PBS: "The Bombing of Germany"

[mariomike]

I watched this the other night. Posted here for anyone interested in the subject:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/bombing/

P.S. I should add that it shows more of a USAAF, rather than RCAF, point of view.

 

[observor 69]

I started to watch it but as I had read Fire-Fury-Bombing-Germany-1942-1945 I switched channels.

 

[mariomike]

I started to watch it but as I had read Fire-Fury-Bombing-Germany-1942-1945 I switched channels.

What did you think of it? From the reviews, it sounds like another "Valour and the Horror". Which is disappointing, because the author is Canadian. But, then again, so were/are the McKenna brothers!

Good grief. I just Googled the guys' name!:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/02/14/randall-hansen-an-air-raid-like-any-other.aspx
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2007/08/30/randall-hansen-the-canadian-war-museum-s-great-mistake.aspx
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/opinion/story.html?id=4def7bef-a634-4ef3-82a1-18581c4c89eb

I will stick to Canadian books like these:
http://www.journal.dnd.ca/vo7/no1/book-livre-03-eng.asp
http://www.journal.dnd.ca/vol10/no1/15-barrett-eng.asp
http://www.legionmagazine.com/en/index.php/2007/05/defending-bomber-command/

"......condemnation of the campaign has fed upon itself until the flames of cant and the smoke of hypocrisy have obscured its many accomplishments, not least the saving of countless Allied soldiers’ lives.”

 

[Petard]

One of the best documentary series I've seen that tries to cover this topic, was the old 70's one World at War.
The one on the aerial campaign is called whirlwind, you can see the whole program on youtube (of course)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psLb5FE4Qdo

While that particular episode doesn't cover the bombing of Dresden, it goes from the start of the war up to just before D Day, it does  IMO a better job than most at describing the aerial bombing campaign, and why it was and had to be done

 

[Retired AF Guy]

One of the best documentary series I've seen that tries to cover this topic, was the old 70's one World at War.
The one on the aerial campaign is called whirlwind, you can see the whole program on youtube (of course)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psLb5FE4Qdo

While that particular episode doesn't cover the bombing of Dresden, it goes from the start of the war up to just before D Day, it does  IMO a better job than most at describing the aerial bombing campaign, and why it was and had to be done

Here is a link to a recent write-up in the National Post on the Dresden bombing:

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2010/02/12/bill-twatio-the-road-to-hell.aspx

 

[mariomike]

Here is a link to a recent write-up in the National Post on the Dresden bombing:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2010/02/12/bill-twatio-the-road-to-hell.aspx

Interesting article. No matter what is said, the Canadians who flew operations in Bomber Command were brave men who went out to do what they were told had to be done for Canada and Allied victory.

 

[observor 69]

I agree MM. While I also agree with the general thrust of "Fire and Fury: The Allied Bombing of Germany, 1942-1945" that in my mind doesn't take a thing away from the bravery of the Allied airmen of all countries.

 

[mariomike]

One thing you do not hear mentioned very often is one of the great "what if's" of World War Two.
One of the great misfortunes of the Luftwaffe was that - on Hitler's orders - they were ordered to abandon experimental "Intruder" operations against British bomber airfields. Hitler felt that only enemy aircraft shot down over Germany were of value in convincing the German people that they were being defended.
R(C)AF bombers were at their most vulnerable as they took off and landed at their airfields. A LW attack during marshalling would have been chaos.
Bomber Command felt that Intruder operations could have been overwelming. They say it was Harris's worst nightmare, and "the greatest missed opportunity of the bomber war, and like so many other major tactical errors, it was a personal decision of the Fuhrer."
Max Hastings "Bomber Command" page 235.