Peace Pleas Mark Anniversary of Dresden Bombing
DRESDEN, East Germany — With church services and appeals for peace, East Germany today commemorated the firebombing of Dresden, one of the most destructive air raids of World War II.
Banners reading, “Dresden must never again become an inferno,” were draped across buildings in the industrial city of 500,000, and crimson Communist Party flags hung from lampposts to mark the event.
The ceremonies commemorate the 40th anniversary of the firebomb attack that turned Dresden into an inferno and claimed up to 150,000 lives.
Nearly 3,000 tons of firebombs and 1,200 tons of explosive bombs were dropped on Dresden Feb. 13-14, 1945, reducing one of Central Europe’s most beautiful cities to rubble.
The attack is regarded by many historians as the culmination of Allied bombing policy aimed at demoralizing the German populace and terrorizing the Nazis into surrendering.
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