As the fighting grew between the British and German forces in the midst of WWII, and overnight raids and bombings were getting out of control, the culture and history of some of Europe's finest cities really took the greatest beating.
Architectural masterpieces were exposed to a constant barrage of military force, leaving a wave of destruction in its wake. Historic sites and monuments were demolished or defaced, and some of the oldest relics of times past had all but crumbled under the devastating effects of war.
An example of these attacks are the German Baedeker raids, otherwise known as the “Baedeker Blitz.” The term Baedeker was a reference to the popular travel guides of the time, signaling their intent to destroy the touristy, arts and cultural – not to mention civilian – districts first, in an effort to weaken the Brits at the heart of their most beloved cities.
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