LONDON BOMBING

The rocket attacks on London, primarily executed through the V-1 and V-2 bombing campaigns during the final stages of World War II, marked a significant escalation in the conflict’s air war, illustrating the terrifying advent of modern, automated weaponry. Initiated by Nazi Germany from 1944 to 1945, these assaults aimed to demoralize the British populace and disrupt the allied war effort, killing thousands and causing widespread destruction across the city. The V-1, a buzzing pilotless jet, earned the grim nickname "Doodlebug" among Londoners, who grew eerily attuned to its sound and the deadly silence signaling its fall. The V-2, the world's first long-range guided ballistic missile, brought a new level of fear, striking without warning and leaving deep craters and ruins in its wake. Despite the devastation, the resilience of the Londoners and the eventual Allied victory stood as a testament to the unbreakable spirit faced with the terror of the first large-scale, technological warfare.