#Dresden1945
#Refugees [many were camping in #Dresden at the time of the raids]
#WarCrimes
Wikipedia: "On 13 February 1945, bad weather over Europe prevented any USAAF operations, and it was left to RAF Bomber Command to carry out the first raid. It had been decided that
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#Refugees [many were camping in #Dresden at the time of the raids]
#WarCrimes
Wikipedia: "On 13 February 1945, bad weather over Europe prevented any USAAF operations, and it was left to RAF Bomber Command to carry out the first raid. It had been decided that
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>the raid would be a double strike, in which a second wave of bombers would attack three hours after the first, just as the rescue teams were trying to put out the fires.[De Bruhl 2006; pp. 203–206]
As was standard practice, other raids were carried out that night to confuse
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As was standard practice, other raids were carried out that night to confuse
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>German air defences[:]..bombed ..oil plant in #Boehlen, ..97 km..from Dresden, while 71 ..Mosquito..bombers attacked #Magdeburg [and further] Mosquitos carrying out nuisance raids on #Bonn, Misburg near Hanover and #Nuremberg
..
..
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When Polish crews..were preparing for the mission, the terms of the #Yalta agreement were made known to them. There was a huge uproar, since the Yalta agreement handed parts of #Poland over to the Soviet Union. There was talk of mutiny among the Polish pilots[!], and
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When Polish crews..were preparing for the mission, the terms of the #Yalta agreement were made known to them. There was a huge uproar, since the Yalta agreement handed parts of #Poland over to the Soviet Union. There was talk of mutiny among the Polish pilots[!], and
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>their British officers removed their [i.e., the Poles'] side arms[!!]
The Polish Government ordered the pilots to follow their orders and fly their missions over #Dresden, which they did.[p.498 in ISBN 978-0-674-06814-8]
..
first..British aircraft took off at around 17:20 CET
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The Polish Government ordered the pilots to follow their orders and fly their missions over #Dresden, which they did.[p.498 in ISBN 978-0-674-06814-8]
..
first..British aircraft took off at around 17:20 CET
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>for th..1100 km..journey.
This was a group of Lancasters from Bomber Command's 83 Squadron, No. 5 Group, acting as the Pathfinders, or flare force, whose job it was to find Dresden and drop magnesium parachute flares, known to the Germans as "#ChristmasTrees", to mark and light>
This was a group of Lancasters from Bomber Command's 83 Squadron, No. 5 Group, acting as the Pathfinders, or flare force, whose job it was to find Dresden and drop magnesium parachute flares, known to the Germans as "#ChristmasTrees", to mark and light>
>up #Dresden for the aircraft that would mark the target itself.
The next set of aircraft to leave #England were twin-engined Mosquito marker planes, which would identify target areas and drop ..450 kg..target indicators (TIs)..that marked the target for the bombers to aim at.
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The next set of aircraft to leave #England were twin-engined Mosquito marker planes, which would identify target areas and drop ..450 kg..target indicators (TIs)..that marked the target for the bombers to aim at.
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>he attack was to centre on the #Ostragehege sports stadium, next to the city's medieval Altstadt (old town), with its congested and..combustible timbered buildings.
The main bomber force, called #PlateRack, took off shortly after the Pathfinders. This group of 254 Lancasters
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The main bomber force, called #PlateRack, took off shortly after the Pathfinders. This group of 254 Lancasters
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>carried 500 tons of high explosives and 375 tons of incendiaries ("fire bombs").
..200,000 incendiaries in all,..the..bombs ranging in weight from..230 to 1,810 kg..—the two-ton "cookies",.. also known as "blockbusters", because they could destroy an entire large building
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..200,000 incendiaries in all,..the..bombs ranging in weight from..230 to 1,810 kg..—the two-ton "cookies",.. also known as "blockbusters", because they could destroy an entire large building
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>or street. The high explosives were intended to rupture water mains and blow off roofs, doors, and windows to expose the interiors of the buildings and create an air flow to feed the fires caused by the incendiaries..[ISBN 9780747570844; pp. 287, 296, 365.][ISBN 0-09-151580-7]
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The Lancasters crossed into [#France] near the Somme, then into #Germany just north of #Cologne. At 22:00 hours, the force heading for #Boehlen split away from #PlateRack, which turned south east toward the Elbe. By this time, ten of the Lancasters were out of service,
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The Lancasters crossed into [#France] near the Somme, then into #Germany just north of #Cologne. At 22:00 hours, the force heading for #Boehlen split away from #PlateRack, which turned south east toward the Elbe. By this time, ten of the Lancasters were out of service,
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>leaving 244 to continue to Dresden.[978-0679435341]
..sirens started sounding in Dresden at 21:51 CET.
[0-7475-7084-1; p. 4]
..'Master Bomber' Wing Commander #MauriceSmith, flying in a Mosquito, gave the order to the Lancasters: "Controller to #PlateRack Force: Come in and bomb>
..sirens started sounding in Dresden at 21:51 CET.
[0-7475-7084-1; p. 4]
..'Master Bomber' Wing Commander #MauriceSmith, flying in a Mosquito, gave the order to the Lancasters: "Controller to #PlateRack Force: Come in and bomb>
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