Bombing of Tokyo – Most Destructive Bombing in History

March 9, 1945

Over the night of March 9-10, 1945, the U.S. executes a firebombing raid over Tokyo. This is regarded as the single most destructive bombing raid in human history, with 16 square miles (41 km2) of central Tokyo destroyed, 267,171 buildings destroyed, an estimated over 100,000 civilians killed, and over 1 million left homeless. Tokyo’s industrial output was cut in half due to the bombing. The raid consisted of 334 B-29s dropping 1,665 tons of bombs on Tokyo. The first firebombs were dropped to form a large X pattern over Tokyo’s working class district. The following planes aimed for this large flaming X. High winds caused the fires to spread quickly and turn into major blazes. American casualties consisted of 96 airmen killed or missing, 6 wounded or injured, and twelve B-29s shot down. This was the highest death toll of any air raid during the war, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.