Initiated as part of Operation Argument, the 'Big Week' was a series of heavy bombing raids conducted by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) against German aircraft manufacturing centers. This operation began with massive assaults on key industrial targets, particularly in Stuttgart and Augsburg, which were vital for German air force production. The raids aimed to cripple the Luftwaffe's capabilities and were critical in the larger strategy of establishing air dominance over Europe ahead of the planned D-Day invasion. The sustained attacks utilized advanced bombing tactics and were supported by fighter escorts to protect the bombers from enemy aircraft.

From February 20 to February 26, 1944, thousands of bombers engaged in coordinated strikes, dropping thousands of tons of bombs on Axis manufacturing plants. The unprecedented scale of these attacks marked a significant escalation in the air war over Europe. American forces faced fierce resistance, but the destruction wrought upon Germany's aircraft industry was substantial, resulting in the loss of production facilities and delaying the deployment of new aircraft. This campaign also underscored the importance of precision bombing in the Allied strategy and the central role of the USAAF in the overall war effort.

The 'Big Week' affirmed the reliance on industrial targets to impair the enemy's military capabilities and demonstrated the efficacy of coordinated air raids. It also reflected the growing importance of air power in 20th-century warfare. As German aircraft production was diminished, the events set the stage for the eventual Allied air superiority that would facilitate land operations in Europe. The initiative not only inflected immediate damage but also had lasting effects on air strategy in the subsequent years of conflict.