Dresden Bombed 70 Years Ago-- Part 2

Just six of the 796 British Lancaster bombers were lost in the two attacks.

Germany was losing the war at the time, but still raining V-2 rockets on London and Britain and the German armies were still in the field and a serious threat.

Dresden had a population of 600,000 and was world renowned for its historical base.  But it was a valid military target because it was a center for the German railroads.  A big reason for the attack was that the city had previously been unscathed by bombing.

The aircraft took off at 5:20 p.m. on February 13, 1945.  There were 274 Lancasters in the first wave carrying bombs weighing up to 4,000 pounds known as "cookies."  Most of the German anti-aircraft guns at Dresden had been removed to the Russian front, so the planes met little resistance.

The first bombs began falling shortly after 10 p.m. from 8,000 feet.  The second wave consisted of 529 bombers.

--A Sad Part of War.  --GreGen