nonetheless, modern interceptor aircraft possessing far greater speed and firepower, supported by ground-based radar equipment, and new aircrew training supported by the US and Allied partners, allowed the Chinese Air Force to be in a much better position to fight back by August 1943. The last recorded air raid of the campaign took place on 19 December 1944. Total bomb tonnage and raids Three thousand tons of bombs were dropped on the city from 1939 to 1942. According to photographer Carl Mydans, the spring 1941 bombings were at the time "the most destructive shelling ever made on a city", although terror bombing grew rapidly during the Second World War: by comparison 2,300 tons of bombs were dropped by Allied bombers on Berlin in a single night during the Battle of Berlin. A total of 268 air raids were conducted against Chongqing. Lawsuit against the Japanese government In March 2006, 40 Chinese who were wounded or lost family members during the bombings sued the Japanese government, demanding 10,000,000 yen (628,973 yuan) each, and asked for apologies. "By filing a lawsuit, we want the Japanese people to know about Chongqing bombings," said a victim. In 2006, 188 Chongqing bombing survivors filed a group lawsuit in Japanese courts, seeking compensation and an apology. In 2015 the Tokyo High Court upheld a lower courts' ruling acknowledging damages caused, but denying the plaintiffs' right to compensation. Gallery Notes References Cheung, Raymond. Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 126: Aces of the Republic of China Air Force. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2015. . Caidin, Martin. Zero Fighter: Ballantine's Illustrated History of World War II Weapons Book No. 9. New York, NY: Ballantine Books Inc, 1969. . Xú,Lùméi.Fallen: A Decryption of 682 Air Force Heroes of The War of Resistance-WWII and Their Martyrdom 东城区, 北京， 中国: 团结出版社, 2016. . External links Memorial site "Bombing of Chongqing", Nippon News, No. 2. in the official website of NHK. Articles containing video clips Chongqing 1938 China in World War II 1938 in China 1939 in China 1940 in China 1941 in China 1942 in China 1943 in China Conflicts in 1938 Conflicts in 1939 Conflicts in 1940 Conflicts in 1941 Conflicts in 1942 Conflicts in 1943 Explosions in 1938 Explosions in 1939 Explosions in 1940 Explosions in 1941 Explosions in 1942 Explosions in 1943 Chongqing History of Chongqing World War II strategic bombing World War II aerial operations and battles of the