E
edwest2
Guest
In-depth research is required to answer this question, As a long-time, amateur, World War II aviation historian, here is my perspective based on what facts have been released. It was quite late in the war when this occurred. Dresden did have some militarily valuable targets, but it was also a place chosen by many refugees. A desire for revenge by the British for V-1 and V-2 attacks was also a factor. To create a firestorm like this requires certain weather conditions, and there is evidence that the British and Americans were aware of this. It is unclear if the date for the bombing was chosen because local weather conditions were right or by coincidence.
However, bombing accuracy was still relatively poor and German flak quite effective. So the idea of attacking Dresden like this with carpet bombing is not really an accurate way to look at it. At best, a mixture of explosive and incendiary bombs were used, if not mostly the incendiary type. Bombs that cause explosions cause much fewer fires unless they hit a fuel depot or ammunition storage area.
To give you an example: German factories often had fake outer walls that could take the concussion effects of a bomb exploding nearby. These walls were usually not repaired so that when Allied reconnaissance aircraft took photos after the bombing to assess damage, those examining the photos would conclude that the factory sustained major to severe damage. The other problem Allied planners had in early 1945 was that much of German manufacturing and assembly had moved underground or relocated to remote locations. V-2 rocket assembly was hidden under a mountain.
I think this could be classified as a war crime. After bombing the majority of the area and perhaps hitting a few military targets, the Allies had the luxury of returning again and again, without having to use incendiaries. The refugees would have either fled or some may have stayed.
This compared with the bombing of the Ploesti oil fields. The oil storage tanks were surrounded by concrete walls, and a lack of precision bombing from high altitude meant Allied bombers had to fly low, making them easier targets for the German flak defending the area. This is not just a hindsight issue, because military planners at the time would talk to scientists and engineers about what it would take to destroy a particular type of target.
Peace,
Ed
However, bombing accuracy was still relatively poor and German flak quite effective. So the idea of attacking Dresden like this with carpet bombing is not really an accurate way to look at it. At best, a mixture of explosive and incendiary bombs were used, if not mostly the incendiary type. Bombs that cause explosions cause much fewer fires unless they hit a fuel depot or ammunition storage area.
To give you an example: German factories often had fake outer walls that could take the concussion effects of a bomb exploding nearby. These walls were usually not repaired so that when Allied reconnaissance aircraft took photos after the bombing to assess damage, those examining the photos would conclude that the factory sustained major to severe damage. The other problem Allied planners had in early 1945 was that much of German manufacturing and assembly had moved underground or relocated to remote locations. V-2 rocket assembly was hidden under a mountain.
I think this could be classified as a war crime. After bombing the majority of the area and perhaps hitting a few military targets, the Allies had the luxury of returning again and again, without having to use incendiaries. The refugees would have either fled or some may have stayed.
This compared with the bombing of the Ploesti oil fields. The oil storage tanks were surrounded by concrete walls, and a lack of precision bombing from high altitude meant Allied bombers had to fly low, making them easier targets for the German flak defending the area. This is not just a hindsight issue, because military planners at the time would talk to scientists and engineers about what it would take to destroy a particular type of target.
Peace,
Ed