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How and why are these two interpretations of the RAF different?

 starter. How and why are these two interpretations of the RAF different?. German government poster. The slogan reads ‘Blackout your windows – the enemy sees your light’. British government poster to encourage support at home for the RAF. Is there ever any justification for mass killing?.

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How and why are these two interpretations of the RAF different?

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  1.  starter How and why are these two interpretations of the RAF different? German government poster. The slogan reads ‘Blackout your windows – the enemy sees your light’ British government poster to encourage support at home for the RAF

  2. Is there ever any justification for mass killing?

  3. Changing ideas about bombing • 1914, German airships (Zeppelins) bombed Scarborough & other coastal towns killing 498 • 1935, Italian aircraft, Abyssinia used gas bombs • 1937, Spanish Civil War, Guernica WWI German Zeppelin Pablo Picasso, Guernica

  4. Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris “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.”

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

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

  7. Bombing of Dresden • 13-14 February 1945 • 805 RAF bombers dropped 2600 tons • Firestorm, 1000°C • 35,000 – 150,000 killed • 70% Dresden destroyed

  8. Impact of bombing Picture postcard of Dresden before WWII

  9. Impact of bombing

  10. Dresden

  11. Which do you agree with? When people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory. Martin Luther King Jr Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. Friedrich Nietzsche

  12. Should Dresden have been bombed? Was ‘Bomber Harris’ responsible for war crimes?

  13.  Your task Card sort • Read the comments by historians on the bombing of Dresden and place them on either side of a scales chart: • Read p194-7 of ‘Peace & War’ and add any further evidence you find to your scales chart. Bombing was justified Bombing was not justified

  14. Arguments for: • Reprisals ( punishment ) for V1 and the Blitz • To demoralize the civilians so that they don’t want to carry on fighting • Military target

  15. Pointless so near the end of the war Dresden not an important military target Loss of civilian life huge Arguments against:

  16. Arguments Against:

  17.  Your task • Divide the class into two groups. • Decide on which are the most important arguments either for or against the bombing of Dresden. • Appoint a judge, 6 jurors and lawyers for the defence and prosecution. Put ‘Bomber Harris’ on trial and decide if he was guilty or not of committing a war crime by bombing Dresden during the war.

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