Coventry: November 14, 1940

The German Luftwaffes air raid on Coventry, England on the night of November 14, 1940 represented a new kind of air warfare. Aimed primarily at obliterating all aspects of city life, it was systematic, thorough, unconnected to any immediate military goal, and indifferent to civilian casualties. In a single night, roughly two-thirds of the citys buildings were damaged or destroyed as the bombers laid waste to legitimate industrial targets and civilian structures alike. The old St. Michaels Cathedral, a 14th century Gothic structure that burned to the ground that night, still stands in ruins today as a testament to the citys destruction during the raid. Pragmatic British government propagandists would exploit Coventrys perceived status as a historic town,playing down the citys industrial reputation.