February 19, 1945 - Dresden Repercussions
From the Operations Record Book:
The Squadron was again stood down from operations and the day devoted to flying training similar to that done yesterday except that the total flying training hours almost compared with that of an OTU. [Operational Training Unit]
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Six days earlier, the Harris Crew experienced their first live operation on a raid to Dresden. it is estimated 2,600 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped on the city, creating an immense firestorm. Many years later, in March 2006, Hicks described a recent experience related to the bombing of Dresden in the Ex Air Gunners ‘Short Bursts’ newsletter:
My nephew, who lives in Orillia, owns a couple of aeroplanes… so I was invited to fly with him on a float plane to Oshkosh last summer.
One of the seminars presented at Oshkosh was by an Englishman [Frederick Taylor] who is writing a book about the bombing of Dresden. I attended this seminar which included over a 100 people. When the talk was done, a member of the audience stated he was on the ground at the time and witnessed over 50,000 dead. He also stated that the U.S. Air Force came the next day and strafed the survivors. He was quite put out to say the least and with his German accent I thought better of telling him I was there.
Television is now an important part of our daily life. Programming is all encompassing and there is always some form of programming that satisfies our needs. Today, a new channel, called the ‘History Channel’ provides us with interesting insights to past events. As a part of the history channel a series called, World War II Military Blunders is currently showing.
A recent episode dealt with the bombing of the German city, Dresden. This was considered by the producers of the series to be a classic blunder. The episode was very controversial. There are two schools of thought on the bombing of Dresden. A major portion of this program dealt with the pros and cons. It seemed to me that the side in opposition of this bombing raid were more ably represented, if I was scoring I think their argument against the bombing was more persuasive. Interviews were conducted, with the two sides to this story ably represented.
In the late stages of World War II, the city of Dresden was attacked with great force by Bomber Command of the RAF. There were some 796 Lancaster, four engine heavy bombers on the initial raid. They attacked in two waves with 244 Lancasters in the first wave. This attack was followed up the next two days by the 8th U.S. Air Force. Because of the intense bombing of this city, a firestorm developed and estimates range from 60,000 to over a 100,000 inhabitants being killed. Due to the fact that this city had not been bombed it became a haven for many refugees fleeing the advancing Russian Army.
Up to this point in the war, Dresden had been spared from any bombing raids. Dresden was an old, quaint city, to this point had never been considered a military target. Again as the war wound down another look was taken at the Bomber Command priorities. There was considerable pressure from our Allies, the Russians, to show some form of solidarity and to help the Russian effort to invade the German Empire. As the show progressed, both sides used very persuasive arguments as to the military importance of this bombing raid on Dresden.
The program was very descriptive of the events and when it concluded, I personally sided with that faction that advocated the bombing of Dresden.
Six days earlier, the Harris Crew experienced their first live operation on a raid to Dresden. it is estimated 2,600 tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped on the city, creating an immense firestorm. Many years later, in March 2006, Hicks described a recent experience related to the bombing of Dresden in the Ex Air Gunners ‘Short Bursts’ newsletter:
My nephew, who lives in Orillia, owns a couple of aeroplanes… so I was invited to fly with him on a float plane to Oshkosh last summer.
Television is now an important part of our daily life. Programming is all encompassing and there is always some form of programming that satisfies our needs. Today, a new channel, called the ‘History Channel’ provides us with interesting insights to past events. As a part of the history channel a series called, World War II Military Blunders is currently showing.
A recent episode dealt with the bombing of the German city, Dresden. This was considered by the producers of the series to be a classic blunder. The episode was very controversial. There are two schools of thought on the bombing of Dresden. A major portion of this program dealt with the pros and cons. It seemed to me that the side in opposition of this bombing raid were more ably represented, if I was scoring I think their argument against the bombing was more persuasive. Interviews were conducted, with the two sides to this story ably represented.
In the late stages of World War II, the city of Dresden was attacked with great force by Bomber Command of the RAF. There were some 796 Lancaster, four engine heavy bombers on the initial raid. They attacked in two waves with 244 Lancasters in the first wave. This attack was followed up the next two days by the 8th U.S. Air Force. Because of the intense bombing of this city, a firestorm developed and estimates range from 60,000 to over a 100,000 inhabitants being killed. Due to the fact that this city had not been bombed it became a haven for many refugees fleeing the advancing Russian Army.
Up to this point in the war, Dresden had been spared from any bombing raids. Dresden was an old, quaint city, to this point had never been considered a military target. Again as the war wound down another look was taken at the Bomber Command priorities. There was considerable pressure from our Allies, the Russians, to show some form of solidarity and to help the Russian effort to invade the German Empire. As the show progressed, both sides used very persuasive arguments as to the military importance of this bombing raid on Dresden.
The program was very descriptive of the events and when it concluded, I personally sided with that faction that advocated the bombing of Dresden.
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