: Ne o ▁soul ▁sing ers ▁Category : Mus icians ▁from ▁Grand ▁Rap ids , ▁Michigan ▁Category : American ▁people ▁conv icted ▁of ▁drug ▁off enses ▁Category : A fr ican - American ▁mus icians ▁Category : American ▁soul ▁sing ers ▁Category : De Bar ge ▁family ▁Category : Sing ers ▁from ▁Detroit <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁bomb ing ▁of ▁K obe ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁strateg ic ▁bomb ing ▁campaign ▁w aged ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁against ▁military ▁and ▁civil ian ▁targets ▁and ▁population ▁cent ers ▁during ▁the ▁Japan ▁home ▁islands ▁campaign ▁in ▁the ▁closing ▁stages ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁city ▁would ▁be ▁bom bed ▁again ▁in ▁later ▁months . ▁ ▁Background ▁K obe ▁was ▁the ▁sixth - larg est ▁city ▁in ▁Japan ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁roughly ▁ 1 ▁million . ▁The ▁houses ▁were ▁mostly ▁built ▁with ▁wood ▁and ▁thus ▁highly ▁fl amm able , ▁suitable ▁for ▁starting ▁and ▁sust aining ▁large ▁fires . ▁Second , ▁it ▁was ▁Japan ' s ▁largest ▁port , ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁largest ▁concentration ▁of ▁ship building ▁and ▁marine - engine ▁manufact uring . ▁K obe ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁important ▁city ▁for ▁transport ation ▁and ▁business . ▁National ▁high ways ▁ran ▁through ▁the ▁city , ▁especially ▁through ▁the ▁con g ested ▁business ▁section , ▁and ▁K obe ▁contained ▁business ▁facilities ▁for ▁steel , ▁mach in ery , ▁rub ber , ▁railway