Kurt Vonnegut: The Bombing of Dresden in World War II & Slaughterhouse-Five (1997)
You guys burnt the place down, turned it into a single column of flame. More people died there in the firestorm, in that one big flame.. than died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined.”
American writer Kurt Vonnegut was best known for his book Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children’s Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death (1969), which is a satirical novel about World War II experiences and journeys through time of a soldier named Billy Pilgrim. Vonnegut’s use of the firebombing of Dresden as a central event makes the novel semi-autobiographical, as he was present during the bombing. It changed his life forever. Here is a speaking appearance in 1997 where he discusses this topic.
Source: http://www.renegadetribune.com/kurt-vonnegut-bombing-dresden-world-war-ii-1997/
Thank you for this article.
Dresden was way over the top.
How dose that speak to me ?
What were the British trying to hide .. was it that incriminating or hideous that it warranted this vicious & brutal assault on the people ?
Like any good haunting, the travesty that Dresden is, is a mystery the truth of which is begging to be discovered.
With all due respect, R Davis. There is no mystery and the truth is there for all to see. Simply answer these questions;
When was pirum in 1945?
What is pirum?
Who was behind “Germany must perish”?
Who has the history of murdering women and children?
Germans are and were the cultural and spiritual leaders of Europe.
Dresden was the cultural and spiritual capital of Europe.
Dresden and the fire bombing of all German cities of 50,000 population and greater was the true holocaust of WW2. Also the true meaning of the word – “Holocaust”
“It is not the political goals of Hitler that bought us to war. It was his success in building a new financial system. The roots of this war lie in greed, jealously and fear” – British Major General J.F.C Fuller, 1948
Dear Jagg,
I am discouragingly astounded by learning how many people around the world are actually being charmed by the appeal of the most poisonous, nightmarish, cloacal archetypes of our civilization. Even more astounded by acknowledging how easily and blatantly pitiless and psychopathic slaughterers can be pitied and celebrated as saintly, wise and honourable martyrs.
I do think that Dresden bombing was an actual, monstrous war crime, whatever its point could have been. But I can\’t see how that could deny the huge responsibilities the Nazi and Fascist regimes had unchaining the war and perpetrating their gigantic lunatic atrocities.
I do respect German culture and its great influence in modern history, but I can\’t see how the miserable experience of the Nazi regime could be included in that kind of respect (I am Italian, and am as well ashamed about the Fascist experience in my Country\’s cultural history).
It seems that spiritual leadership means to you mainly the firm will to exterminate any culture different from the supposed leader\’s.
And after all, with all the respect to huge moral wrongs like the one carried out on Dresden, what holocaust are you talking about? Was Germany thoroughly destroyed? Was she impeded to develop her economic power, her remarkable cultural influence in many fields?