The bombing of Tokyo (Operation Meetinghouse) during the night of March 9-10; 1945; was the single deadliest air raid in history with a greater area of fire damage and loss of life than the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima or Nagasaki as single events.1945. The key development for the bombing of Japan was the燘-29 Superfortress爏trategic bomber; which had an operational range of 3;250 nautical miles (3;740爉i; 6;020爇m) and was capable of attacking at high altitude above 30;000 feet (9;100爉) where enemy defenses were very weak. Emperor燞irohito's tour of the destroyed areas of Tokyo in March 1945 was the beginning of his personal involvement in the peace process; culminating in燡apan's surrender爏ix months later. Japan.