Following the inter-Allied Casablanca Conference in January 1943 the outline for the Combined Bomber Offensive was agreed and resulted in early February with the 'Casablanca Directive'. This required the 'progressive destruction and dislocation of the German military, industrial and economic systems and the undermining of the morale of the German people to a point where their capacity for armed resistance is fatally weakened'. This directive was clarified in June when the Combined Chiefs of Staff issued the 'Pointblank Directive' that stated that the highest priority targets were the fighter aircraft factories to ensure that in the coming invasion of France the enemy would not have air superiority. When these directives were issued it was envisaged that as well as attacks by RAF Bomber Command and the US Eighth Air Force based in England, the strategic bomber forces in Italy would begin operations once suitable bases were available. After the Allied landings in Italy and resulting
