Sadbutnecessary
Doug Clark writes that bombing Dresden was “an irrational act of mass destruction” (Letters, 5 March). While some historians criticise it, and Churchill had doubts, Dresden was not just a nice town making porcelain milkmaids but a base for Germany’s 1938 invasion of Czechoslovakia. In 1944/45 it was a vital military and production centre as well as a transport, admin and communications hub.
Unlike those making such decisions, we know when the war ended. An expert study forecast it lasting into November if Germany stalled the Soviet advance. How many more servicemen, prisoners of war and civilians would have perished in Europe and the Far East, how many more millions gassed in the Holocaust?
Nor did they know how advanced Germany’s nuclear programme was, but they knew all too well of the emerging Holocaust horrors, and of V1 and V2 rockets devastating London. Despite D-day’s success and Allied progress, Germany’s “honourable” military were committed to their death and destruction to the bitter end.
Far from “irrational”, after five years of hellish war and 12 years of Nazi brutality it was very reasonable to consider such bombing might degrade civilian and military morale, and damage Dresden’s facilities, thus enabling victory in the shortest time – by assisting the Soviet advance as some strategists wanted, or before Stalin’s troops advanced too far west, as others preferred. If area bombing helped (War Cabinet policy since 1942) then so be it, however regrettable its effects.
JOHN BIRKETT St Andrews, Fife tancy statistics published by the ONS. Amongst males this is less that 54 years of age in some areas, with some areas showing life expectancy a massive 23 years lower than others. At my age this is worrying!
Health is fully devolved and, given that life expectancy in Scotland has dropped by over a year counter to the rest of the UK, which showed no real change, the blame for this can only fall at the feet of the Scottish Government. They cannot blame Westminster.
While on the subject of health, how come Covid cases are rising in Scotland – the most cautious of regions – while falling elsewhere in the UK? Nicola Sturgeon loves to compare Scotland with England at any opportunity but I suspect she will be glossing over these less than flattering facts. I just hope that the SNP life expectancy is shortened by this shameful record. KEN CURRIE
Edinburgh