While it takes decades – sometimes even centuries – of effort and resources to build and populate a thriving city, all that could be wiped out by merely a few days of warfare. Even today, densely-populated settlements are deliberately and systematically targetted as a widely-practiced strategy of war, often resulting in the almost-total destruction of their cultural and historical legacies.
10. Saint-Lo, France
The siege of Saint-Lo in France was one of the pivotal battles of World War II, fought between the Allies and the occupying German forces in the summer of 1944. It was a part of the larger Battle of Normandy, as Saint-Lo was a key transportation hub for the Allied forces landing on the Normandy beach.
While the actual battle began when American forces entered the town in July, it was subjected to a massive bombardment campaign in the weeks leading up to the assault, resulting in the complete destruction of much of its infrastructure. Several bridges and railway lines were permanently destroyed during the siege, with much of its civilian population forced to flee the region.
