only way to defeat the Nazis was to destroy Germany’s
ability to wage war. What would have been unethical was
losing the war, a very real possibility in the first two years,
or suffering the large-scale massacres of Allied soldiers
such as happened in 1914–1918. The United Kingdom,
for example, lost three times as many soldiers in the first
war as it did in the second. The Allied Strategic Bombing
Offensive therefore proceeded and, in so doing, achieved
its primary objectives of saving the lives of hundreds of
thousands of Allied soldiers by shortening the war.
Dresden was bombed on 13–15 February 1945 by 769
British and 527 American heavy bombers. City officials
telegraphed Berlin that about 20,000 were killed. Joseph
Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry simply added a zero to
make this figure 200,000. The Nazis correctly noted that
Dresden was an historic, medieval town but also falsely
claimed that it was of no military value. In fact, it was a
major industrial, communications, and railway centre
with about 50,000 workers in war-related factories. Many
people still believe both Nazi lies today. In response to an
Associated Press report on 17 February 1945 speculating
terror bombing, US Army Chief General George C. Mar-
shall stated that Dresden was bombed at the request of
the Russians.^5 That put an end to Dresden as an American
controversy, but Churchill’s silence led to the bombing
becoming an ongoing Commonwealth controversy.Roy Jenkins states in his biography of Churchill that
the Prime Minister’s decision in late January 1945 to in-
tensify area bombing was founded on Churchill’s belief
that this would decisively shorten the war.^6 Britain want-
ed this war to end, and so did America. Through its “Ger-
many First” policy, America had two-thirds of its fighting
force in Europe and only one-third fighting Japan. With
Germany seemingly finished, Americans were becoming
anxious to transfer their forces to the Pacific. In addition,
relations with Stalin were deteriorating. From all this,
German leaders had reason to believe that if their armies
could dig into fixed positions in Northern Europe as they
had already done in Italy, they could conduct a defensive
war long enough to force the western Allies into a nego-
tiated peace. The Strategic Bombing Offensive’s escala-
tion, however, destroyed Germany’s means to continue
making war and forced the surrender of more than three
million soldiers who were no longer equipped to fight.
On 28 March 1945, presumably to distance himself
politically from Bomber Command, Churchill signaled
General Ismay: “It seems to me that the moment has
come when the question of bombing of German cities
simply for the sake of increasing the terror, though under
other pretexts, should be reviewed.... [and] acts of terror
and wanton destruction...” should now cease.^7 This im-
plied terror bombing was taking place.BOMBER COMMANDonly way to defeat the Nazis was to destroyGermany’s
ability to wage war. What would have been unethicalwas
losing the war, a very real possibility in the firsttwoyears,
or suffering the large-scale massacres of Allied soldiers
such as happened in 1914–1918. The UnitedKingdom,
for example, lost three times as many soldiersinthefirst
war as it did in the second. The Allied StrategicBombing
Offensive therefore proceeded and, in so doing,achieved
its primary objectives of saving the lives ofhundredsof
thousandsofAlliedsoldiersbyshorteningthewar.
Dresden was bombed on 13–15 February 1945 by 769
British and 527 American heavy bombers. Cityofficials
telegraphed Berlin that about 20,000 were killed.Joseph
Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry simply addeda zeroto
make this figure 200,000. The Nazis correctlynotedthat
Dresden was an historic, medieval town butalsofalsely
claimed that it was of no military value. In fact,itwasa
major industrial, communications, and railway centre
with about 50,000 workers in war-related factories.Many
people still believe both Nazi lies today. In responsetoan
Associated Press report on 17 February 1945speculating
terror bombing, US Army Chief General GeorgeC.Mar-
shall stated that Dresden was bombed at therequestof
the Russians.^5 That put an end to Dresden as anAmerican
controversy, but Churchill’s silence led to thebombing
becoming an ongoing Commonwealth controversy.
RoyJenkinsstatesinhisbiographyofChurchillthat
thePrimeMinister’sdecisioninlateJanuary 1945 toin-
tensifyarea bombingwasfoundedonChurchill’sbelief
thatthiswoulddecisivelyshortenthewar.^6 Britainwant-
edthiswartoend,andsodidAmerica.Throughits“Ger-
manyFirst”policy,Americahadtwo-thirdsofitsfighting
forceinEuropeandonlyone-thirdfightingJapan.With
Germanyseeminglyfinished,Americanswerebecoming
anxioustotransfertheirforcestothePacific.Inaddition,
relations with Stalin were deteriorating. From all this,
Germanleadershadreasontobelievethatif theirarmies
coulddigintofixedpositionsinNorthernEuropeasthey
hadalreadydoneinItaly,theycouldconducta defensive
warlongenoughtoforcethewesternAlliesintoa nego-
tiatedpeace. TheStrategicBombing Offensive’sescala-
tion,however,destroyedGermany’smeanstocontinue
makingwarandforcedthesurrenderofmorethanthree
millionsoldierswhowerenolongerequippedtofight.
On 28 March 1945, presumably to distance himself
politically from Bomber Command, Churchill signaled
General Ismay: “It seems to me that the moment has
come when the question of bombing of German cities
simply for the sake of increasing the terror, though under
other pretexts, should be reviewed.... [and] acts of terror
and wanton destruction...” should now cease.^7 This im-
plied terror bombing was taking place.BOMBER COMMAND