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Look It Up! Researching the arguments - Bombing of Dresden

Grade Level 10 / Cycle2

 Course: History
In a Nutshell

Write a summary of the issue (2 to 3 sentences):

 During the Second World War, there were several Nazi death camps established, where millions of Jews were enslaved and murdered. One of these camps was called Dachau. On the 13th of February 1945, allied planes bombed the large city of Dresden, killing virtually all of its inhabitants. The allies used firebombs to surround the city, and then let the fire spread and engulf it, while making sure that very few were able to escape.
Be it resolved that...
The motion:

B.I.R.T. Dachau justifies the Bombing of Dresden
What's the Big Idea?

Write an outline in point form:
Arguments for: Arguments against:
Big Idea #1:
  • Bombing Dresden was necessary to crush the spirits of the Nazi war machine. Even though Germany's forces were weakened, they still posed a threat, and were very dangerous.
 Big Idea #1:
  • The murder in Dresden was unnecessary. The Nazis surrendered only a few months afterwards. The attack really was overkill.
Big Idea #2:
  • The bombing of Dresden was a tactic employed by Winston Churchill to send a very strong message to the German people; as long as the Nazis continued to press on and take innocent lives, their families would have to pay the price.
 Big Idea #2:
  • The attack on Dresden was specifically designed to bring down German morale. In other words, it was done to frighten the Germans into surrendering. To the Allies, it was nothing more than a scare tactic.
Big Idea #3:
  • The allies were so dedicated to restoring the world to a state of freedom and prosperity, that they were willing to make an extremely large sacrifice. In addition to this, the weapons were not intended to damage the city so severely.
 Big Idea #3:
  • Dresden was a mostly civilian town, with only a small military presence. That means that children, babies, senior citizens, policemen, nurses, firefighters, mothers giving birth, etc. Of the thousands that were killed, most were innocent people.
Great Websites
Title:
Address: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWdresden.htm
(Specify the address for the page on the site where you found information.)
Title:
Address: http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/61/001.html
(Specify the address for the page on the site where you found information.)
Title:
Address: http://timewitnesses.org/english/~lothar.html
(Specify the address for the page on the site where you found information.)
Title:
Address: http://globalfire.tv/nj/e2001/history/dresden.htm
(Specify the address for the page on the site where you found information.)
Title:
Address: http://www.valourandhorror.com/BC/Raids/Dresden.htm
(Specify the address for the page on the site where you found information.)
Title:
Address: http://www.rense.com/general19/flame.htm
(Specify the address for the page on the site where you found information.)
Title:
Address: http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden
(Specify the address for the page on the site where you found information.)
Great quotes
Quote:

"How much atonement is enough? The bombing must be allowed as at least part-payment: those of our young people who are concerned about the moral problem posed by the Allied air offensive should at least consider the moral problem that would have been posed if the German civilian population had not suffered at all."

Argument: For
Source
Author: Clive James