What bombers were used in Dresden?
On 5 January 1945, two North American B-25 Mitchell bombers dropped 300,000 leaflets over Dresden with the “Appeal of 50 German generals to the German army and people”.
Did Churchill ordered the bombing of Dresden?
To bomb Dresden, at request of the Soviets, was but one small part in a broad campaign. Churchill didn’t even order it. Yet there is no reason to suppose he would have reacted any differently than Attlee.
What percentage of Dresden was bombed?
A 1953 US report on the bombing concluded that the attack destroyed or severely damaged 23% of the city’s industrial buildings, and at least 50% of its residential buildings. But Dresden was “a legitimate military target”, the report said, and the attack was no different “from established bombing policies”.
Was Dresden right to bomb?
The bombing of Dresden was a historic benchmark that demonstrated the power of strategic bombing. Critics say that the military value of the bombing did not justify Dresden’s near destruction and that the city could have been spared, like Rome, Paris, and Kyōto.
Why did the bombing of Dresden happen?
Both Allies and Germans alike have argued over the real purpose of the firebombing; the ostensible “official” rationale was that Dresden was a major communications center and bombing it would hamper the German ability to convey messages to its army, which was battling Soviet forces at the time.
Why was the bombing of Dresden wrong?
The bombing was controversial because Dresden was neither important to German wartime production nor a major industrial center, and before the massive air raid of February 1945 it had not suffered a major Allied attack.
Why did the Allies bomb Dresden?
Why was Dresden a target?
Dresden was a key transport junction. To Churchill and his war cabinet, this made Dresden a strategic target. Bombing the city might halt the flow of German troops and speed the advance of the Soviet army into Germany. Bombing Dresden might help the Russian war effort.
Who won the battle of Dresden?
Battle of Dresden, (Aug. 26–27, 1813), Napoleon’s last major victory in Germany. It was fought on the outskirts of the Saxon capital of Dresden, between Napoleon’s 120,000 troops and 170,000 Austrians, Prussians, and Russians under Prince Karl Philipp Schwarzenberg.
Why was Dresden chosen as a target?