History Churchill and His Rise to Power

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Was Churchill justified in using the strategic bom • Russia had been pushing for a seconf front in Europe which would involve an amphibious landing. Churchill had had several disasters with amphibious landings (Gallipoli/ Narvick) and knowing it was an area of weakness leant towards the bombing campaign • Churchill understood that an amphbious landing could potentially result in the loss of thousands of British lives (lack of resources and weak army) and using the bombing campaign instead would "deal" with Germany quickly without the loss of as many British lives. • In the context of the time, Btisain has been bombed by Germany and many had suffered. Many people in the general public probably fely Germany deserved to be bombed after the destruction of towns like Conventry and areas of London. • Was a way of loweing morale and hindering German progression in the war, targeting their resources and factories. • There was some great success: 1943 Hamburg and Rhur had a serious impact on German war productin and took vital planes away from the Russian Front. • Was a major factor in German defeat. - Was Churchill justified in using the strategic bom 2 of 20 1 of 20 • Churchill felt uneasy about the bombing campiagn • The ruthless policy of total war had moral implications- Churchill could be seen as a war criminal. • Half a million Germans lost their lives in the bombing, way more civillian lives than were lost in Britain during the Blitz. • Huge numbers of bombs 955,044 dropped. • There was a cost to British lives too, 55,000 members of Bomber Command were killed in action. • 1945- Dresden 44,000 died • The destruction of Dresden as a mjor cultural centre and its heavy casualities so late in the war made it a controversial decision. In context, there were so many German cities destroyed by that point, perhaps bombing Dresden had little strategic significance. • The
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