Dresden, 1945: The Devil's Tinderbox (Alexander McKee Presents: Key Engagements in World War II)

The eye-opening definitive account of the horrific fire-bombing of the undefended city of Dresden.

This history of one of the most controversial events of the Second World War should be an essential book for readers who wish to learn the true story behind Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.

Prior to World War Two, Dresden had an international reputation a beautiful cultural centre, filled with architectural masterworks. Yet on 13th February 1945 the RAF and USAAF began an ‘all out’ attack on the city. On this night and the following two nights, 1,300 British and American aircraft dropped 5,000 tons of incendiary and high-explosive bombs. The total number of resident women and children, refugees, and prisoners-of-war in transit who died will never be known, but it is likely that the official figures of between 35,000 to 45,000 were vastly understated.

The strategic reasons for bombing Dresden were limited and by February 1945 it was becoming increasingly clear that the Allies would win the war. So, who are the men responsible for this horrific event, and what justifications did they make for ordering it?

Alexander McKee, the renowned historian, saw first-hand the results of the Allied bombing of the ‘friendly’ French towns of Caen and Lisieux, as well as the destruction of enemy-held Emmerich and Arnhem, while serving with the 1st Canadian Army. Haunted by these scenes as well as the sheer barbarity of the Dresden raid, McKee interviewed survivors of the attack and the Allied airmen who flew in the raids, to provide a personal view of this atrocity, which is supported by a thorough examination of the official records.