starterHow and why are these two interpretations of How and why are these two interpretations of

the RAF different?the RAF different?

British government poster to encourage support at home for the RAF

German government poster. The slogan reads ‘Blackout your windows – the enemy sees your light’

Is there Is there ever any ever any justificatjustification for ion for mass mass

killing?killing?

Changing ideas about Changing ideas about bombingbombing

1914, German airships (Zeppelins) 1914, German airships (Zeppelins) bombed Scarborough & other bombed Scarborough & other coastal towns killing 498coastal towns killing 498

1935, Italian aircraft, Abyssinia used 1935, Italian aircraft, Abyssinia used gas bombsgas bombs

1937, Spanish Civil War, Guernica1937, Spanish Civil War, Guernica

WWI German Zeppelin Pablo Picasso, Guernica

Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ HarrisHarris

“The Germans have sown the wind. They are about to reap the whirlwind.”

“There are those who say that a war cannot be won from the air by bombing. My reply is that no one has tried yet and

we shall see.”

“You destroy a factory and they will rebuild it. Kill the factory workers and it will take twenty years to replace them.”

The Allied bombing of Germany dwarfed any German attempts to inflict similar damage on the UK.

The Avro LancasterThe Avro Lancaster

The RAF’s heavy bomber enabled serious bombing raids on German targets to be carried out.

Bombing of DresdenBombing of Dresden

13-14 February 194513-14 February 1945 805 RAF bombers dropped 2600 tons805 RAF bombers dropped 2600 tons Firestorm, 1000Firestorm, 1000°C°C 35,000 – 150,000 killed35,000 – 150,000 killed 70% Dresden destroyed70% Dresden destroyed

Impact of bombingImpact of bombing

Picture postcard of Dresden before WWII

Impact of bombingImpact of bombing

DresdenDresden

Which do you agree Which do you agree with?with?

When people get When people get caught up with caught up with that which is right that which is right and they are and they are willing to sacrifice willing to sacrifice for it, there is no for it, there is no stopping point stopping point short of victory.short of victory.

Martin Luther King Martin Luther King JrJr

Battle not with Battle not with monsters, lest ye monsters, lest ye become a monster, become a monster, and if you gaze and if you gaze into the abyss, the into the abyss, the abyss gazes also abyss gazes also into you.into you.

Friedrich Friedrich NietzscheNietzsche

Should Dresden Should Dresden have been have been bombed?bombed?

Was ‘Bomber Harris’ Was ‘Bomber Harris’ responsible for war crimes?responsible for war crimes?

Your taskYour task Read the comments by historians on the bombing of Read the comments by historians on the bombing of

Dresden and place them on either side of a scales chart:Dresden and place them on either side of a scales chart:

Read p194-7 of ‘Peace & War’ and add any further Read p194-7 of ‘Peace & War’ and add any further evidence you find to your scales chart.evidence you find to your scales chart.

Card sort

Bombing was

justified

Bombing was

not justified

Arguments for:Arguments for:

Reprisals ( punishment )Reprisals ( punishment ) for V1 and for V1 and the Blitzthe Blitz

To demoralize the civilians so that To demoralize the civilians so that they don’t want to carry on fightingthey don’t want to carry on fighting

Military targetMilitary target

Arguments Arguments against:against:

Pointless so near Pointless so near the end of the warthe end of the war

Dresden not an Dresden not an important military important military targettarget

Loss of civilian life Loss of civilian life hugehuge

Arguments Arguments Against:Against:

Your taskYour task

Divide the class into two groups.Divide the class into two groups. Decide on which are the most Decide on which are the most

important arguments either for or important arguments either for or against the bombing of Dresden.against the bombing of Dresden.

Appoint a judge, 6 jurors and Appoint a judge, 6 jurors and lawyers for the defence and lawyers for the defence and prosecution. Put ‘Bomber Harris’ on prosecution. Put ‘Bomber Harris’ on trial and decide if he was guilty or trial and decide if he was guilty or not of committing a war crime by not of committing a war crime by bombing Dresden during the war.bombing Dresden during the war.