The bombing of The Hague, March 1945

Many people are well aware that Rotterdam suffered a terrible bombing at the beginning of WWII, that left the city almost completely destroyed.

Not so many people are aware that a part of The Hague was also destroyed, this time by Allied Forces' bombs.

On the 3 March 1945, 67.000 kilos of explosive were dropped on the Bezuidenhout, killing more than 500 people and leaving 12.000 people homeless.

The English planes were aiming for German rockets, which according to their intelligence were hidden in the Haagse Bos, but due to miscalculation and possibly adverse meteorological conditions, they hit the (already then) lively neighborhood.

The residents' committee and the City of The Hague have recently inaugurated an historical path complete with explanatory boards that takes walkers through the neighborhood and the woods, with before and after pictures and extra bits of history about the area, from its first developments in the 18th century till becoming the popular area it is nowadays.

More information and a list of related events planned for the month of March, here (in Dutch):

http://bezuidenhout.nl/index.asp

One of the panels with before/after pictures.