The Bombing Of Dresden

On the 13^th February 1945, the allies decided to realize a bombing to the city of Dresden (Germany). That day a number of 773 Avro Lancaster (England bombers of the RAF) bombed Dresden. During the next two days the USAAF (United States Army Force) sent over 527 heavy bombers to follow up the RAF (Royal Air Force) attack. Dresden was nearly totally destroyed. As a result of the firestorm it was afterwards impossible to count the number of victims.

The real reasons to justify that operation are difficult to assimilate. The city of Dresden didn’t have military forces or military factories. Also, this city didn’t constitute any obstacle to the ally advance.

By February 1945, Dresden was filled with refugees – people moving from east to west in an attempt to escape the advancing Red Army. In addition, in Dresden, there were more than 26.000 ally prisoners.

Historically, Dresden had been northern Germany’s cultural centre, a city filled with museums and historic buildings.

As the Russians advanced to Berlin from the east and the Allies from the west, why was Dresden bombed when it did appear that the war would be ended in the near future?

The truly reason is that allied forces had promised to Stalin the destruction of Dresden, not only as a sing of solidarity with soviets but also as exhibition of the enormous power of the allied forces.

In spite of it was difficult to count the number of victims, recent research suggests that 35,000 were killed, but some German sources have argued that it was over 100,000. If German sources are true that would be more people that people who died in Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

Bibliography:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/bombing_of_dresden.htm

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWdresden.htm

http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/civilis/vdomestica/dresden.html

http://www.generalisimofranco.com/OPINION/117.htm