Rotterdam Blitz — aerial bombardment of Rotterdam by the Luftwaffe (German air force) on 14 May 1940, during the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II
The bombing destroyed Rotterdam's historic city centre and broke Dutch resistance, forcing the Netherlands to surrender to Germany on 14 May 1940.
Key Facts
- Date of main attack
- 14 May 1940
- Total deaths (official 2022 list)
- At least 1,150 people
- Deaths on 14 May alone
- 711 people
- People left homeless
- 85,000 people
- Bombing campaign start
- 10 May 1940
- Dutch capitulation signed
- 15 May 1940 (early morning)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 as part of its western offensive. German troops encountered sustained Dutch resistance in Rotterdam, prompting the Luftwaffe to conduct aerial bombing raids on the city to support ground forces and compel a Dutch military surrender.
On 14 May 1940, Luftwaffe bombers carried out a concentrated attack on Rotterdam that destroyed virtually the entire historic city centre. The raid killed at least 711 people that day alone and left 85,000 residents homeless, as part of a broader bombardment that had begun on 10 May.
The physical and psychological impact of the destruction led the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe to threaten a similar attack on Utrecht. The Dutch command surrendered in the late afternoon of 14 May 1940, and the formal capitulation was signed the following morning, ending Dutch resistance.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent