BOMBARDMENT  , an attack by

artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops in position or towns and buildings . In its strict sense the term is only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, &c., the object of the assailant being to dishearten his opponent, and specially to force the civil population and authorities of a besieged place to persuade the military commandant to capitulate before the actual defences of the place have been reduced to impotence . It is, therefore, obvious that mere bombardment can only achieve its object when the amount of suffering inflicted upon non-combatants is sufficient to break down their resolution, and when the commandant permits himself, to be influenced or coerced by the sufferers . A threat of bombardment will sometimes induce a place to surrender, but instances of its fulfilment being followed by success are rare; and, in general, with a determined commandant, bombardments fail of their object . Further, an intentionally terrific fire at a large target, unlike the slow, steady and minutely accurate " artillery attacks " directed upon the fortifications, requires the expenditure of large quantities of ammunition, and wears out the guns of the attack . Bombardments are, however, frequently resorted to in order to test the temper of the garrison and the civil population, a notable instance being that of Strassburg in 1870 . The term is often loosely employed to describe artillery attacks upon forts or fortified positions in preparation for assaults by infantry .