Raid on Dresden
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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
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
- Addeddate
- 2006-03-16 13:00:52
- Color
- color
- Identifier
- Antonwithagen-RaidOnDresden550
- Sound
- sound
comment
Reviews
Reviewer:
tacolizard
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June 28, 2023
Subject: observation on bombing
Subject: observation on bombing
While civilian casualties are regrettable in enlightened cultures, bombing in World War 2 was not as yet a precise science. Was Dresden a legitimate target? Was Tokyo when fire bombed or London when rocketed? I have read Dresden was a major rail road hub thus it is a legitimate military objective despite the over zealous leveling of the city. But was bombing a city to rubble any less draconian than sacking and burning one as has been done for centuries? This is complaining about violence in football after the two minute warning at the end of the 4th quarter.
Reviewer:
history95
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favoritefavorite -
April 10, 2018
Subject: Raid on Dresden or Hypocrisy in Action
Subject: Raid on Dresden or Hypocrisy in Action
Weren't poison gas and crematoria also outlawed by the Hague Convention? And how about medical experiments on prisoners, including CHILDREN?without ether? Did you notice all the corpses piled together as if they were wood or coal? Oddly enough that's what we, the Brits and Russians discovered as camps were liberated one by one. Nazis cared nothing about the dignity of life; the same Nazis elected in '32 to the majority of Reichstag seats and yet hypocrits yell "FOUL" as the burned up Desdeners were laid out on streets after a raid had ended. What hypocrisy by those who hate as did the Nazis. The populace got what was due them. HORROR.
Reviewer:
migre
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 19, 2012
Subject: It's on the right track but needs more info...
Subject: It's on the right track but needs more info...
I downloaded both mp4 and Quiktime versions & have to say that the picture quality is lacking but its watchable. Don't bother fullscreening this one.
The first two caption cards appear for about 2sec
and thats not enough time to read. I actually had to go back and stop it with the pause button....not that its a problem but I'd like to be warned first.
Settting this aside, this doc does serve a useful purpose as Dresden became a giant oven with people inside on that tragic night, though the rest of the world seemed to "look the other way" and others even applauded the tragedy.
With all this in mind, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars
but if Dresden wasn't the subject, it would get 3 for poor picture quality, bad editing, and lack of info.
The first two caption cards appear for about 2sec
and thats not enough time to read. I actually had to go back and stop it with the pause button....not that its a problem but I'd like to be warned first.
Settting this aside, this doc does serve a useful purpose as Dresden became a giant oven with people inside on that tragic night, though the rest of the world seemed to "look the other way" and others even applauded the tragedy.
With all this in mind, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars
but if Dresden wasn't the subject, it would get 3 for poor picture quality, bad editing, and lack of info.
Reviewer:
Andreas Meyer
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 19, 2012
Subject: The Dresden Atrocity
Subject: The Dresden Atrocity
If the bombing of Dresden wasn't a war crime, what was? There wasn't really any military purpose for doing that. The fighting took place at other places. It was done out of poor lust for murdering civilians and reveals something about the true character of the Allies. No wonder they had to make up such hilarious propaganda lies against the Germans afterwards. Implicitly this is even acknowledged by the German lackeys of the Allies. That's why the initiated a report to downplay the number of victims resulting from the bombing of Dresden.
Reviewer:
Wallbight
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favorite -
January 4, 2011
Subject: Raid on Dresden
Subject: Raid on Dresden
somebody wants to get noticed. no more no less.
the vid is old stuff and undocumented, as is the producer. the greater good was upheld. the bags of provender were left for the horses. WW-II was a calamity, but in retrospect, the bad guys lost (Big time). the good guys are growing old and dying, with several generations in a good place.
Those who want to argue aren't doing so in German, are they?? and certainly not soing so in French, either.
the vid is old stuff and undocumented, as is the producer. the greater good was upheld. the bags of provender were left for the horses. WW-II was a calamity, but in retrospect, the bad guys lost (Big time). the good guys are growing old and dying, with several generations in a good place.
Those who want to argue aren't doing so in German, are they?? and certainly not soing so in French, either.
Reviewer:
brsean
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
October 16, 2010
Subject: It's Not Just Our Enemies Who Commit War Crimes
Subject: It's Not Just Our Enemies Who Commit War Crimes
I'd give this 3 stars since it at least gives the impression that something SERIOUSLY WRONG just MAY have been done by us "good Allies" against our oh so much more evil foes, except for the fact that the other reviewers went too far the other way, for apparently ideological reasons I suppose, so I'll try to rectify their excess.
Firebombing 70,000 innocent civilians of Dresden (only one of numerous German population centers firebombed, by the way) not a war crime? I suppose only if you're the perpretrator and victor, who also gets to write the history books and control and censor the media. It's even much worse today, in both the slaughtering of innocent civilians by the US/Israel/British Axis of Evil, as well as the Jewish ideological control of the media (and much else in our culture. We've now advanced to using the internationally illegal white phosphorus to burn civilians (see the massacre of Falluja videos, a couple at this site).
For a good free download on the too little known Dresden massacre (and other WWII related books) see Apocalypse 1945:The Destruction of Dresden, by David Irving (www.fpp.co.uk).
Firebombing 70,000 innocent civilians of Dresden (only one of numerous German population centers firebombed, by the way) not a war crime? I suppose only if you're the perpretrator and victor, who also gets to write the history books and control and censor the media. It's even much worse today, in both the slaughtering of innocent civilians by the US/Israel/British Axis of Evil, as well as the Jewish ideological control of the media (and much else in our culture. We've now advanced to using the internationally illegal white phosphorus to burn civilians (see the massacre of Falluja videos, a couple at this site).
For a good free download on the too little known Dresden massacre (and other WWII related books) see Apocalypse 1945:The Destruction of Dresden, by David Irving (www.fpp.co.uk).
Reviewer:
oath
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favorite -
February 20, 2010
Subject: This composite video is of no value
Subject: This composite video is of no value
To take snippets of old footage, writings and mix this with 20-100 hindsight and today's liberal group-thing lends an air of ignorance to the reports of the actual events. Antonwithagen quoted "and the abyss looks back at you" . Mental, very mental (not cerebral as intended). Things that are not alive do not look or see for that matter. Snippets are used for propaganda and self aggrandizement, these are without value to judge, since the work-product of this video is without value.
I must agree: Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Wallbight and Sagabeeba have written and lectured extensively on the merits of clear thinking and honest historical review. Both would be disappointed in the turn that this video and Antonwithagen have taken. Jean Shepherd said it best: "Excelsior you fathead".
I must agree: Liberalism is a mental disorder.
Wallbight and Sagabeeba have written and lectured extensively on the merits of clear thinking and honest historical review. Both would be disappointed in the turn that this video and Antonwithagen have taken. Jean Shepherd said it best: "Excelsior you fathead".
Reviewer:
antonwithagen -
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October 9, 2007
Subject: The case for the bombing as a war crime
Subject: The case for the bombing as a war crime
Regarding the Allied decision to target Dresden, some proponents of the war crime position argue that an awareness of the devastation known to be caused by firebombing and the effect on the civilian population below was greater than that justified by military necessity and establishes their case on a prima facie basis. This goes without even mentioning that Dresden did not have a military garrison, that most of the industry was in the outskirts and not in the targeted city centre,and the cultural significance of the city.
In addition to Stanton, the aforementioned president of Genocide Watch, Simon Jenkins contends that a mass assault against civilians simply constitutes a crime against humanity.
Author Kurt Vonnegut, who as an American POW was in Dresden before and during the firebombing,has written extensively on this warcrime on the internet.
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 seeking sanctuary from the fighting on the Eastern Front.
The author, journalist and literary critic Christopher Hitchens is of the opinion that many small German residential districts were destroyed for no reason other than as live target practice for new bomber crews, and that the Allies incinerated German cities in 1944 and 1945 simply because they could.
The Allies were aware of the effects of firebombing as British cities had been subject to them during the Blitz.
In Fire Sites, German revisionist historian Jörg Friedrich posits that Winston Churchill's decision to bomb Germany between January and March 1945 constitutes a war crime, because he claims that the RAF's relentless bombing campaign against German cities in the last months of the war served no military purpose.
Countering the claim that Dresden was a significant military target, Friedrich's earlier book, Der Brand: Deutschland im Bombenkrieg 1940–1945 focuses on the evidence showing that the German forces were in full retreat by February 1945. He argues that the impact on civilians was out of all proportion to the military goal, reiterating the argument that the Allied forces were aware of the destruction caused by incendiary bombs. Friedrich also argues that the Allies had known that future attacks were likely to cause ever increasing numbers of civilian deaths.
"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you."
In addition to Stanton, the aforementioned president of Genocide Watch, Simon Jenkins contends that a mass assault against civilians simply constitutes a crime against humanity.
Author Kurt Vonnegut, who as an American POW was in Dresden before and during the firebombing,has written extensively on this warcrime on the internet.
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 seeking sanctuary from the fighting on the Eastern Front.
The author, journalist and literary critic Christopher Hitchens is of the opinion that many small German residential districts were destroyed for no reason other than as live target practice for new bomber crews, and that the Allies incinerated German cities in 1944 and 1945 simply because they could.
The Allies were aware of the effects of firebombing as British cities had been subject to them during the Blitz.
In Fire Sites, German revisionist historian Jörg Friedrich posits that Winston Churchill's decision to bomb Germany between January and March 1945 constitutes a war crime, because he claims that the RAF's relentless bombing campaign against German cities in the last months of the war served no military purpose.
Countering the claim that Dresden was a significant military target, Friedrich's earlier book, Der Brand: Deutschland im Bombenkrieg 1940–1945 focuses on the evidence showing that the German forces were in full retreat by February 1945. He argues that the impact on civilians was out of all proportion to the military goal, reiterating the argument that the Allied forces were aware of the destruction caused by incendiary bombs. Friedrich also argues that the Allies had known that future attacks were likely to cause ever increasing numbers of civilian deaths.
"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you."
Reviewer:
nat schmelzer
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October 5, 2007
Subject: Feb. 13, 1945
Subject: Feb. 13, 1945
According to the Klemperer diaries, there were 1600 Jews left in Dresden on this date. They were scheduled to report to Gestapo headquarters on the 16th. The raid destroyed the Gestapo offices along with the records, so Klemperer, his wife and presumably other Jews on the list were able to flee to the West and survive the Holocaust. This fact alone would justify the raid, and apparently there is evidence that German troops and weaponry were being held in the city.
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