Dresden Bombing Essay

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The Bombing of Dresden took place between 13 February and 14 February 1945 by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Air Force. Only twelve weeks after the bombing Nazi Germany, surrendered. This bombing of Dresden was one of the most brutal and most controversial bombings in World War II, because Dresden was a very charming cultural place of little or no military importance and the city was also known as the "Florence on the Elbe“. Recent research suggests that 35,000 were killed but some German sources have said that it was over 100,000 people who died in the heavy bombing. The bombing was tactically necessary from the Allied point of view. So why was Dresden chosen as a bombing target? Arthur Harris, head and commander of the Allied Bomber Command, which was responsible for all bombings off German cities, such as Hamburg Munich or Cologne. [Anderson.p.80] There are a number of reasons why Dresden was chosen as a bombing target so late in the war. First the city was in Nazi Germany and for this reason it was a possible target for bombing attacks. Dresden was not just a cultural and political center; also there were factories and places where the Wehrmacht was producing weapons and equipment for the Hitler’s idea of an “Endsieg” (military victory). Especially in the north of Dresden, this is known as the Albertstadt, were many war factories which produced more and new war technology. The city in east Germany had a very important geographical position and Dresden had also an central communications center. In February 1945, Dresden had at least 110 factories and this industrial activity was justifiable military target. [Anderson, p.80] Therefore, the city was a justifiable target to the Allied Bomber Commando. Dresden wan known as an important rail base and the city was one of the most important transportation centers of west-east railway

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