Repair & Restoration.

This is coolbert:

From the previous blog entry:

"the German able to restore to working order in quick fashion, almost in a manner of casual indifference with self-assured aplomb!"

"a·plomb - - noun 1. imperturbable self-possession, poise, or assurance."

During the Second World War [WW2], those attacks by the air forces of the western allies on German panacea targets [high value], even when successful to a degree, NEVER achieving the desired results, the German possessing an amazing ability to organize themselves, gather their resources and make up for lost productivity, supply of product or resource.

Instances of German panacea targets attacked during WW2 for which the Nazi was able to "recover" in short order, measures and steps taken, ameliorate a bad situation and in some cases even "make better" than prior to include:

1. Operation Tidal Wave. The American Army Air Corps attack on the Ploesti oil fields. A panacea target [high value] if there ever was one. That sustaining force sustaining  heavy even unacceptable losses without causing the degree of lasting damage as desired. DAMAGE yes but not long-term and DAMAGE not to the degree as had been hoped. Recovery by the German very quick, "within weeks"!! Output in the aftermath of attack deemed to be "greater than before the raid".

"The mission resulted in 'no curtailment of overall product output', and so was unsuccessful."

"Allied assessment of the attack estimated a loss of 40% of the refining capacity at the Ploiești refineries, although some refineries were largely untouched. Most of the damage was repaired within weeks, after which the net output of fuel was greater than before the raid."

2. The Schweinfurt raid. Massed formation of American  B-17 bombers attacking ball bearing production facilities the effectiveness to be seriously questioned. Production of precision ball bearings reduced but not so excessively so "extensive surpluses" able to make up for shortfall. German planners taking proper heed dispersing ball bearing factories accordingly, steps and measures without question allowing for further unimpeded production and distribution of necessary war munitions.

"an immediate 34 per cent loss of production, but both the production shortfall and the actual loss of bearings were made up for by extensive surpluses found throughout Germany in the aftermath of the raid."

3. Operation Chastise, the British 617 Squadron attack on those dams supplying a preponderant amount of the electricity as used by the German munitions factories of the Ruhr. Attacks for the most part successful, German work-around and remedial actions quickly restoring water flow and electricity, damage for the most part a "minor inconvenience" to productivity!!

 "By 27 June [the attacks occurring on 16–17 May 1943] , full water output was restored, thanks to an emergency pumping scheme inaugurated only the previous year, and the electricity grid was again producing power at full capacity . . in fact no more than a minor inconvenience to the Ruhr's industrial output."

Within four months the German having gathered and concentrated their resources and had the dams more or less repaired and back up and running!!

4. Those marshaling rail yards of Dresden, ostensibly the main target of the aerial bombardment as detailed in the David Irving book: "Apocalypse 1945. The Destruction of Dresden" damaged but not so significantly that within three days the facility up and running, traffic flow more or less unimpeded!!

"The large Dresden-Friedrichsstadt marshaling yards had been scarcely damaged."

"Working day and night . . . special troops were able to open up a double line of railway track for normal working within only three days of the raids"

"three days after the attacks. ‘The supplies were rolling virtually unhindered to the eastern front. The railways were running, in spite of the general destruction all around.’"

"‘The railroad lines were not particularly seriously damaged; an emergency service was able to repair them so swiftly that no significant dislocation of traffic resulted.’"

Let me reiterate about Dresden. A large portion of a major city reduced to a cinder with catastrophic loss of life, the rail yards the announced and designated target of the air raid more or less while not unscathed not damaged to the extent where repair and remediation was not possible. Within three days the rail facility back up and running!!

Devoted readers to the blog can think of more instances or occurrences where the German again during WW2 made good a "recovery" from an attack with damage on a panacea target, productivity and output restored in an admirable manner? Let me hear from you!

coolbert.