bombing of dresden

Question 1

events

Answer 1

in final months of WW2 British and American aircraft began carpet bombing German city of Dresden

incendiary bombs dropped - 40,000 tons

Question 2

when

Answer 2

13 February 1945 in final months of WW2

Question 3

impacts

Answer 3

25,000 died in air raids

many were women and children fleeing Soviet army’s advance into East

however Nazis had amplified these figures initially to provoke outrage and further resistance towards allies - 200,000 deaths

Question 4

was the bombing of dresden a war crime?

Answer 4

certain historian’s pov -

in those times both allied and axis powers perceived targeting of civilians as legitimate war strategy - eg Blitz previously

so in the context of 20th century WW2, dresden did not seem so

but if the same events were to occur now, most definitely and blatantly a violation of war principles

Question 5

why was dresden targeted

Answer 5

obviously there were sentiments of revenge, hatred

but dresden was also targeted for military reasons - particularly its position

red army was advancing towards berlin however germany not yet surrendered

dresden was garrison city - stationed with 20,000 troops

bombing dresden would allow russian troops to pass into berlin and coerce surrender

also dresden was supplying German troops in east

Question 6

how did Joseph Goebbels manipulate/amplify/instrumentalize the effects of the dresden bombing to rally outrage in public sentiment

Answer 6

Nazis had manipulated numbers/figures - 200,000 were killed however 25,000 in reality

pronounced Dresden was targeted because it housed innocent women refugees and children - and not targeted for military purposes (a lie)