[Alberta's Child]

The argument that in World War II enemy cities -- at least German ones -- represented legitimate targets because of their industrial capacity falls on its face when you realize the lengths to which the U.S. and Britain went to protect key industrial targets in many of these German cities.

The major plant in Cologne that had been owned by the Ford Motor Company (actually Ford Werke, the German subsidiary of the company), for example, had gone unscathed through so many Allied bombing raids during the war that it became a place of refuge for the city's residents whenever the air raid sirens sounded.

[rlmorel]

"...the lengths to which the U.S. and Britain went to protect key industrial targets in many of these German cities."

Okaaaaayyyy....I guess we are going to hear about the Triads next...yup, we did our darndest not to hurt German industry.

[Spktyr]

Actually, that wasn't the case (except in some revisionist minds). It was the specific target of at least four raids that I know of, but they all missed.

[gondramB]

>>The argument that in World War II enemy cities -- at least German ones -- represented legitimate targets because of their industrial capacity falls on its face when you realize the lengths to which the U.S. and Britain went to protect key industrial targets in many of these German cities.

The major plant in Cologne that had been owned by the Ford Motor Company (actually Ford Werke, the German subsidiary of the company), for example, had gone unscathed through so many Allied bombing raids during the war that it became a place of refuge for the city's residents whenever the air raid sirens sounded.<<

I recently saw a history channel show that said that both sides initially refrained from bombing cities but an accidental bombing led to retaliation and more retaliation.

[IronJack]

The major plant in Cologne that had been owned by the Ford Motor Company (actually Ford Werke, the German subsidiary of the company), for example, had gone unscathed through so many Allied bombing raids during the war that it became a place of refuge for the city's residents whenever the air raid sirens sounded.

Not buying it. There was no way bombing was that precise an art in those days. In Cologne, the same could be said of the cathedral. All its windows were blown out, but the building survived pretty much intact. It was NOT because of any intent on the part of the Allied bombers. Their accuracy was notoriously poor in the days when Cologne was being bombed.

And if Ford Werke was producing war machines for the Germans, there is no doubt it was on the hit list. Whether it was hit or not is largely a matter of luck, not conspiracy.