- The firebombing of Tokyo on March 9-10, 1945, led to extensive destruction, with vast areas of the city being razed.
- Operation Meetinghouse, the code name for the firebombing, resulted in a higher death toll than either of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, making it one of the deadliest air raids in history.
- The attack utilized incendiary bombs designed to ignite massive fires, targeting densely populated civilian areas.
- Estimates of the death toll vary, but it is widely acknowledged that at least 100,000 people were killed in the bombing.
- The strategy behind the bombing was to demoralize the Japanese population and force the government to surrender, marking a significant shift in US bombing policy.
- The aftermath of the firebombing saw survivors facing not only the immediate loss of their homes and families but also long-term consequences such as burns, disfigurements, and psychological trauma.
- The event has sparked debates on the ethics of targeting civilian populations in warfare and the use of incendiary weapons.
This summary has been generated by AI.
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