General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why are drone strikes any different than the bombing of Dresden? [View all]rdharma
(6,057 posts)Yes, but cities of strategic military value. Dresden was of no strategic value at the time it was firebombed. It was a terror bombing to demoralize the Germans and show the Soviets what Bomber Command was capable of.
Der Spiegel article is pretty close to the actual number of those killed. I think an accurate estimate would be between 25,000 - 30,000 killed. The German authorities originally estimated 35,000 killed. But many people originally reported missing, showed up later.
No. I don't believe David Irving's BS. He's not a historian, he's a fuggin' NAZI looney tunes propagandist.
Having said that, I also don't believe those who try to justify "Bomber Harris'" murderous action.
Guess who said this.......
"It seems to me that the moment has come when the question of bombing of German cities simply for the sake of increasing the terror, should be reviewed. Otherwise we shall come into control of an utterly ruined land. We shall not, for instance, be able to get housing material out of Germany for our own needs because some temporary provision would have to be made for the Germans themselves. I feel the need for more precise concentration upon military objectives, such as oil and communications behind the immediate battle-zone, rather than on mere acts of terror and wanton destruction."