Allied Bombing Of Dresden Essay

This article examines the background of the Allied Bombing of Dresden. In 1945, the “Big Three” Allied leaders made up of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin decided to make a move to end the Nazis once and for all. During the final months of World War II, British bombers dropped many lethal and toxic bombs from February 13 to February 15. Dresden’s air defenses were easily subdued because Hitler had moved most of remaining forces to Berlin. However, the bombing was controversial due to the fact that Dresden didn’t contribute much to the war effort. Thousands of civilians and refugees were killed. Although the Allies say it was to prevent any communication that would hinder the Soviet

Dresden was a city that was untouched by the drastic effects of war until February 13, 1945. The city was left with the rubble of its once beautiful historic buildings and the deaths of thousands of civilians. Head of bomber command, Arthur Harris, states three reasons as to why Dresden was chosen for an attack by the Allies. One reason was the fact that Dresden was located in Nazi Germany. Therefore, it was a reasonable target since the Allies were at war against the Nazis. Another reason was that Dresden was not only a place of history, but also full of factories mass-producing weapons and supplies for the Nazis to fight against the Allies. Lastly, the bombing was to show and warn Russia that the Allies are not a force to be reckoned with because both Churchill and Roosevelt knew that Stalin would be a problem in the future. Between the devastating days from February 13 to February 15, there were three waves of attacks. This means that 3,000 tons of bombs were dropped on the city’s cultural structures and its