WWII aerial bombardment of Rotterdam by Nazi Germany
The Rotterdam Blitz
Part of the German invasion of the Netherlands
Rotterdam's city centre after the bombing. The heavily damaged (now restored) St. Lawrence church stands out as the only remaining building that is reminiscent of Rotterdam's medieval architecture. The photo was taken after the removal of all debris.
80 aircraft directly involved 700 involved in concurrent operations
Casualties and losses
1,150 killed, including 210 soldiers[2] LVA and MLD virtually destroyed[3]
125[2]
v
t
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German invasion of the Netherlands
Maastricht
Mill
The Hague
Rotterdam
Zeeland
The Grebbeberg
Afsluitdijk
Rotterdam Blitz
v
t
e
Western Front of World War II
Phoney War
River Forth
Saar
The Heligoland Bight
Wikinger
Luxembourg
Schuster Line
The Netherlands
Maastricht
Mill
The Hague
Rotterdam
Zeeland
The Grebbeberg
Afsluitdijk
Rotterdam Blitz
Belgium
Fort Eben-Emael
Hannut
David
Gembloux
La Lys
Ypres–Comines Canal
France
Sedan
Montcornet
Saumur
Arras
Boulogne
Calais
Dunkirk
Dynamo
Abbeville
Lille
Paula
1st Alps
Haddock Force
Britain
Kanalkampf
Adlertag
The Hardest Day
Battle of Britain Day
Sea Lion
1941–1943
Cerberus
Donnerkeil
Baedeker Blitz
Commando Raids
St Nazaire Raid
Dieppe Raid
1944–1945
Baby Blitz
Overlord
Chastity
Dragoon
Siegfried Line
Netherlands
Market Garden
Hürtgen Forest
Aachen
Queen
Scheldt
Bulge
Nordwind
2nd Alps
Colmar Pocket
Atlantic Pockets
Germany
Blackcock
Veritable
Grenade
Blockbuster
Lumberjack
Remagen
Cologne
Gisela
Undertone
Plunder
Varsity
Paderborn
Ruhr
TF Baum
Frankfurt
Würzburg
Kassel
Heilbronn
Nuremberg
Hamburg
Strategic campaigns
The Blitz
Defence of the Reich
Strategic Bombing Campaign
Raids on the Atlantic Wall
Battle of Atlantic
In 1940, Rotterdam was subjected to heavy aerial bombardment by the Luftwaffe during the German invasion of the Netherlands during the Second World War. The objective was to support the German troops fighting in the city, break Dutch resistance and force the Dutch army to surrender. Bombing began at the outset of hostilities on 10 May and culminated with the destruction of the entire historic city centre on 14 May,[2] an event sometimes referred to as the Rotterdam Blitz. According to an official list published in 2022, at least 1,150 people were killed, with 711 deaths in the 14 May bombing alone,[2] and 85,000 more were left homeless.
The psychological and the physical success of the raid, from the German perspective, led the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) to threaten to destroy the city of Utrecht if the Dutch command did not surrender. The Dutch surrendered in the late afternoon of 14 May and signed the capitulation early the next morning.[4]
^De luchtverdediging mei 1940, by F.J. Molenaar. The Hague, 1970.
^ abcd"First official list of victims of Rotterdam bombing published after 82 years". DutchNews.nl. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
^Hooton 2007, p. 79.
^Hooton 2007, p. 52.
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