Transport Plan
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "about". Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox military conflict". Script error: No such module "Military navigation". Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The Transportation Plan was a plan for strategic bombing during World War II against bridges, rail centres, including marshalling yards and repair shops in France with the goal of limiting the German military response to the invasion of France in June 1944.
The plan was based on those of Air Marshal Tedder and the "Overlord air plan" of Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory,[1] The plan was devised by Professor Solly Zuckerman, an advisor to the Air Ministry, to destroy transportation in Occupied France during the "preparatory period" for Operation Overlord so Germany would be unable to respond effectively to the invasion.[2][3]
The air campaign, carried out by the bombers of the RAF and USAAF crippled the German rail networks in France and played a crucial role in disrupting German logistics and reinforcements to the invasion area.[4]
Plan and operations
Air Officer Commanding (AOC) RAF Bomber Command Marshal Arthur Harris did not want to divert his bomber force away from their strategic campaign against German industry (known to the Germans as the Defence of the Reich campaign). However, he resigned himself early on to supporting Overlord as early as 17 February 1944 while his force was engaged in the bombing campaign against Berlin.[5] On 6 March 1944, Charles Portal ordered attacks on the marshalling yards at Trappes, Aulnoye, Le Mans, Amiens, Lougeau, Courtrai and Laon. Control of all air operations was transferred to Eisenhower on 14 April at noon.[6]
Attacks made under the Transportation Plan
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| Date | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Sort | Le Mans railway yards | 304 RAF bombers attacked Le Mans.[7] |
| Template:Sort | Le Mans | Repeat attack on Le Mans by 222 RAF bombers.[8] |
| Template:Sort | Amiens | 140 RAF aircraft |
| Template:Sort | Laon railway yards | 143 RAF aircraft but attack stopped half-way through. The bombing had little effect.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". |
| Template:Sort | Aulnoyne railway yards | 192 RAF aircraft |
| Template:Sort | Juvisy, France | attack by the RAF of the railway marshalling yards in Juvisy, France |
| Template:Sort | Noisy-le-sec, France | attack by the RAF of the Noisy-le-sec train station, France |
| Template:Sort | Hamm, Germany | 800 bombers attacked railway marshalling yards in Hamm, Germany.[9] |
| Template:Sort | France | Attacks on railway yards in Chambery and across southern France killed more than 2,500 people.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] |
| Template:Sort | Étampes, France | Bombing of the railway marshalling yards in Étampes, France |
Results
The effectiveness of the Transport Plan was evident in German reports at the time. A German Air Ministry (RLM) report of 13 June 1944 stated: "The raids...have caused the breakdown of all main lines; the coast defences have been cut off from the supply bases in the interior...producing a situation which threatens to have serious consequences" and that although "transportation of essential supplies for the civilian population have been completely...large scale strategic movement of German troops by rail is practically impossible at the present time and must remain so while attacks are maintained at their present intensity".[17]
Notes
References
- Buckley, John. Air Power in the Age of Total War. UCL Press. London. 1998. Template:ISBN.
- Darlow, Stephen. D-Day Bombers, The Veteran's Story: RAF Bomber Command and the US Eighth Air Force Support to the Normandy Invasion, 1944. Grub Street, London. 2004. Template:ISBN
- de Jong, Ivo. Mission 376: Battle Over the Reich, May 28, 1944. Stackpole Books. 2012
- Frankland, Noble (2006). The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany, 1939–1945, Volume III, Part 5: Victory. Naval and Military Press. Template:ISBN.
- Frankland, Noble (1961). The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany, 1939–1945, Volume II, Part 4: Endeavour. Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
- Gooderson, Ian. Air Power at the Battlefront: Allied Close Air Support, 1943-1945. Frank Cass 2005. Template:ISBN
- Hall, Cargill (1998). Case Studies In Strategic Bombardment. Air Force History and Museums Program. Template:ISBN.
- Mets, David R. Master of Airpower: General Carl A. Spaatz. Presidio Press. 1997. Template:ISBN
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Mets 1997, pp. 200-201.
- ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 52.
- ↑ Gooderson 2005, pp. 126-127.
- ↑ Buckley 1998, p. 150.
- ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 55.
- ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 56.
- ↑ Campaign Diary March 1944, Bomber Command 60th Anniversary website
- ↑ Campaign Diary March 1944, Bomber Command 60th Anniversary website
- ↑ de Jong 2012, p. 433.
- ↑ G.R. Anderson (préface de Francis Ampe et d'André Mollard), Bombing Chambéry : les aviateurs américains racontent le bombardement de Chambéry le 26 mai 1944, Chambéry : Chambéry action, 1983, 37 pages.
- ↑ Philippe Castellano, Liberator, Epopées tragiques dans les Alpes-Maritimes, publié à compte d'auteur, 1994 Template:ISBN.
- ↑ Jean-Claude Valla, La France sous les bombes américaines : 1942-1945, Librairie Nationale, 2001 Template:ISBN.
- ↑ Max Lagarrigue, « Comment les Français vivent-ils les bombardements alliés ? », 99 questions… La France sous l'Occupation, Montpellier, CNDP, 2007.
- ↑ Jean-Louis Panicacci, Les lieux de mémoire - De la Seconde Guerre mondiale dans les Alpes-Maritimes, Éditions Serre, 1997 Template:ISBN.
- ↑ Jean-Louis Panicacci, En territoire occupé - Italiens et Allemands à Nice 1942-1944, Éditions Vendémiaire, Paris, 2012.
- ↑ Marc Swanson, Le bombardement de Saint-Étienne. Pourquoi ? 26 mai 1944, Actes Graphiques, 2004 Template:ISBN.
- ↑ Darlow 2004, p. 56