Bombing of Rome in World War II
The bombing of Rome in World War II took place on several occasions in 1943 and 1944, by both Allied and Axis aircraft, before the city was freed from Axis occupation by the Allies on June 4, 1944. Pope Pius XII was initially unsuccessful in attempting to have Rome declared an open city, through negotiations with President Roosevelt via Francis Cardinal Spellman. Rome was eventually declared an open city on August 14, 1943—a day after the last Allied bombing—by the defending forces.[1]
In the 110,000 sorties that comprised the Allied Rome air campaign, 600 aircraft were lost and 3,600 air crew members died; 60,000 tons of bombs were dropped in the 78 days prior to Rome's capture.[2]
Correspondences between Pius XII and Roosevelt
In May 1943 (three months before the Nazis occupied the city), Pius XII wrote Roosevelt asking that Rome "be spared as far as possible further pain and devastation, and their many treasured shrines… from irreparable ruin."[3]
On June 16, 1943, Roosevelt replied:
| “ | Attacks against Italy are limited, to the extent humanly possible, to military objectives. We have not and will not make warfare on civilians or against nonmilitary objectives. In the event it should be found necessary for Allied planes to operate over Rome, our aviators are thoroughly informed as to the location of the Vatican and have been specifically instructed to prevent bombs from falling within Vatican City.[4] | ” |
General Henry H. Arnold described Vatican City as a "hot potato" because of the importance of Catholics in the U.S. Armed Forces.[5] British public opinion was more aligned towards the bombing of the city, due to the participation of Italian planes in The Blitz over London.[5]
Raids
- On July 19, 1943, Rome was bombed for the first time by 521 Allied planes, with three targets, causing hundreds of civilian casualties. After the raid, Pius XII, along with Msgr. Montini (future Pope Paul VI), travelled to the Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, which had been badly damaged, and distributed ₤ 2 million to the crowds.[6][7]
The target of S. Lorenzo was the mission of 5th Wing USAAF, 150 aircraft (B17 Flying Fortress) were over the target (S.Lorenzo railway station and steel factory), with this order of flight: At 11.08B, 36 F.F. from a mean altitude of 23,000 ft, the 32nd, 352nd, 353rd, 419th Squadrons, 301st Bomb Group, dropped 421x500 l. bombs. After at 11.15B 38 F.F. of 2nd Bomb Group, dropped 456x500 l. from a mean altitude of 19,000 to 24,000 ft. At 11.37B 38 F.F. of 99th Bomb Group, the 340 th, 341st, 342nd and 414th Squadrons dropped 442x500 l. bombs. The last group of 37 F.F. was the 97th Bomb Group at 11,43B from a mean altitude of 24,800 ft, dropped 456x500 l. bombs.
The second target was the "Scalo del Littorio" on North side of Rome. The third target was the Ciampino airport, on South-est side of Rome.
- Three weeks later, on August 13, 1943, Allied planes again bombed the city, with target the San Lorenzo south and north part, and Scalo del Littorio .[8]
- On November 5, 1943, a single Nazi plane dropped four bombs on the Vatican, destroying a mosaic studio near the Vatican railway station and breaking the windows of the high cupola of St. Peter's, and nearly destroying Vatican Radio.[9]
- On March 1, 1944, Nazi airplanes dropped six bombs over the Vatican, littering the Court of Saint Damaso with debris.
References
- Jackson, W. G. F. 1969. The Battle for Rome. London: B. T. Batsford Ltd.
- Katz, Robert. 2003. The Battle for Rome: The Germans, the Allies, the Partisans, and the Pope, September 1943 – June 1944. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-1642-3
- Kurzman, Dan. 1975. The Race for Rome. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-385-06555-8
- Murphy, Paul I. and Arlington, R. Rene. (1983) La Popessa: The Controversial Biography of Sister Pasqualina, the Most Powerful Woman in Vatican History. New York: Warner Books Inc. ISBN 0-446-51258-3
- Roosevelt, Franklin D.; Myron C. Taylor, ed. Wartime Correspondence Between President Roosevelt and Pope Pius XII.
Prefaces by Pius XII and
Harry Truman . Kessinger Publishing (1947, reprinted, 2005). ISBN 1-4191-6654-9 - Trevelyan, Raleigh. 1982. Rome '44: The Battle for the Eternal City. New York: The Viking Press. ISBN 0-670-60604-9
Notes
- ^ The military and inner political development of Italy 1943-45 (German)[1]
- ^ Henry D. Lytton. April 1983. "Bombing Policy in the Rome and Pre-Normandy Invasion Aerial Campaigns of World War II: Bridge-Bombing Strategy Vindicated — and Railyard-Bombing Strategy Invalidated." Military Affairs. Vol. 47, No. 2. p. 55, 57.
- ^ Wartime Correspondence Between President Roosevelt and Pope Pius XII, p. 90.
- ^ Wartime Correspondence Between President Roosevelt and Pope Pius XII, p. 91.
- ^ a b Murphy, p. 210.
- ^ Murphy, p. 212–214.
- ^ Trevelyan, p. 11.
- ^ Murphy, p. 214–215.
- ^ Murphy, p. 222.
External links
- Bombing of Rome documents at FDR presidential library
- Collection of documents related to Australian bishops and the bombing of Rome
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