Allied bombers launch one of the heaviest air raids on a German city

Dresden had remained beyond the reach of Allied aircraft until August 1944. Consequently, the picturesque town – known as Florence on the Elbe – remained largely undamaged. With the loss in momentum of the Allied offensives on both the Western and Eastern fronts at the beginning of 1945, the decision was taken to bomb Dresden. As an important location of armaments manufacturing and a key transport hub, Dresden constituted an important target, especially as the Third Reich was planning to fortify the city against the advancing Red Army. Bombing raids against urban populations were controversial in Great Britain and the USA, but had been common practice since 1942.

The night of 13 February 1945 saw 773 British bombers traverse the city in two waves, dropping high-explosive and incendiary bombs; this was followed the next day by 311 US bombers. The historic city centre was almost completely destroyed; 80,000 houses either collapsed or were rendered uninhabitable. Some 25,000 people died, including many refugees from the East.

Were the strikes militarily necessary or were they a war crime? The debate continues to this day.