Bombing of Hamamatsu in World War II
Encyclopedia
The was part of the strategic bombing
campaign waged by the United States of America against military and civilian targets and population centers of the Empire of Japan
during the Japan home islands campaign
in the closing states of World War II
.
was a target for air raid
s by the USAAF on several occasions during the Pacific War
. Hamamatsu, in addition to being a major transportation hub on the Tōkaidō Main Line
railway connecting Tokyo
with Osaka
also had several targets of military significance. It was the location of armaments factories, including Shōwa Yakuhin, Nakajima Aircraft Company
, and Suzuki Motors. It was also the location of the Hamamatsu Flight School
of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and a major military air field. Hamamatsu was also situated on the main flight route from Saipan
to either Nagoya or Tokyo
and was thus often assigned as a secondary target.
In 1945, Hamamatsu city had an estimated population of 166,346 people. A year after the war, the United States Army Air Forces
's Strategic Bombing Survey (Pacific War)
reported that 60.3 percent of the city had been totally destroyed.
In addition to strategic bombing, Hamamatsu was also subject to tactical air raids launched by United States Navy
carrier-based aircraft, and and was bombarded by
United States and Royal Navy
vessels on July 29, 1945.
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
campaign waged by the United States of America against military and civilian targets and population centers of the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
during the Japan home islands campaign
Japan campaign
The Japan Campaign was a series of battles and engagements in and around the Japanese Home Islands, between Allied forces and the forces of Imperial Japan during the last stages of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. The Japan Campaign lasted from around June 1944 to August 1945.-Air war:Periodic...
in the closing states of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Background
The city of HamamatsuHamamatsu, Shizuoka
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. On July 1, 2005, the city merged with 11 surrounding cities and towns. It became a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2007.- History :...
was a target for air raid
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
s by the USAAF on several occasions during the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. Hamamatsu, in addition to being a major transportation hub on the Tōkaidō Main Line
Tokaido Main Line
The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...
railway connecting Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
with Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
also had several targets of military significance. It was the location of armaments factories, including Shōwa Yakuhin, Nakajima Aircraft Company
Nakajima Aircraft Company
The Nakajima Aircraft Company was a prominent Japanese aircraft manufacturer throughout World War II.-History:...
, and Suzuki Motors. It was also the location of the Hamamatsu Flight School
Hamamatsu Air Base
is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base located north of the city of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, in central Japan.-History:Hamamatsu Air Base was established in 1925 as an Imperial Japanese Army Air Force base to be home to the newly-formed IJAAF No.7 Air Regiment. In 1933, it was designated as...
of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and a major military air field. Hamamatsu was also situated on the main flight route from Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
to either Nagoya or Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and was thus often assigned as a secondary target.
In 1945, Hamamatsu city had an estimated population of 166,346 people. A year after the war, the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
's Strategic Bombing Survey (Pacific War)
Strategic bombing survey (Pacific War)
The "Strategic bombing survey " was a United States Army Air Forces report on the impact of strategic bombing in World War II in the Pacific Campaign.A separate report was made for the atomic attacks.- External links :* *...
reported that 60.3 percent of the city had been totally destroyed.
In addition to strategic bombing, Hamamatsu was also subject to tactical air raids launched by United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
carrier-based aircraft, and and was bombarded by
Allied naval bombardments of Japan during World War II
During the last weeks of World War II, warships of the United States Navy, Britain's Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy bombarded several cities and industrial facilities in Japan. These bombardments caused heavy damage to several of the factories targeted, as well as nearby civilian areas...
United States and Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
vessels on July 29, 1945.
Air raids
- February 15, 1945 – 54 B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bombers from the USAAF 20th Air Force attacked the Mitsubishi MotorsMitsubishi Motorsis a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
factory in southern Hamamatsu. Six B-29s were shot down. 150 people on ground were killed. - April 30, 1945 – 69 B-29 bombers launched a firebombingFirebombingFirebombing is a bombing technique designed to damage a target, generally an urban area, through the use of fire, caused by incendiary devices, rather than from the blast effect of large bombs....
attack on central Hamamatsu; an estimated 1000 civilians were killed. - May 14, 1945 – 135 B-29 bombers of the 314th Bombardment Wing attacked residential areas in eastern and north-eastern Hamamatsu in a daylight raid; an estimated 450 civilians were killed.
- May 19, 1945 - in a follow-on night mission, 32 B-29s of the 330th Bombardment Group330th Bombardment GroupThe 330th Bombardment Group was a bomber group of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It constituted on 1 July 1942 at Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah. The unit fought in the Pacific Theater...
bombed the south Nagoya urban area, with an unknown number of casualties. - June 18, 1945 – an unknown number of B-29 bombers launched a major firebombing raid on central Hamamatsu, creating a firestormFirestormA firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires, forest fires, and wildfires...
which destroys most of the city; the estimated death toll was 1,800 people. - July 29, 1945 – in a follow-on air raid against recently repaired Hamamatsu rail lines, Hamamatsu StationHamamatsu Stationis an interchange railway station in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. The station is 257.1 rail kilometers from Tokyo Station. Hamamatsu is on the Tōkaidō Main Line and the Tōkaidō Shinkansen of Central Japan Railway Company...
and nearby factories 170 people on ground were killed.