Allied bombing raids on the Thai capital city of Bangkok began even before Thailand had declared war, since the Empire of Japan was using the country as a staging area for its invasions of both Malaya and Burma, with the reluctant agreement of the Thai government after Japan's successful invasion of the southeast Asian country on 8 December 1941. The first raid came on 7 January 1942, when Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft flying from Rangoon, attacked military targets in the city.[1][2] The American Volunteer Group, together with seven No. 113 Squadron RAF and three No. 45 Squadron RAFBristol Blenheim bombers, were involved in the first raid.[3] No. 113 Squadron's planes were piloted by No. 60 Squadron's air crew. The second night raid was carried out by eight Blenheims on 24–25 January and included No. 60 Squadron RAF aircrew.[4] A final raid was made three days later by four Blenheims. This was the last raid by Blenheims until May or June 1945.[citation needed] The British and American bombings were also aided by the Free Thai Movement, an Allied-aligned, anti-Japanese guerilla movement. Agents of the Free Thai Movement designated targets for Allied planes and locations of Japanese positions and even reported on the weather over the targets.
After Rangoon fell to the Japanese on 7 March, heavy bombers, such as the RAF and American Tenth Air ForceConsolidated B-24 Liberators, based in India and China, attacked targets in Thailand.[5][6] The raids were carried out because Bangkok by then had become a command centre for the Japanese on the Southeast Asian front. RAF and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF,) bombers carried out the raids as part of the Pacific campaigns. The bombers struck installations used by the occupying Japanese military, but the raids were also intended to pressure the government of Thai military strongman Plaek Pibulsongkram to abandon his unpopular alliance with Imperial Japan. The major targets were the newly completed Port of Bangkok and the Thai railway system. Raids by RAF, USAAF, and other Allied air forces continued with growing intensity from India, and after the liberation of Rangoon on 3 May 1945, from Rangoon until the end of the war in August that year. Blenheim bombers and Mustangs operated out of Rangoon against Bangkok in this later phase of the bombing.[citation needed]
In its first combat mission, the American Boeing B-29 Superfortress was used by the XX Bomber Command's 58th Air Division to strike targets in Bangkok, before it was deployed against the Japanese home islands.[7] The decision to use the B-29s to bomb Bangkok dated back to 1943 and was mentioned in a communique between US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in which Roosevelt suggested that they be used to bomb the port and railways.[8]
On 5 June 1944, 98 B-29s led by the 58th's commander, General LaVerne Saunders, flew from airfields in India to attack the Makasan railway yards in Bangkok. A 2,261 mile round trip, the raid was the longest mission to date in the war. Only 77 of the B-29s made it to Bangkok, 21 others having had to turn back because of engine problems. Reaching the Thai capital at about 11:00, the bombers found their targets obscured by bad weather. The B-29s were meant to drop their bombs from between 22,000 and 25,000 feet, but instead released their bombs at between 17,000 and 27,000 feet. Only 18 bombs hit their intended targets. The others destroyed a Japanese military hospital and damaged the Japanese secret police headquarters. On their return to India, 42 of the B-29s had to divert to other airfields because of a lack of fuel. Five of these crashed on landing. Further raids were carried out by the Superfortresses against strategic targets in Bangkok.[9]
Temporary British occupationEdit
At the end of the hostilities, British and Indian military forces arrived in Bangkok to disarm and repatriate the surrendered Japanese. On 9 September 1945, the RAF set up its headquarters under Group Captain Don Finlay of the RAF's 909 Wing at Bangkok's Don Muang airfield. Three RAF squadrons were represented in Siam during the brief occupation: No. 20 Squadron RAF with Spitfire VIII aircraft, No. 211 Squadron RAF with de Havilland Mosquito VI aircraft, and a detachment of No. 685 Squadron RAF with Mosquito photo-reconnaissance aircraft. The airfield was defended by No. 2945 Squadron, RAF Regiment. Almost all the RAF units had left by January 1946.[citation needed]
^Thai Capital Plastered, The Western Australian, Perth, 26 Jan 1942, page 3
^Jap oil refinery destroyed, The Canberra Times, 28 November 1942, page 2
^Support from Siam, Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 3, 5 January 1943, Page 5
^Bombers Over Japan, Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1944, Page 7
^R-418/9 memo, Churchill and Roosevelt - The Complete Correspondence - II Alliance Forged, Warren F. Kimball, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1984, page 617
^Strike Tokio Again, Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 129, 28 November 1944, Page 5
External linksEdit
Pattaya Mail: A Slice of Thai History: The Air War Over Thailand, 1941–1945, Part Two, The Allies Attack Thailand, 1942–1945
Internet videosEdit
B-29 bombers being manufactured and they bombard the Rama VIII Bridge in Bangkok on YouTube
bombing, bangkok, world, city, bangkok, thailand, bombed, allies, numerous, occasions, during, world, also, target, first, combat, mission, boeing, superfortresses, june, 1944, bombing, bangkokpart, pacific, warallied, bombing, rama, bridgedate7, january, 1942. The city of Bangkok Thailand was bombed by the Allies on numerous occasions during World War II It was also the target for the first combat mission by Boeing B 29 Superfortresses in June 1944 Bombing of BangkokPart of Pacific WarAllied bombing of Rama VI BridgeDate7 January 1942 14 April 1945LocationBangkok ThailandBelligerents United States United Kingdom Thailand Japan Contents 1 Initial British and American air raids 2 First B 29 Superfortress combat mission 3 Temporary British occupation 4 See also 5 References 6 External links 6 1 Internet videosInitial British and American air raids Edit Consolidated B 24 Liberators in formationAllied bombing raids on the Thai capital city of Bangkok began even before Thailand had declared war since the Empire of Japan was using the country as a staging area for its invasions of both Malaya and Burma with the reluctant agreement of the Thai government after Japan s successful invasion of the southeast Asian country on 8 December 1941 The first raid came on 7 January 1942 when Royal Air Force RAF aircraft flying from Rangoon attacked military targets in the city 1 2 The American Volunteer Group together with seven No 113 Squadron RAF and three No 45 Squadron RAF Bristol Blenheim bombers were involved in the first raid 3 No 113 Squadron s planes were piloted by No 60 Squadron s air crew The second night raid was carried out by eight Blenheims on 24 25 January and included No 60 Squadron RAF aircrew 4 A final raid was made three days later by four Blenheims This was the last raid by Blenheims until May or June 1945 citation needed The British and American bombings were also aided by the Free Thai Movement an Allied aligned anti Japanese guerilla movement Agents of the Free Thai Movement designated targets for Allied planes and locations of Japanese positions and even reported on the weather over the targets After Rangoon fell to the Japanese on 7 March heavy bombers such as the RAF and American Tenth Air Force Consolidated B 24 Liberators based in India and China attacked targets in Thailand 5 6 The raids were carried out because Bangkok by then had become a command centre for the Japanese on the Southeast Asian front RAF and United States Army Air Forces USAAF bombers carried out the raids as part of the Pacific campaigns The bombers struck installations used by the occupying Japanese military but the raids were also intended to pressure the government of Thai military strongman Plaek Pibulsongkram to abandon his unpopular alliance with Imperial Japan The major targets were the newly completed Port of Bangkok and the Thai railway system Raids by RAF USAAF and other Allied air forces continued with growing intensity from India and after the liberation of Rangoon on 3 May 1945 from Rangoon until the end of the war in August that year Blenheim bombers and Mustangs operated out of Rangoon against Bangkok in this later phase of the bombing citation needed First B 29 Superfortress combat mission Edit Boeing B 29 SuperfortressIn its first combat mission the American Boeing B 29 Superfortress was used by the XX Bomber Command s 58th Air Division to strike targets in Bangkok before it was deployed against the Japanese home islands 7 The decision to use the B 29s to bomb Bangkok dated back to 1943 and was mentioned in a communique between US President Franklin D Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in which Roosevelt suggested that they be used to bomb the port and railways 8 On 5 June 1944 98 B 29s led by the 58th s commander General LaVerne Saunders flew from airfields in India to attack the Makasan railway yards in Bangkok A 2 261 mile round trip the raid was the longest mission to date in the war Only 77 of the B 29s made it to Bangkok 21 others having had to turn back because of engine problems Reaching the Thai capital at about 11 00 the bombers found their targets obscured by bad weather The B 29s were meant to drop their bombs from between 22 000 and 25 000 feet but instead released their bombs at between 17 000 and 27 000 feet Only 18 bombs hit their intended targets The others destroyed a Japanese military hospital and damaged the Japanese secret police headquarters On their return to India 42 of the B 29s had to divert to other airfields because of a lack of fuel Five of these crashed on landing Further raids were carried out by the Superfortresses against strategic targets in Bangkok 9 Temporary British occupation EditAt the end of the hostilities British and Indian military forces arrived in Bangkok to disarm and repatriate the surrendered Japanese On 9 September 1945 the RAF set up its headquarters under Group Captain Don Finlay of the RAF s 909 Wing at Bangkok s Don Muang airfield Three RAF squadrons were represented in Siam during the brief occupation No 20 Squadron RAF with Spitfire VIII aircraft No 211 Squadron RAF with de Havilland Mosquito VI aircraft and a detachment of No 685 Squadron RAF with Mosquito photo reconnaissance aircraft The airfield was defended by No 2945 Squadron RAF Regiment Almost all the RAF units had left by January 1946 citation needed See also EditFar East Air Force Royal Air Force Thailand in World War II Bombing of South East Asia 1944 45 References Edit RAF hits Bangkok Evening Post Volume CXXXIII Issue 7 9 January 1942 Page 5 http 113squadron com id120 htm Burma Air Operations Jan 1st to May 22 1942 Air Vice Marshal D F Stevenson s report Air fighting Auckland Star Volume LXXIII Issue 8 10 January 1942 Page 7 Thai Capital Plastered The Western Australian Perth 26 Jan 1942 page 3 Jap oil refinery destroyed The Canberra Times 28 November 1942 page 2 Support from Siam Evening Post Volume CXXXV Issue 3 5 January 1943 Page 5 Bombers Over Japan Evening Post Volume CXXXVII Issue 142 17 June 1944 Page 7 R 418 9 memo Churchill and Roosevelt The Complete Correspondence II Alliance Forged Warren F Kimball Princeton University Press New Jersey 1984 page 617 Strike Tokio Again Evening Post Volume CXXXVIII Issue 129 28 November 1944 Page 5External links EditPattaya Mail A Slice of Thai History The Air War Over Thailand 1941 1945 Part Two The Allies Attack Thailand 1942 1945Internet videos Edit B 29 bombers being manufactured and they bombard the Rama VIII Bridge in Bangkok on YouTube Bombing of Rama VI bridge in Bangkok on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bombing of Bangkok in World War II amp oldid 1161270807, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
