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Strategic bombing

Through a radical policy of strategic bombing the Royal Air Force (RAF) changed from being a service that co-operated with the Army and Navy, to one of complete independence. The RAF Command that carried out the strategic attacks was Bomber Command.

Related documents

Attack

Cabinet Memorandum. Bombardment Policy: Report by the Chiefs of Staff Committee. 31 May 1940 (PDF, 1.397MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume no 1. 8 September 1939 (PDF, 2.716MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Air Operations and Intelligence. Report by the Secretary of State for Air.1 January 1940 (PDF, 2.251MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Air Action to be taken in the event of a German Invasion of the Low Countries. Annex II. 15 April 1940 (PDF, 3.327MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No 63. 14 November 1940 (PDF, 5.268MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Naval, Military and Air operations. 7 July 1940 (PDF, 2.503 MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No 32. 12 April 1940 (PDF, 4.197MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Operation Alphonse. Memorandum by the Military Co-ordination Committee. 12 April 1940 (PDF, 0.699MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Air Action to be taken in the event of a German Invasion of the Low Countries. Memorandum by the Chiefs of Staff. 15 April 1940 (PDF, 3.327MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No 37. 17 May 1940 (PDF, 4.756MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No 46. 19 July 1940 (PDF, 5.068MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No 50. 16 August 1940 (PDF, 3.635MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. 4th report of Lord Hankey's Committee. (PDF, 2.959MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. British Strategy in a Certain Eventuality. Report by the Chiefs of Staff. 25 April 1940 (PDF, 4.035MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Future Strategy. 4 September 1940 (PDF, 16.365MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. 4th report of Lord Hankey's Committee (PDF, 2.959MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Future Strategy. 4 September 1940 (PDF, 16.365MB)

Accuracy concerns

Cabinet Memorandum. Expansion of the RAF. Memorandum by the Minister of Aircraft Production. 11 March 1941 (PDF, 0.540MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. The Battle of the Atlantic. Annex I. 18 March 1941 (PDF, 1.719MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. The Battle of the Atlantic. Annex II. 18 March 1941 (PDF, 1.719MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No 99. 24 July 1941 (PDF, 4.527MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Naval, Military and Air operations. 11 November 1941 (PDF, 1.621MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Naval, Military and Air operations. 1 June 1942 (PDF, 1.328MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Naval, Military and Air operations. 29 June 1942 (PDF, 1.486MB)

Discord and strategy

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Shipping situation. 25 June 1942 (PDF, 1.759MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Shipping situation. Joint Memorandum by the First Lord of the Admiralty and the Minister of War Transport. 22 June 1942 (PDF, 2.270MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Bomber Command. Note by the Secretary. 24 August 1942 (PDF, 2.753MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Note by Lord Trenchard on our war policy - August 1942. 5 September 1942 (PDF, 1.050MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Anti-U-Boat Warfare. Note by the Secretary of the Cabinet. 3 November 1943 (PDF, 0.326MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Naval, Military and Air operations. 2 August 1943 (PDF, 2.173MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Naval, Military and Air operations. 29 November 1943 (PDF, 1.583MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Naval, Military and Air operations. 17 May 1943 (PDF, 1.733MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Naval, Military and Air operations. 10 January 1944 (PDF, 1.489MB)

Operation Overlord and the end of the war

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No. 286. 22 February 1945 (PDF, 8.351MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Summary of operations of Bomber Command for the four weeks ending 13th August 1944. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air. 26 August 1944 (PDF, 9.111MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No. 261. 31 August 1944 (PDF, 8.176MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No. 273. 23 November 1944 (PDF, 6.991MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Summary of operations of Bomber Command for the four weeks ending 3rd December 1944. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air. 15 December 1944 (PDF, 5.355MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Weekly Resume No. 285. 15 February 1945 (PDF, 9.017MB)

Search using Bomber Command Strategic bombing Advanced Air Striking Force

Further reading

Terraine, J., The Right of the Line. The Royal Air Force in the European War 1939-1945 (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985)
Frankland, N. & Webster, C., The Strategic Air Offensive Against German (London: HMSO, 1961)

Content

Strategic bombing
Attack and anti-invasion
Discord, strategic attack and Operation Overlord

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