-------ed School Project >:(
- Thread starter Zink
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Percy Bandello
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Gate
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I've been to Dresden. It's astounding to stand next to the newly reconstructed Frauenkirche and look at the pictures of how it looked after the bombing. The city center was utterly leveled, yet through the persistance of humanity, today you would never know it happened by looking.
I agree with Percy that its bombing can be used as an example of propoganda. Actually, most city bombings (on both sides) during WWII could fall under that category. On the one hand they are viewed as depriving the enemy of stragtegic holdings, reducing the construction capabilities, and other strategic concerns. On the other hand, while in the past, doing so meant bombarding a castle, destroying a fleet, or taking or even sacking a town, during WWII the sheer scale of military destructive power and industrial production capabilities meant that the old concepts and scale no longer applied. One couldn't simply take a single point of strategic interest and be done with it- so carpet bombing of entire cities was "justified."
Of course, to people who had utterly no connection to the war but just happened to live near those people or places that did, one would have a very hard time convincing them that the killing and destruction of their kin and property was justified. My grandmother lived in Berlin during the time it was being bombed. She had to go down to the bomb shelter of their appartment building on a regular basis, and her building's main stairwell was even blown open on one occasion. While no one on that side of my family lost life, they certainly did lose their lifestyle and property, before connections (my grandfather) allowed them to come to the US after the war was over.
The means of justifying mass murder to achieve military objectives was a key focus for both sides, though the same age old methods (dehumanization of the enemy, safety of our own people, etc) were used.
I agree with Percy that its bombing can be used as an example of propoganda. Actually, most city bombings (on both sides) during WWII could fall under that category. On the one hand they are viewed as depriving the enemy of stragtegic holdings, reducing the construction capabilities, and other strategic concerns. On the other hand, while in the past, doing so meant bombarding a castle, destroying a fleet, or taking or even sacking a town, during WWII the sheer scale of military destructive power and industrial production capabilities meant that the old concepts and scale no longer applied. One couldn't simply take a single point of strategic interest and be done with it- so carpet bombing of entire cities was "justified."
Of course, to people who had utterly no connection to the war but just happened to live near those people or places that did, one would have a very hard time convincing them that the killing and destruction of their kin and property was justified. My grandmother lived in Berlin during the time it was being bombed. She had to go down to the bomb shelter of their appartment building on a regular basis, and her building's main stairwell was even blown open on one occasion. While no one on that side of my family lost life, they certainly did lose their lifestyle and property, before connections (my grandfather) allowed them to come to the US after the war was over.
The means of justifying mass murder to achieve military objectives was a key focus for both sides, though the same age old methods (dehumanization of the enemy, safety of our own people, etc) were used.
Zink
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It does not have to involve the usa. Thanx...
HJ-Navarre
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Percy Bandello
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In MLA formatting and with a full bibliography...
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