Detailed Look at Strategic Bombing of Vienna

Vienna and Austria in general became known as the Reich's bomb shelter. Early German military victories, the limited range of British bombers, and Italy's entry into the War meant that Austria was shielded from direct attack during much of the War. Austria's location south of Germany and north of Italy along with Luftwaffe air defences, put Austria unlike much of the Reich beyond the effective range of Allied bombers. The British began the strategic bombing of NAZI Germany in earnest with the arrival of the Lancaster heavy bomber (1942). The United States joined the effort with a joint around-the-clock bombing campign (1943). This was conducted by Bomber Command and the U.S. 8th Air Force from bases in Britain. The first raid to hit Austria was conducted by the Soviets (September 4, 1942). Petlyakov Pe-8 bombers flew a 2,000 mile round trip raid which also targeted Vienna, Budapest, Koenigsberg, and Breslau. [Dickinson] This was a prpaganda raid. The Soviets did not commit major resources to strategic bombing. The air war over Austria changed with the disastrous defeats suffered by the Italian Army. The Italians quit the War and signed an armistace and the Allies invaded (September 1943). The important Italian air base at Foggia brought Austria and southern Germany within range of American bombers. The 9th Air Force was assined the task. Austria was not targeted to the same extent as the rest of Germany, because it was not nearly as industrialized, but by 1944, Austria was being regularly bombed.