Friday 14 February 2020

Vindictive bombing

TV in the UK has rightly relayed the German commemoration of the destruction of Dresden by American and British bombers in the dying days of World War 2, 75 years ago. It was an unnecessary act of savagery. However, it should have been placed in context.  From 1941 onwards, the Luftwaffe had been directed to bomb British cities of cultural significance in what were termed the "Baedeker" raids. So the Allied urge for revenge was understandable, if not excusable.

In the relays from Dresden, it was left to the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, to point out that it was Germany who had started the war.

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