Dresden was a not so subtle warning to the Soviets. It was a way of making sure that they stopped where they said that they would and did not try to “march to the Atlantic”.
I was always curious if anyone had seriously wargamed a Soviet turn against its allies. I don’t know how much of a clue Stalin had about the A-bombs, and how much fight was left in the war machine after 20 million dead and the emotional climax of fighting from near Moscow to Berlin. The Soviets were fighting on very long supply routes at that point. I know there was some whisper of worry in the west, and some firebrands like Patton wanting to take the war east, but that’s about it.
Interesting theory, because Dresden was both overwhelmingly industrial and civilian, and the firebombing was overwhelmingly brutal and horrific. On the other hand, they blocked Patton when he pushed for invading the USSR, so they wanted the Soviets to exist, but out of Europe. Nice little chess game.
Nothing says total war like fire bombing cities. Dresden, Tokyo... one can argue necessity, but its never something to be pleased about. Some tactical and strategic successes should nevertheless bring tears to the victors, or they lose their humanity while winning the battle.
I read the opposite. Dresden was selected as a target to help Stalin.
If Kurt Vonnegut wasn’t a POW near there and didn’t write Slaughterhouse-Five, would most of us have heard about Dresden?