The bombing of the Chongqing was part of a terror bombing operation conducted by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. A conservative estimate places the number of bombing runs at more than 5;000; with more than 11;500 bombs dropped; mainly incendiary bombs.

The targets were usually residential areas; business areas; schools; hospitals and other non-military targets. These bombings were aimed at demoralising the Chinese government; which had moved the capital to Chongqing because it was more inaccessible to Japanese ground forces; or as part of the planned Sichuan invasion. Chongqing; Sichuan; July 1941. Pictures From History