On September 8, 1944, the first V2 rocket strike hit London during World War II. The V2 was the worlds first long-range guided ballistic missile, developed by Nazi Germany. The strike resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians and marked a new phase in the war, with the introduction of rockets as weapons of mass destruction. Over the course of the war, thousands of V2 rockets were launched at British and Allied targets, causing significant damage and civilian casualties. The V2 campaign had long-lasting effects on military technology and missile development.