Flaneur mit Kamera
Rotterdam
Logic of war
On May 14, 1940, the German attackers gave the Dutch defenders an ultimatum to surrender or else Rotterdam would be bombed.
However, the defenders let this ultimatum pass, perhaps because they hoped that French and British troops could change the course of the war.
In the end they accepted the occupiers' conditions; but at this point the German bombers were already in the air and because absolute radio silence was ordered during an attack in order not to provide the enemy with unnecessary information, they could no longer be ordered back by radio.
The Germans tried to inform the pilots of the changed situation using flares. The aircraft of the 2nd squadron responded to the signals, but 57 bombers of the first squadron continued to fly undeterred to Rotterdam and dropped their cargo over the target area as ordered.
814 people died.
Rotterdam
Logic of war
On May 14, 1940, the German attackers gave the Dutch defenders an ultimatum to surrender or else Rotterdam would be bombed.
However, the defenders let this ultimatum pass, perhaps because they hoped that French and British troops could change the course of the war.
In the end they accepted the occupiers' conditions; but at this point the German bombers were already in the air and because absolute radio silence was ordered during an attack in order not to provide the enemy with unnecessary information, they could no longer be ordered back by radio.
The Germans tried to inform the pilots of the changed situation using flares. The aircraft of the 2nd squadron responded to the signals, but 57 bombers of the first squadron continued to fly undeterred to Rotterdam and dropped their cargo over the target area as ordered.
814 people died.