Eighty years ago this week, Allied and German air raids provide a study in contrasts

 

 

 

The German Operation Steinbock (the 'Baby Blitz') air raids on the London area reached an intense phase with attacks on three successive nights  by rather fewer than 200 aircraft, the most intense bombing since the Blitz of 1940/1. This compares with three or four times that number delivering the attacks on Germany as part of 'Big Week'. Almost no attempt was made to hit specific, militarily valuable targets; the goal was purely retaliation. The raids did extensive damage to property, including some to Harrow School, Churchill's alma mater. The operation was, though, a strategic blunder. The Germans could not afford the inevitable attrition of aircraft and crews and did not inflict any worthwhile losses on the defenders. Steinbock was a mirror image of 'Big Week'; the damage caused by the bombs was almost irrelevant; what mattered was the degradation of the Luftwaffe's capability; in bombers through Steinbock; in fighters through 'Big Week'.

The Japanese abandoned their attack on the 'Admin Box' the temporary headquarters of the 7th Indian Divison which they had surrounded. Their attack was designed to block a British offensive and to repeat the Japanese success in defeating the British Arakan offensive the previous year. The British had learned from their mistakes in trying to retreat from Japanese attacks and held the position despite severe casualties. They also won air superiority - Spitfires had finally been sent to the theatre a few weeks before - and were able to supply the garrison from the air. 'Admin Box' was the first true British victory of the campain and the harbinger of more to come.

The Finns signalled that they were inclined to make peace with the Soviet Union. In turn the Soviets outlined comparatively gentle terms that they would be prepared to accept. Finland would be allowed to keep its 1940 borders and would not be subject to Soviet occcupation. Finland would intern any German forces there.