Firestorm Hamburg

In July 1943 a series of heavy bombing raids virtually destroyed the North German city of Hamburg. In one night alone some 40,000 people were killed largely as a result of the terrible 'firestorm'. To this day controversy rages as to the morality of these attacks and their consequences. With his trademark thoroughness Martin Middlebrook has delved deep into the archives to uncover the facts. As ever he draws on copious eyewitnesses and participants - a total of 547 British, American and German. The testimonies of the Hamburg survivors are particularly revealing and harrowing providing a first hand description of what it was like to be subjected to prolonged and intense air attack. Paradoxically while Hamburg was arguably Bomber Command's greatest achievement it remains its - and Air Marshal Harris' - most criticised. Often overlooked was the USAAF's role and this together with the contribution to the failure of German air defences of a new device, Window, are fully covered. Firestorm Hamburg is a masterly description of a major air campaign and the author's aim of achieving a better understanding of the background, conduct and results is fully realised. He does not shirk from studying the moral dilemma.