A STATISTICAL COMPARISON OF THREE AIR WARS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78S02149R000100040008-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 23, 1998
• Sequence Number: 8
• Content Type: REPORT

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A Statistical Comparison of Three Air Wars
Introduction
The US has engaged in three major aerial bombardment efforts during
the twentieth century. The first -- the air warfare directed against
the Axis powers in World War II -- marked the initial commitment of US
military planners to the use of air power as a major strategic weapon.
In the subsequent US military involvements in Korea and Vietnam, aerial
bombardment has played a key role not only in the conduct of military
operations themselves, but also in the determination of military and
political strategy.
Comparison
No two air wars are exactly alike. Even within World War II,
assessments and comparisons must take into account the significant
differences of the Pacific and European theatres of operation, as well
as the irreversible march of technology that made the terminal stages
of World War II air operations so different from its beginnings.
Differences in the nature of the target systems, the areas of
sanctuaries, the technology of bombing, and the very nature of the
enemy make broad statistical comparisons of the three major US air
efforts tenuous at best. There are, however, several areas of statistical
comparison which indicate the relative extent, if not the effectiveness,
of these three aerial bombardment programs. In the following tabulation,
the most significant of these statistical comparisons are presented.
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World War II-1/
Korea Rolling Thunder
Area of enemy-held
territory
(Square miles)
Population of Target
area (millions)
Tonnage Delivered
(thousands of tons)
Total Sorties Flown
(thousands)
Total Ordnance-
137,000
804/
2,697
4,129
47,000 61,000
9 18
698 162.
1,041 203.1
Carrying Sorties
(thousands)
1,442W
N.A.
108.1
40,379
1,246 489
Average Aircraft Lost
Per Thousand Sorties
9.8
1.7
2.4
Percent of Ordnance
Dropped on Industrial
Targets
Percent of Ordnance
Dropped on Military
Targets
Percent of Ordnance
Dropped on Land
Transportation
Targets
32.1
N.A.
93.02/
Percent of Ordnance
Dropped on Electric
Power Plants
.03
N.A.
Civilian Casualties
(thousands killed)
305
N.A.
23.92/
Civilians Killed Per
Ton of Ordnance
.22
N.A.
Civilains Killed Per
Ordnance Carrying
Sortie
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FOPTION DISSFM
1. Data given are, unless otherwise noted, for the European
Theatre of Operations.
2. Rolling Thunder data given through December 1966.
3. Germany only.
4. Germany only.
5. Total Allied effort; US and Great Britain during World War II,
US and other UN forces during Korean War, US and Vietnam during Rolling
Thunder.
6. Bomber sorties only.
7. Includes ordnance dropped on bridges, rail facilities, and 11
armed reconnaissance ordnance.
8. Germany only. Estimated by the US Strategic Bombing Survey.
9. Based on latest CIA estimate.
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