Spiegel Interview: The Logic Behind the Destruction of Dresden (Frederick Taylor)
For years, the anniversary of the World War II bombing of Dresden has been a rallying point for neo-Nazis eager to accuse the Allies of war crimes. But, British historian Frederick Taylor explains, there was a clear military rationale behind the attack.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Every year, thousands of peole show up to the demonstrations marking the anniversary of the Feb. 13, 1945 Allied destruction of Dresden. But it wasn't the only German city obliterated by Allied bombs. Indeed, the death toll from the July 27, 1943 bombing of Hamburg was likely even higher. Why is more attention paid to Dresden?
Frederick Taylor: Dresden was undoubtedly a particularly fine city, a tourist center well known to Germans and foreigners alike as a place where the arts flourished amidst architecturally distinguished surroundings. This gave rise to the myth that it was of no military or industrial importance. The high civilian death toll -- though current estimates of 25,000 are not as high as once thought -- also plays a role. Hamburg could never be seen as being of no military importance. Dresden, plausibly -- though not really accurately -- could be.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Many claim that Allied bombers were only interested in killing as many civilians as possible. Recently, though, new studies have revised downward the number of civilians thought to have been killed in the bombing of Dresden. Do you feel that your version of events has now been confirmed?
Taylor: Such statements are often based on memoranda written by the British Air Marshal Charles Portal, Chief of the Air Staff. In the first, Portal argued for a new rationale, based on a hugely increased bomber force, which would carry out not just precision bombing but also indiscriminate "area bombing" by night of all German cities with populations exceeding 100,000. Portal thought that the resulting damage to the German war effort and civilian morale would lead to victory within six months. A second memorandum a year later made a similar argument.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: That sounds like a rather cynical approach to the fighting of the war.
Taylor: Portal's reports state these things as facts that would result from attacks on such a massive scale -- desirable only in as far as they aided victory over Germany -- rather than things in which he took some kind of personal satisfaction. It should also be noted that by late 1944 Portal had changed his mind, and unsuccessfully tried to persuade Royal Air Force Marshal Arthur"Bomber" Harris, to scale down attacks on German cities. I remain unconvinced that maximizing civilian casualties -- rather than winning the war by whatever means necessary -- was their chief objective...
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SPIEGEL ONLINE: Every year, thousands of peole show up to the demonstrations marking the anniversary of the Feb. 13, 1945 Allied destruction of Dresden. But it wasn't the only German city obliterated by Allied bombs. Indeed, the death toll from the July 27, 1943 bombing of Hamburg was likely even higher. Why is more attention paid to Dresden?
Frederick Taylor: Dresden was undoubtedly a particularly fine city, a tourist center well known to Germans and foreigners alike as a place where the arts flourished amidst architecturally distinguished surroundings. This gave rise to the myth that it was of no military or industrial importance. The high civilian death toll -- though current estimates of 25,000 are not as high as once thought -- also plays a role. Hamburg could never be seen as being of no military importance. Dresden, plausibly -- though not really accurately -- could be.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Many claim that Allied bombers were only interested in killing as many civilians as possible. Recently, though, new studies have revised downward the number of civilians thought to have been killed in the bombing of Dresden. Do you feel that your version of events has now been confirmed?
Taylor: Such statements are often based on memoranda written by the British Air Marshal Charles Portal, Chief of the Air Staff. In the first, Portal argued for a new rationale, based on a hugely increased bomber force, which would carry out not just precision bombing but also indiscriminate "area bombing" by night of all German cities with populations exceeding 100,000. Portal thought that the resulting damage to the German war effort and civilian morale would lead to victory within six months. A second memorandum a year later made a similar argument.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: That sounds like a rather cynical approach to the fighting of the war.
Taylor: Portal's reports state these things as facts that would result from attacks on such a massive scale -- desirable only in as far as they aided victory over Germany -- rather than things in which he took some kind of personal satisfaction. It should also be noted that by late 1944 Portal had changed his mind, and unsuccessfully tried to persuade Royal Air Force Marshal Arthur"Bomber" Harris, to scale down attacks on German cities. I remain unconvinced that maximizing civilian casualties -- rather than winning the war by whatever means necessary -- was their chief objective...