World War II: Hamburg Burns

July 24, 1943 - Arriving over Hamburg at 12:57 AM, over 700 British bombers (left) strike targets, setting the city ablaze in the initial raid of Operation Gomorrah. Designed as a sustained bombing campaign using both British and American bombers, Gomorrah would continue until the final raid on August 3. In its wake, over ten square miles of Hamburg would be destroyed with 40,000-50,000 of the city's residents losing their lives.

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