The bombing of Dresden in 1945 by the USAF and RAF destroyed 90% of the city center, killing an estimated 40,000 people. The bombing was controversial, with some arguing it was a war crime, while others believed it was justified as a military target. The bombing was part of a larger shift in WWII towards targeting civilians. Reconstruction efforts have occurred in Dresden and throughout Germany.
The bombing of Dresden was a series of joint bombing raids by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Royal Air Force (RAF) conducted against the German city of Dresden in 1945. By the end of the bombing, the city of Dresden had been badly damaged, with an estimated 90% of the city center completely destroyed in the bombing of Dresden. The events of the bombing of Dresden have long been considered controversial in some quarters, with some people believing that the bombing was not justified, and others going so far as to call it a war crime.
It’s important to see the bombing of Dresden in context. The four raids took place in mid-February 1945, when German defeat seemed likely, but not necessarily inevitable. Some military leaders have suggested that undermining the morale of the German people and military could hasten the end of the war, thereby reducing casualties on all sides. The evidence seems to suggest that several leaders also specifically advocated the use of devastating bombing, such as that which repeatedly damaged London during the war, as a political and military tool.
According to the USAF and RAF, Dresden was a viable military target. Military intelligence suggested that Dresden was being used to produce war-related materials, so military leaders argued that the bombing of Dresden would deal a major blow to the German military machine. However, opponents of the bombing of Dresden have since argued that Dresden was deliberately targeted because of its role as a cultural hotspot, suggesting that the city’s involvement in military production was minimal.
Several independent investigations into the bombing of Dresden have been conducted, in an attempt to determine whether or not the bombing was justified, and the results have varied. Justified or not, 3,900 tons of explosives were dropped on Dresden between February 13 and 15, 1945, igniting a massive firestorm that engulfed the city. An estimated 40,000 people were killed in the bombing, including prisoners of war held in Dresden and innocent civilians. Survivors of the bombing of Dresden described a hellish scene and pictures of Dresden shortly after the bombing support this testimony.
Numerous cultural landmarks were destroyed in the bombing of Dresden, and in the years since, both the United States and Britain have worked to help restore or rebuild these landmarks. These reconstruction efforts have occurred throughout Germany as the Allies attempt to re-establish diplomatic relations with the German people, helping Germany recover from World War II in the process.
The bombing of Dresden was far from the only controversial bombing in World War II. The events of World War II marked a major shift in the way governments waged war, as different warring parties specifically targeted civilians to sow fear and dissent. As information about WWII is slowly declassified, more information about events like the bombing of Dresden may emerge, allowing people to see a fuller picture.
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