Dresden rises like phoenix from the ashes
The city, which had no military significance and contributed little to the German war effort, was swollen with refugees. Estimates of the numbers who died in the raids vary.
The British and Americans admit at least 36,000 were killed. Russian sources, inflating the figures for propaganda purposes, claimed 145,000 had died. About 75% of the city was destroyed. The magnificent Baroque buildings of ‘the German Florence’ were reduced to rubble. Churchill must have authorised the attacks but, afterwards, he distanced himself from them, scapegoating Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris, the only British commander who would not be awarded a knighthood.