13. Allied Bombing of Tokyo
On the night of March 9, 1945, during World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) conducted a devastating firebombing raid on Tokyo, Japan. This operation, known as “Operation Meetinghouse,” involved 279 B-29 Superfortress bombers dropping approximately 1,665 tons of incendiary bombs over the city. The resulting firestorm destroyed nearly 16 square miles of Tokyo, leading to the deaths of an estimated 80,000 to 130,000 civilians, making it the deadliest air raid in history. Additionally, over one million people were left homeless. This attack remains one of the most destructive single air raids in human history (history.com).
