page_title: Bombing of Kuala Lumpur (1945)
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Bombing of Kuala Lumpur (1945) / Background
caption_attribution_description: English: Primary targets of United States Army Air Forces B-29 bombers operating from bases in India during World War II
context_page_description: United States Army Air Forces B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers made two air raids on railway facilities in Japanese-occupied Kuala Lumpur during February and March 1945. The first of these attacks took place on 18 February, and involved 48 or 49 B-29s. The second raid was made on 10 March by either 24 or 26 aircraft. These attacks inflicted extensive damage on the Central Railroad Repair Shops. No American aircraft were lost in either operation.
context_section_description: Japanese forces captured Kuala Lumpur on 11 January 1942 during the Malayan Campaign. On 28 January that year, United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers operating from Palembang in the Dutch East Indies bombed Japanese-held airfields near the city. Kuala Lumpur later became a key railroad center for Japanese-occupied Malaya.
  In early 1944 the USAAF commenced the first deployment of its new B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers. As part of Operation Matterhorn, XX Bomber Command was based in India, and given the primary role of attacking targets in western Japan via airfields in central China. In addition, the Command was directed to also strike targets in Manchuria and East Asia.
  XX Bomber Command made its first deep penetration raid into South-East Asia on the night of 9/10 August 1944, when 56 B-29s made an unsuccessful attack against oil targets near Palembang during Operation Boomerang. Attacks were also made against Singapore on 5 November and 11 January 1945. On 15 January 1945, XX Bomber Command was directed to stop flying missions via China, and instead make "limited operations" against targets in Japanese-occupied areas of South East Asia from its bases in India. This was an interim use for the command, ahead of it being redeployed to the Marianas Islands in April where it would join the main strategic bombing effort against Japan.
caption: Locations of B-29 bomber bases in India and Ceylon and the main targets they attacked in South East Asia
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