The biggest problem with dealing with the matter of the bombing of Germany is that it is judged against modern morals and standards of behaviour.
I am not in any way denying the fact that what happened in Dresden was horrific and appalling. I do deny that the men who undertook the mission have any crime to answer for.
The latest survey on how many died, done by a commission sponsored by the German Government found between 18 and 25,000 people died.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germ...
The bombing of an industrialised town from the air in an attempt to destroy its industry or cause such loss of morale amongst its inhabitants that they ceased to work was NOT a crime by the Rules of War in 1945. The bombing of Coventry, London and other British Cities in 1940 and 1941 was also NOT a War Crime.
In early 1945 the war was far from over. The Allies were still camped outside the borders of Germany, V2 rockets were still falling. The Allies had just fought the battle of the Bulge where the supposedly defeated Germans suddenly punched a huge hole in the Allied lines, German Rocket and Jet aircraft were coming off the production lines and proceeding to rip the hell out of the allied air fleets.
It was an operation undertaken due to many reasons.
1. A request from the Russians at the Yalta conference in February
1945. General Antonov "We want the Dresden railway junction bombed"
Meeting between the Chiefs of staff as reported by an interpreter. Records kept at the Public Records office in Kew
2. It was a German base of operations against Marshall Koniev`s left flank as he advanced into Germany. (See above)
Captured German High Command documents from Berlin in 1945 state that "Dresden is to be fortified as a military strong point, to be held at all costs." These statements are also backed up by decrypts from Ultra at Bletchley Park.
3. Munitions storage in the old Dresden Arsenal.
4. Troop reinforcement and transport centre shifting an average 28
troop trains through the marshaling yards every day. Intelligence from Russian and other sources stored in the Public Records office in Kew
5. Communications centre. Most of the telephone lines connecting
High Command to the Eastern front went through Dresden.
6. Quote from The Dresden Chamber of Commerce 1944. "The work rhythm of Dresden is determined by the needs of our army."
There were 127 factories in the Dresden Municipal area. The most
famous of these was Zeiss the celebrated camera and optics maker. In 1945 it was turning out Bomb aiming apparatus and Time fuses. (If you think the Dresden China Works making those lovely shepherdesses are more famous, they are actually made in Meisen 12Km down the River and always have been.)
A factory that previously made Typewriters and sewing machines was making Guns and ammunition
The Waffle and Marzipan machine manufacturer was producing torpedoes for the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe.
The Arts and Crafts workshops in the old town were using their woodworking skills to make the tail assemblies for V-1s.
Other factories were turning out such non warlike goods as Searchlights, Aircraft components, Field Telephones and 2 way radios.
"Anyone who knows Dresden only as a cultural city would be very surprised to be made aware of the extensive and versatile activity that make Dresden ONE OF THE FOREMOST INDUSTRIAL LOCATIONS OF THE REICH. (My Capitals)
Sir Arthur Harris? A Post war exponent of the bombing campaign?
Nope both wrong.
It comes from the Dresden City Council Yearbook of 1942.
The men who carried out these acts did so in the desire to make a world in which their descendants and countrymen, of whom I am one, could live in freedom from persecution and with a freedom to ask questions and form their own opinions. To those of you who feel it necessary to label them war criminals may I ask if you think that you could have asked a similar question under Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan?
Ray
988 miles
Max Uhle was born in Dresden (Germany) in 1856 of German parents.
The phone number of the Dresden Branch Library is: 740-754-1003.
The bombing of Dresden was not justifiable because it was not war manufacturing city or military installation. Millions of civilians were killed because General Harris of the Royal Army Air Force continued to insist the war could be won by carpet bombing Germany. He failed to understand the citizens of Germany had no input on the matter of surrender. Those people in Dresden died it vain. The historical architecture was destroyed for the silly notions of General Harris. He was not given the medals and citations he felt he and his aviators should have received. The British were furious at him for what he had done.
300 kilometres taking this route:Take A3, from Nuremberg, to the CZECH REPUBLIC, where the highway continues as the D5 motorway.Continue on D5 to PRAGUE.
Of course it was. It was a revenge for the Blitz 1940
Dresden is the capital of Saxony.
Dresden is located in Germany.
Germany
Siege of Dresden happened on 1760-07-22.
Battle of Dresden happened on 1813-08-27.
The country code and area code of Dresden, Germany is 49, (0)351.
290 miles
The flight distance from Tokyo, Japan to Dresden, Germany is: 5,622 miles / 9,048 km
Dresden - 1946 is rated/received certificates of: Germany:6
Dresden is located in Germany.
May Uprising in Dresden happened on 1849-05-03.