Air raids on Japan

Air raids on Japan
Part of the Japan campaign during the Pacific War
B-29 Superfortress bombers dropping incendiary bombs on Yokohama in May 1945[1]
Date 18 April 1942 – 15 August 1945 Location Japan Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United States  United Kingdom  China	Japan
Units involved
Fifth Air Force Seventh Air Force Eleventh Air Force Twentieth Air Force 3rd Fleet 5th Fleet British Pacific Fleet Republic of China Air Force	Northern District Eastern District Central District Western District General Defense Command Air General Army
Strength
27,261 B-29 sorties, exclusive of mining operations[2]	2,833 heavy AA guns 5,916 automatic cannons 168,900 personnel[3]
Casualties and losses
5th Air Force: 31 aircraft 7th Air Force: 12 aircraft VII Fighter Command: 157 aircraft 91 killed 20th Air Force: 414 aircraft 2,600+ killed[4] ~545 Allied airmen captured	241,000–900,000 killed 213,000–1,300,000 wounded 8,500,000 rendered homeless[5] Very heavy damage to industry Extensive damage to urban areas 4,200 aircraft[6]

The most notable air raids on Japan occurred in the closing stages of the war, where two nuclear bombs were dropped which caused the end of World War 2. The first air raid on Japan was the Doolittle Raid by the United States Air Force. The bombing operations against Japan continued until Japan's surrender.