Bombing of Bangkok in World War II
Bombing of Bangkok | |
---|---|
Part of Bangkok, Thailand | |
Result | Allied victory |
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.
Initial British and American air raids
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
After Rangoon fell to the Japanese on 7 March, heavy bombers, such as the RAF and American
First B-29 Superfortress combat mission
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
Temporary British occupation
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]
See also
- Far East Air Force (Royal Air Force)
- Thailand in World War II
- Bombing of South-East Asia (1944–45)
References
- ^ 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
- 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