set
1700-544: The Trial of German Major War Criminals at Nuremberg Trials found that by 1939, the rules laid down in the 1907 Hague Convention IV – Laws and Customs of War on Land were recognized by all civilized nations and were regarded as declaratory of the laws and customs of war. Under this post-war decision, a country did not have to have ratified the 1907 Hague Convention on Land Warfare in order to be bound by them. Although their contents have largely been superseded by other treaties,
1768-492: The absence of international law regarding aerial bombing in World War II. Most nations had refused to ratify such laws or agreements because of the vague or impractical wording in treaties such as the 1923 Hague Rules of Air Warfare. Also, the major powers' possession of newly developed advanced bombers was a great military advantage; they would be hard pressed to accept any negotiated limitations regarding this new weapon. In
1836-443: The absence of specific laws relating to aerial warfare, the belligerents' aerial forces at the start of World War II used the 1907 Hague Conventions — signed and ratified by most major powers — as the customary standard to govern their conduct in warfare, and these conventions were interpreted by both sides to allow the indiscriminate bombing of enemy cities throughout the war. General Telford Taylor , Chief Counsel for War Crimes at
1904-436: The advance of German ground forces through direct tactical and indirect air support with attacks against Polish mobilisation centres and thus delay an orderly Polish strategic concentration of forces and to deny mobility for Polish reinforcements through the destruction of strategic Polish rail routes. Preparations were made for a concentrated attack (Operation Wasserkante) by all bomber forces against targets in Warsaw. However,
1972-520: The attackers, shooting down eight Allied bombers and two American P-38 Lightning fighters for no losses in return. The casualty figures were relatively modest due to preliminary evacuation of the civilians. The bombing raid targeted the city center of Sofia. This bombing is known as "the black Easter" (the second day of Easter) for the citizens of Sofia. The raid was carried out by 350 bombers (B-17 and B-24) with an escort of 100 fighter planes –Mustangs and Lightnings. About 2500 bombs were dropped over
2040-466: The bombing of Warsaw as within the agreement because it was supposedly a fortified city—Germany did not have a policy of targeting enemy civilians as part of their doctrine prior to World War II. The British Government's policy was formulated on 31 August 1939: if Germany initiated unrestricted air action, the RAF "should attack objectives vital to Germany's war effort, and in particular her oil resources". If
2108-462: The bombing of the capital, 14 buildings were destroyed and three fires were started. Sofia was bombed a second time on 13 April, provoking a large exodus. The air raid was carried out on 14 November 1943 by 91 B-25 Mitchell bombers. Forty-seven buildings and structures were destroyed, 59 military personnel were killed and over 128 were injured. A new bombing followed on 24 November, this time executed by 60 B-24 Liberator aircraft. 87 buildings in
Strategic bombing during World War II - Misplaced Pages Continue
2176-670: The bombing. Due to prevailing strong winds they achieved poor accuracy, even causing some casualties to besieging German troops. The only Polish raid against a target in Germany was executed by PZL.23 Karaś light bombers against a factory in Ohlau . The Polish air force left Poland on 18 September 1939 due to the Soviet attack on 17 September 1939, and imminent capture of the Polish airstrips and aircraft stationed in eastern parts of Poland. There
2244-472: The city could be legitimately attacked as it was a defended city in the front line that refused calls to surrender. The bombing of the rail network, crossroads, and troop concentrations played havoc on Polish mobilisation, while attacks upon civilian and military targets in towns and cities disrupted command and control by wrecking the antiquated Polish signal network. Over a period of a few days, Luftwaffe numerical and technological superiority took its toll on
2312-476: The city, instructing citizens to evacuate the city pending a possible bomber attack. On 25 September the Luftwaffe flew 1,150 sorties and dropped 560 tonnes of high explosive and 72 tonnes of incendiaries. (Overall, incendiaries made up only three percent of the total tonnage dropped.) To conserve the strength of the bomber units for the upcoming Western campaign, the modern He 111 bombers were replaced by Ju 52 transports using "worse than primitive methods" for
2380-559: The civilian population in an aerial bombardment campaign . As the war continued to expand, bombing by both the Axis and the Allies increased significantly. The Royal Air Force , in retaliation for Luftwaffe attacks on the UK which started on 16 October 1939, began bombing military targets in Germany, commencing with the Luftwaffe seaplane air base at Hörnum on the 19–20 March 1940. In September 1940
2448-463: The conditions of any armistice , and respect for human life; assassination and murder of soldiers or citizens in hostile territory; and the status of individuals engaged in a state of civil war against the government. As such, the code was widely regarded as the best summary of the first customary laws and customs of war in the 19th century. It was welcomed and adopted by military establishments of other nations. The 1874 Brussels Declaration, which
2516-778: The conduct of warfare and were largely based on the Lieber Code , which was signed and issued by US President Abraham Lincoln to the Union Forces of the United States on 24 April 1863, during the American Civil War . The Lieber Code was the first official comprehensive codified law that set out regulations for behavior in times of martial law ; protection of civilians and civilian property and punishment of transgression ; deserters , prisoners of war , hostages , and pillaging ; partisans ; spies ; truces and prisoner exchange ; parole of former rebel troops;
2584-533: The conference did enlarge the machinery for voluntary arbitration and established conventions regulating the collection of debts, rules of war, and the rights and obligations of neutrals. The treaties, declarations, and final act of the Second Conference were signed on 18 October 1907; they entered into force on 26 January 1910. The 1907 Convention consists of thirteen treaties—of which twelve were ratified and entered into force—and one declaration: At
2652-570: The conference. The conference opened on 18 May 1899, the Tsar's birthday. The treaties, declarations, and final act of the conference were signed on 29 July of that year, and they entered into force on 4 September 1900. What is referred to as the Hague Convention of 1899 consisted of three main treaties and three additional declarations: The Second Hague Conference , in 1907, resulted in conventions containing only few major advancements from
2720-505: The defense of the principle of legal equality of nations. The British delegation included Sir Edward Fry , Sir Ernest Satow , the 11th Lord Reay (Donald James Mackay) and Sir Henry Howard as delegates, and Eyre Crowe as a technical delegate. The Russian delegation was led by Friedrich Martens . The Uruguayan delegation was led by José Batlle y Ordóñez , a defender of the idea of compulsory arbitration. With Louis Renault and Léon Bourgeois , Paul Henri d'Estournelles de Constant
2788-563: The field as the fastest way to win the war. Proponents of this approach argued that civilian deaths inflicted by strategic bombing of the cities during the WWII were justified in the sense that they allowed to shorten the war and thus helped to avoid much more casualties. The third approach was demonstrated by Michael Walzer in his Just and Unjust Wars (1977). Walzer formulated the so-called "supreme emergency" thesis. While agreeing in general with prior Just War theoretical postulates, he came to
Strategic bombing during World War II - Misplaced Pages Continue
2856-527: The first military acts of World War II and the first major act of bombing, was carried out on a town that had little to no military value. Similarly, the bombing of Frampol has been described as an experiment to test the German tactics and weapons effectiveness. British historian Norman Davies writes in Europe at War 1939–1945: No Simple Victory : "Frampol was chosen partly because it was completely defenceless, and partly because its baroque street plan presented
2924-553: The interior of Germany took place on the night of 15/16 May 1940 while the Battle of France was still continuing. During the German invasion of Poland, the Luftwaffe engaged in massive air raids against Polish cities, bombing civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and targeting fleeing refugees. Notably, the Luftwaffe bombed the Polish capital of Warsaw, and the small towns Wieluń and Frampol . The bombing of Wieluń , one of
2992-642: The invasions. On 6 April, Yugoslav Dornier Do 17 aircraft bombed the industrial section of Sofia and Kyustendil . In Sofia, eight people were killed. In the bombing of Kyustendil 58 civilians, two Bulgarian and eight German soldiers were killed and 59 civilians, five Bulgarian and 31 German soldiers were wounded. Between 20:05 and 21:40 on 6 April, the Royal Air Force (RAF) carried out bombing raids over Bulgaria. Bristol Blenheim aircraft bombed Petrich and Haskovo and six Vickers Wellington bombers dropped bombs over Sofia and nearby villages. During
3060-547: The major belligerents (Britain, France, Germany, and Poland) to confine their air raids to military targets, and "under no circumstances undertake bombardment from the air of civilian populations in unfortified cities". The British and French agreed to abide by the request, with the British reply undertaking to "confine bombardment to strictly military objectives upon the understanding that these same rules of warfare will be scrupulously observed by all their opponents". Germany also agreed to abide by Roosevelt's request and explained
3128-465: The most destructive raids followed on 20 December, with over 113 buildings being razed to the ground, the belt line being cut off, with 93 people injured. Bulgarian fighter aircraft downed three bombers and seven fighters for the loss of two aircraft, including one destroyed in a suicidal ramming attack by Dimitar Spisarevski which brought down a bomber. A day bombing in the Sofia railway junction area
3196-491: The night 50 RAF bombers attacked Sofia. 58 people were wounded and 72 buildings were destroyed. During the night about 40 RAF bombers attacked Sofia. There were no casualties. The most severe bombing of Sofia ever occurred on 30 March 1944. Some 450 American and British heavy bombers escorted by 150 Allied fighters attacked the city center of Sofia, destroying 3575 buildings. Over 3000 high explosive bombs and 30000 incendiary bombs were used. Bulgarian fighter aircraft intercepted
3264-465: The open to avoid such targeting), and indiscriminate attacks on fleeing civilians which according to Szarota was a direct violation of the Hague Convention . Warsaw was first attacked by German ground forces on 9 September and was put under siege on 13 September. German author Boog claims that with the arrival of German ground forces, the situation of Warsaw changed; under the Hague Convention,
3332-617: The operation was cancelled, according to Polish professor Tomasz Szarota due to bad weather conditions, while German author Horst Boog claims it was possibly due to Roosevelt's plea to avoid civilian casualties; according to Boog the bombing of military and industrial targets within the Warsaw residential area called Praga was prohibited. Polish reports from the beginning of September note strafing of civilians by German attacks and bombing of cemeteries and marked hospitals (marking of hospitals proved counterproductive as German aircraft began to specifically target them, until hospitals were moved into
3400-630: The outset of World War II did not specifically forbid the aerial bombardment of cities – despite the prior occurrence of such bombing during World War I (1914–1918), the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), and the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). Strategic bombing during World War II in Europe began on 1 September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland and the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) began bombing Polish cities and
3468-405: The rapid pace of aviation technology created a belief that groups of bombers would be capable of devastating cities. For example, British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin warned in 1932, " The bomber will always get through ." When the war began on 1 September 1939 with Germany's invasion of Poland , Franklin D. Roosevelt , President of the armed neutralitarian United States, issued an appeal to
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#17327755011963536-537: The report was inaccurate – as its author Armengaud didn't know about the most barbaric bombings like those in Wieluń or Kamieniec, left Poland on 12 September, and was motivated by his personal political goal to avoid French involvement in the war, in addition the report published in 1948 rather than in 1939. Three days later, Warsaw was surrounded by the Wehrmacht , and hundreds of thousands of leaflets were dropped on
3604-513: The same time an International socialist Congress was standing in Stuttgart, in which the British delegate Harry Quelch labelled the Hague Convention a "thieves' supper." German authorities were swift in expelling Quelch from the country for his remarks, an action which boosted British esteem in the eyes of their radical peers. The Brazilian delegation was led by Ruy Barbosa , whose contributions are seen today by some analysts as essential for
3672-536: The size of village, what guaranteed that bombs nevertheless fall down on Frampol. From one side it should make easier the note of probe, from second side it should confirm the efficiency of used bombs. The directives issued to the Luftwaffe for the Polish Campaign were to prevent the Polish Air Force from influencing the ground battles or attacking German territory. In addition, it was to support
3740-455: The target – railroad marshaling yards. 749 buildings were totally destroyed. Casualties were 69 people wounded. The bombing raids in 1943–1944 resulted in 1,743 being injured. The number of buildings damaged were 12,564 (of which 2,670 completely destroyed). Sixty motor cars and 55 trailers were also destroyed. The Allies lost a total of 117 aircraft. Among the historic buildings destroyed were several schools and hotels, as well as
3808-421: The uncritical suppression of unwelcome facts; he is still capable of believing what he wants to believe, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Indeed, there are none so blind as will not see, or so deaf as will not hear. It is, therefore, no doubt unrealistic to hope for the general acceptance of rational views about such an emotive subject as the ethics of air bombardment. Before World War II began,
3876-571: The use of all forms of chemical and biological warfare in interstate armed conflicts. The protocol grew out of the increasing public outcry against chemical warfare following the use of mustard gas and similar agents in World War I , and fears that chemical and biological warfare could lead to horrific consequences in any future war. The protocol has since been augmented by the Biological Weapons Convention (1972) and
3944-496: The vessel had already left the city, so the seaplane flew over the center of Danzig, where it bombed and opened fire on the German troops celebrating the capitulation of the Polish garrison of Westerplatte. Bombing of Sofia in World War II Military ranks: 256 killed (159 in battle, 28 missing, 69 died of their wounds); 333 captured; unspecified number of wounded The Bulgarian capital of Sofia suffered
4012-558: The vicinity of the Central Railway Station were destroyed with 29 being wounded. Bulgarian fighters shot down two bombers for the loss of one aircraft to escorting American fighters. The 10 December raid was carried out by 120 aircraft. About 90 bombs were released over the Hadzhi Dimitar, Industrialen, Malashevtsi and Voenna rampa quarters, another 90 hit Vrazhdebna Airport and the nearby villages. One of
4080-562: Was a German Luftwaffe pilot (kommandeur I/JG 5) who was killed in the sky over Radomir , while defending Sofia. He was the only foreign pilot killed in battle while defending Bulgarian airspace during World War II. He was part of the Jagdgeschwader 5 "Eismeer" fighter wing. Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 are a series of international treaties and declarations negotiated at two international peace conferences at The Hague in
4148-667: Was a member of the French delegation for both the 1899 and 1907 delegations. He later won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1909 for his efforts. The U.S. representative, with the rank of ambassador, was former American Bar Association president U. M. Rose . The main representative of the Chinese Empire was Lu Zhengxiang , who would become Prime Minister of the Republic of China in 1912. Also in attendance on behalf of China
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#17327755011964216-467: Was executed on 30 December 1943, injuring 96. Sofia suffered another bombing on 10 January 1944, carried out consecutively by 143 American B-17s during the day and 44 RAF Wellingtons (during the night). 448 buildings were destroyed. 611 were wounded. During the daylight raid by the B-17s, Bulgarian fighters shot down six of the bombers and three escorting P-38 fighters for the loss of one aircraft. During
4284-720: Was former U.S. Secretary of State John Watson Foster. China's main military representative was Colonel Ding Shiyuan, whose suggestion regarding the need for a more specific legal definition of "war" was rejected by most of the Western participants. Though not negotiated in The Hague, the Geneva Protocol to the Hague Conventions is considered an addition to the Conventions. Signed on 17 June 1925 and entering into force on 8 February 1928, its single article permanently bans
4352-463: Was introduced and used by all major belligerents throughout the war, in violation of the Declaration (IV, 2) of 1899 and Convention (IV) of 1907, which explicitly forbade the use of "poison or poisoned weapons". Writing in 1918, the German international law scholar and neo-Kantian pacifist Walther Schücking called the assemblies the "international union of Hague conferences". Schücking saw
4420-598: Was never adopted by all major nations, listed 56 articles that drew inspiration from the Lieber Code. Much of the regulations in the Hague Conventions borrowed heavily from the Lieber Code. The Hague Convention of 1899 was notably attended by the Korean Empire as an independent country, prior to its loss of independence in 1905 that prevented it from attending the Hague Convention of 1907. Both conferences included negotiations concerning disarmament ,
4488-544: Was no exception; even Pursuit Brigade , an organic part of the defences of the Polish capital, Warsaw , was transferred to Lublin , one week into the war. There happened also a non-planned single bombing of the Free City of Danzig . On 7 September, at about 11 PM, a Polish Lublin R.XIII G seaplane was flying over the city, on a mission to attack the German Schleswig-Holstein battleship . However,
4556-487: Was not updated before the outbreak of World War II. The absence of specific international humanitarian law did not mean aerial warfare was not covered under the laws of war , but rather that there was no general agreement of how to interpret those laws. This means that aerial bombardment of civilian areas in enemy territory by all major belligerents during World War II was not prohibited by positive or specific customary international humanitarian law. Many reasons exist for
4624-519: Was vindicated by the surrender of Japan . Estimates of the death toll from strategic bombing range from hundreds of thousands to over a million. Millions of civilians were made homeless, and many major cities were destroyed, especially in Europe and Asia. The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 , which address the codes of wartime conduct on land and at sea, were adopted before the rise of air power. Despite repeated diplomatic attempts to update international humanitarian law to include aerial warfare , it
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