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I was wondering if the Allies intentionally bombed German churches--and if the Germans were using the churches for military use.

2007-05-16 12:57:20 · 10 answers · asked by Alan N 2 in Politics & Government Military

10 answers

Sorry, there were no smart bombs in WWII. Aerial and carpet bombing was indiscriminate. Bomb sites were lucky to get their payloads within 5 miles of their targets. In clear weather, 1 in 5 ever got close to a target.

2007-05-16 14:41:24 · answer #1 · answered by Its not me Its u 7 · 2 0

No, as a matter of fact, they went out of their way NOT to destroy churches and cathedrals -- as long as the building held no military significance. Having been stationed in Germany, I saw the photos of many German cities during the war, and often the only building left intact was the church.

However, if the enemy were using a church steeple as an observation post, then it became a legitimate military target.

Probably the worst example of this was the bombing of the Monastery at Monte Cassino, in Italy. The Allies THOUGHT the Germans were using it as an OP, so they rubbled the facility. After that, the Germans moved in, and the fighting got even worse. Big mistake, there, but it was the exception that proved the rule.

2007-05-16 17:11:51 · answer #2 · answered by Dave_Stark 7 · 1 0

I believe they bombed a few, I remember watching once on the history channel that Germans made sure of a really historic church would not get bombed, so they ordered that no Germany troops could be within 10 miles of this certain church so it wouldnt' get bombed even accidently. They also told the Allies about the church and not to bomb it.

So what do the allies do? Bombed it.

2007-05-16 13:06:53 · answer #3 · answered by brandonb 2 · 1 1

First of course bombing was not pin point, they bombed areas of a city, maybe hit a general several block area.
So areas where there were churches would have been hit.
And if germans were using them to hide, of course they would have been leveled.. In bombing the germans, there were even POW camps with US soldiers bombed because as noted bombing was not exact, plus the idea back then was to actually win the war by killing the enemy

2007-05-16 13:19:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

The only time that a holy site was bombed intentionally was the Monastary at Monte Casino. The allies held off on bombing it because it was a holy site. Finally, the American became convinced that German spotters were using it for artillery and bombed the hell out of it. That is probably the story the guy above saw on the history channel.

In Japan we held off on bombing Kyoto and Osaka because of all the historic sites there. The theory was (and still is) that bombing holy sites only angers your opponent and hardens their resolve.

2007-05-16 13:13:19 · answer #5 · answered by Pooky Bear the Sensitive 5 · 3 0

no, the Allies primary targets where industrial complexes, or parks as we refer to them today, but many times to get to the Germans will to fight, they would resort to Carpet bombing on cities, and wherever the bomb hit, it hit. Many German cities lost churches, schools, Hospitals, houses, families etc. But war is war, and war is also Hell. the Germans where doing the same to Poland,Russia and tried to to it to Britain (the Blitz). anything of the other sides was at one time a valid target. but they where not singled out if that is what you where referring to.

2007-05-16 13:24:25 · answer #6 · answered by edjdonnell 5 · 2 0

Many of the churches were used as shelters.

No they were not targeted intentionally
the best bomb sights at the time were nothing like they are today with one bomb, one hit. Their odds were incredibly high perhaps a 100 bomber load per target area.

2007-05-16 14:50:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

WWII wasn't that for the duration of the past, in the grand scheme of issues. Do you particularly thinkg that if Germany had conquered Europe in WWII, and undergo in suggestions this replaced into the previous due 1930s/early Fourties, that that they had all forget approximately their close by language in a trifling 60 or so years? it is purely retarded.

2016-12-11 11:37:28 · answer #8 · answered by hinokawa 4 · 0 0

The bombs they dropped weren't acurate enough to take out a church, they were lucky to take out a factory, in general, they just picked an industrial center and bombed the entire area.

2007-05-16 13:04:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

Carpet bombing is dropping hundreds of bombs on an area hoping you hit something important. If that involves hitting church's, schools, hospitals, etc., that's just the way it goes. War is not meant to be pretty.

2007-05-16 13:30:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

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