Bombing Enemy Civilians

At the outset of WWII the American public reacted with horror and anger at the savagery inflicted on civilians through air bombardment. When the AAF and RAF began bombing German cities, Americans’ attitudes began to change. This thesis analyzes civilian attitudes toward the U.S. area bombing of German and Japanese cities and how those positions evolved from the first fire bombings in the 1930s to those leading up to the atomic bombs. This thesis uses three primary sources to find its conclusions. The first is public opinion polls. The second is the articles, editorials, and especially the published letters written in response to bombing campaigns and the media’s reporting on them. Focus will be given to articles and editorials of periodicals such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, and Christian Century and the available letters received in reply. Finally, this thesis utilizes letters from the general public found at the Roosevelt and Truman Libraries as they relate to the bombings.