15 juli 2007

Raid on Dresden



A part of a documentary i made a reconstruction of the bombing of this German city.
It is widely considered that the bombing of Dresden was excessive or at the very least regrettable. There is less support for the view that the bombing was a war crime Those who support this view often refer to the cultural significance of Dresden, a factor expressly included in the Hague Conventions Others state simply that such a large-scale direct assault of civilians constitutes a crime against humanity.
Public declarations in support began shortly after the nature and scale of the attack became known. Before the bombing, Dresden was regarded as a beautiful city and a cultural centre, and was sometimes known as Florence on the Elbe. Its notable architecture included the Zwinger Palace, the Dresden State Opera House, and the Dresden Frauenkirche, its historic cathedral. Before the war, the city's main industries had been the production of porcelain, cups and saucers, and tobacco products. British historian Anthony Beevor wrote that Dresden was considered relatively safe, having been spared previous RAF night attacks, and that at the time of the raids there were up to 300,000 refugees in the city.
The absence of a direct military presence in the centre of the city, and the devastation known to be caused by firebombing, is regarded by supporters of the war crime position as establishing their case, They contend that these points are sufficient in themselves, without considering the absence of military necessity, the civilian death toll, and Dresden's cultural significance.

Warning: contains some shocking pictures


 

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