1. The Fire Balloon Attacks
Bombing operations were a popular attack method during WWII, with the Allies carrying out devastating air strikes on both Germany and Japan. Japan was particularly angry at the US for taking down their factories and military bases, while they didn’t have the capabilities at their own disposal to retaliate. However, in 1944, they charged ahead with a daring operation to try and inflict their own destruction.
Japanese engineers went into action designing a large balloon that could travel through a strong air current, leading straight to the Western US. Named the “Fu-Go,” the balloon was fashioned with a full load of incendiary bombs which, after the balloon would lose altitude over the US, would cause mass explosions over the land.
And since the Japanese launched thousands of balloons, the floating firebombs began landing everywhere from from Alaska to Arizona. American fighter pilots tried to intercept the balloons, but many escaped their grasp.
Overall, many of the balloons were generally ineffective. One did kill a family of six Americans, who came upon a downed balloon still holding active explosives. Some balloons managed to survive the war, with forest workers even coming across one as recently as 2015. Thankfully, no one was hurt upon this latest discovery.