Video: Dresden Firestorm 1945

[ErisKillton]

http://www.apacheclips.com/boards/vbtube/upload/thumb_link/1903_4402.jpg (http://www.apacheclips.com/boards/vbtube_show.php?tubeid=848) The bombing of Dresden in February 1945 has remained one of the more controversial aspects of World War Two. Dresden, a city unaffected by bombing up to that point in the war, lost many thousands of civilians in the firestorm that was created by the Allies. As the Russians advanced to Berlin from the east and the Allies from the west, why was Dresden bombed when it did appear that the war would be ended in the near future? Dresden had been northern Germany's cultural centre -- a city filled with museums and historic buildings. The Zwinger Museum and Palace and the Frauenkirche Cathedral were world famous buildings. From 1939 to the end of 1944, the city had been spared the bombing raids that the Allies had launched on Nazi Germany. By February 1945, the city was filled with refugees -- people moving from east to west in an attempt to escape the advancing Red Army. The Nazi propaganda machine had filled the minds of the Germans with horror stories of what to expect if the Red Army got to Germany. Thousands now fled from this army as it relentlessly advanced to Berlin. No-one knows how many people were in Dresden when the city was bombed. Officially, the city's population was 350,000, but with the number of refugees there, it would have been a lot higher than this. Between February 13th and February 14th 1945, between 35,000 and 135,000 people were killed by Allied bombing in Dresden. Historians still argue over the number of deaths. However, there were so many refugees in the city at the time that the real figure will almost certainly never be known. In all, over three waves of attacks, 3,300 tons of bombs were dropped on the city. Many of the bombs that were dropped were incendiary bombs. These created so much fire that a firestorm developed. The more the city burned, the more oxygen was sucked in -- and the greater the firestorm became. It is thought that the temperature peaked at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The surface of roads melted and fleeing people found that their feet were burned as they ran. Some jumped into reservoirs built in the city centre to assist firefighters. However, these were ten feet deep, smooth-sided and had no ladders - many drowned. Very few of those in the city centre survived.http://www.apacheclips.com/boards/vbtube/images/play_thread.png (http://www.apacheclips.com/boards/vbtube_show.php?tubeid=848)

[BrendenF11]

Had to have been hell on earth while it burned. WW2 is the last war that the west will see total war on a conventional scale. The next total war will be nuclear, biological, or chemical (or emp which will result in almost the same thing), and it will make this look like a walk in the park.

[coltsfan2007]

Table of the air raids on Dresden by the Allies during World War II.[3]
Date Target area Force Aircraft High explosive
bombs on target
(tons) Incendiary
bombs on target
(tons) Total tonnage
7 October 1944 Marshalling Yards 8th AF 30 72.5 — 72.5
16 January 1945 Marshalling Yards 8th AF 133 279.8 41.6 321.4
14 February 1945 City Area RAF BC 772 1477.7 1181.6 2659.3
14 February 1945 Marshalling Yards 8th AF 316 487.7 294.3 782
15 February 1945 Marshalling Yards 8th AF 211 465.6 — 465.6
2 March 1945 Marshalling Yards 8th AF 406 940.3 140.5 1080.8
17 April 1945 Marshalling Yards 8th AF 572 1526.4 164.5 1690.9
17 April 1945 Industrial Area 8th AF 8 28.0 — 28
Unfortunately, war is hell. The way I see it, is that we had to go to extremes to make these Nazi extremist realize we are tired of losing our young men in this war and that we will take it a step further if necessary. It was no different then when we nuked Japan, twice, there was a point that needed to be proven. It is sad when war comes to this, but it is also necessary sometimes. - Thanks for the post ErisKillton

[bu187]

i lived there for a year... back in 95

[Sixx]

Awesome work Eris!!

[Clodius]

They voted for it in '33, they subsequently "reaped the whirlwind". Nationalism gone awry deserves the punishment of total war. At this stage of the war most major municipalities had been targeted, why would you expect anything different by sheltering in one that had not yet been targeted?

[bgbllbffr]

Very sad. Waris hell..Great post

[Checker]

One of the first times the music didnt bother me

[serpa6]

A terrible tragedy, should have never been done I see German soldiers amongest the people, putting them in trucks to be buried. Is that the reason, could be.
But I also found this about this subject. Still with this explanation it should have never been carried out. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWdresden.htm

[16BNRWAR]

Germany learnt the hard way the lesson of vengeance. But will man learn the lesson of its own course for destruction? I think not.

[kwadrat005]

For one brief moment, Nazis knew how Warsaw felt ...

[proteus2]

"..and even now part of me flies, over Dresden at angels one-five..." - R Waters

One sidenote if I may :

- Most of the victims died of aspyxiation due to the firestorm

- The debris of the storm reached the flightpath of the bombers and crews complained about the stench permeating the non insulated bombers-others reported charred human bones entering the openings of the airplanes and knocking on the fuselage.One commander reportrd that he had written his report without in the glowing embers of the fires..

Impressive post miss

P2