| Maps: World War II in the Pacific |
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The Firebombing of Tokyo, March 1945
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American successes in establishing island bases for the long-range B-29 bomber bring Tokyo within attack range. Yet initial high-altitude bombing runs in November 1944 are mostly ineffective. General Curtis LeMay takes control of the 21st Bomber Command in January 1945 and devises a new tactic of low-altitude attacks, dropping "fire sticks" -- napalm, which is gasoline in a jelly form.
On the night of March 9-10, over 300 B-29s fly to Japan on a bombing mission, targeting aircraft factories in and around Tokyo's densely settled Sumida district.
After several hours of non-stop bombing, sixteen square miles of Tokyo are burning out of control -- one quarter of the city. Over 83,000 Japanese will die in a single, atrocious night.
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