I know several Germans that are bitter that many Americans are ignorant of the firebombing of Dresden. I hope that this will help heal wounds.
Comment by a random John — October 31, 2005 @ 11:30 am
I think more Americans are familiar with the firebombing of Dresden than they are of the firebombing of Japan. The conventional bombing campaign against Japan was in most judgments far worse than the nuclear blasts that get all the press.
Really? I thought most people knew that Tokyo didn’t get an A-bomb dropped on it because it was already leveled by the conventional bombing. The atomic bombs being dropped on basically pristine cities in Japan highlighted the fact that most major cities were already gone.
Comment by a random John — October 31, 2005 @ 2:24 pm
Unfortunately, they decided against all logic and good sense to reconstruct everything historically except the organ, one of the most famous and historically important organs ever built.
For an interesting account of an unsuccessful effort to prevent this, see here
Nope. Most people I’ve talked to thought it was just the A-bombs that did in Japan. They didn’t realize how devastated the country already was. But a surprising number know about Dresden.
What can I say Clark? My experience is exactly the opposite of yours.
Comment by a random John — November 1, 2005 @ 12:19 pm
Interesting.
I’ll confess I didn’t know about Dresden until I read Slaughterhouse 5. But then I’ve heard Dresden brought up a lot in the press in discussions of nuclear ethics.
That’s the problem with anecdotal evidence. It’s hard to gauge much from it.
I was touring Dresden when I overheard an elderly American woman say to her husband that she thought the city looked rather new. He replied that that was because he and his buddies had bombed the sh!t out of the city.
Comment by Floyd the Wonderdog — November 11, 2005 @ 1:19 pm
Hey, your picture cut off the gold cross at the top, which was donated by the British as a proverbial olive leaf.
Comment by john fowles — October 31, 2005 @ 12:51 am
I know several Germans that are bitter that many Americans are ignorant of the firebombing of Dresden. I hope that this will help heal wounds.
Comment by a random John — October 31, 2005 @ 11:30 am
I think more Americans are familiar with the firebombing of Dresden than they are of the firebombing of Japan. The conventional bombing campaign against Japan was in most judgments far worse than the nuclear blasts that get all the press.
Comment by Clark Goble — October 31, 2005 @ 2:20 pm
Clark,
Really? I thought most people knew that Tokyo didn’t get an A-bomb dropped on it because it was already leveled by the conventional bombing. The atomic bombs being dropped on basically pristine cities in Japan highlighted the fact that most major cities were already gone.
Comment by a random John — October 31, 2005 @ 2:24 pm
Unfortunately, they decided against all logic and good sense to reconstruct everything historically except the organ, one of the most famous and historically important organs ever built.
For an interesting account of an unsuccessful effort to prevent this, see here
Comment by Bill — November 1, 2005 @ 3:37 am
Nope. Most people I’ve talked to thought it was just the A-bombs that did in Japan. They didn’t realize how devastated the country already was. But a surprising number know about Dresden.
Comment by Clark Goble — November 1, 2005 @ 12:12 pm
What can I say Clark? My experience is exactly the opposite of yours.
Comment by a random John — November 1, 2005 @ 12:19 pm
Interesting.
I’ll confess I didn’t know about Dresden until I read Slaughterhouse 5. But then I’ve heard Dresden brought up a lot in the press in discussions of nuclear ethics.
That’s the problem with anecdotal evidence. It’s hard to gauge much from it.
Comment by Clark Goble — November 1, 2005 @ 1:27 pm
I was touring Dresden when I overheard an elderly American woman say to her husband that she thought the city looked rather new. He replied that that was because he and his buddies had bombed the sh!t out of the city.
Comment by Floyd the Wonderdog — November 11, 2005 @ 1:19 pm