Europe
The Survey was formed on 3 November 1944 by Henry Stimson in response to a directive by President Roosevelt. The Survey was tasked with producing an impartial report on the effects of the bombing against Nazi Germany, in order to:
-
- aid the upcoming campaign against the Japanese home islands,
- to establish a basis for evaluating the importance and potentialities of air power as an instrument of military strategy,
- for planning the future development of the United States armed forces, and
- for determining future economic policies with respect to the national defense.
The Report, along with some 200 supporting documents, was released on 30 September 1945. The major conclusion of the report was that strategic bombing, particularly the destruction of the oil industry and truck manufacturing had greatly contributed to the success of the Allies in World War II. However, despite the overall contribution of the bombing, the survey concluded that the impact of strategic bombing could not be separated from the general collapse of Germany in 1945.
Read more about this topic: Strategic Bombing Survey
Famous quotes containing the word europe:
“Television is an excellent system when one has nothing to lose, as is the case with a nomadic and rootless country like the United States, but in Europe the affect of television is that of a bulldozer which reduces culture to the lowest possible denominator.”
—Marc Fumaroli (b. 1932)
“In times like ours, where the growing complexity of life leaves us barely the time to read the newspapers, where the map of Europe has endured profound rearrangements and is perhaps on the brink of enduring yet others, where so many threatening and new problems appear everywhere, you will admit it may be demanded of a writer that he be more than a fine wit who makes us forget in idle and byzantine discussions on the merits of pure form ...”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
“What helps it now, that Byron bore,
With haughty scorn which mock’d the smart,
Through Europe to the Aetolian shore
The pageant of his bleeding heart?
That thousands counted every groan,
And Europe made his woe her own?”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)