The Bombing of Yawata on the night of 15/16 June 1944 was the first air raid on the Japanese home islands conducted by United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) strategic bombers during World War II. The attack was undertaken by 75 B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers (examples pictured) staging from bases in China. Only 47 of these aircraft dropped bombs near the raid's primary target, the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata, and little damage was caused. Five B-29s were lost in accidents during the operation and two were destroyed by Japanese aircraft. While the raid did not achieve its aims, it raised Japanese civilians' awareness that their country was being defeated and received unduly positive media coverage in the United States. Intelligence gathered also revealed weaknesses in Japan's air defenses and the raid was the first of many on Japan. Yawata was attacked again on 20 August 1944. Much of the city was destroyed in a firebombing raid conducted by B-29s based in the Mariana Islands on 8 August 1945.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Yawata_%28June_1944%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1896:

A 7.2 Ms earthquake and a subsequent tsunami struck Japan, destroying about 9,000 homes and causing at least 22,000 deaths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1896_Sanriku_earthquake

1944:

In the Saskatchewan general election, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation led by Tommy Douglas won enough seats in the Legislative Assembly to form the first socialist government in North America. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Douglas

1991:

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines deposited large amounts of particulate matter into the atmosphere, enough to lower global temperatures by about 0.5 °C (0.9 °F). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pinatubo

2001:

Leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan formed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Cooperation_Organisation

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

Magna Carta: 1. (law, historical) A charter granted by King John to the barons at Runnymede in 1215, which is one of the bases of English constitutional tradition; a physical copy of this charter, or a later version. 2. (figuratively) A landmark document that sets out rights or important principles. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Magna_Carta

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

London is always beautiful to those who love and understand that extraordinary microcosm; but at five of a summer morning there is about her an exquisite quality of youthful fragrance and debonair freshness which goes to the heart.   --William McFee https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_McFee