The Germans bombed British civilians long before German cities were bombed. Besides, German manufacturing took place in urban areas. The apologists will trot out the bombing of Dresden, but to them I say....So what? The winners get to write the history.
"The Germans bombed British civilians long before German cities were bombed."
The above statement is only true if you amend it to say massive bombing. Remember that the Brits made a modest raid on Berlin during the early phase of the Battle of Britain when German aircraft were trying to cripple the RAF.
The first London raids were ordered in retaliation for the Berlin raid. This German decision played into the hands of the RAF as German planes would fly more predictable azimuths in raids upon London. The Germans lacked four-engine bombers and London is a huge city geographically. The German raids on London were never able to rubble the same percentage the city as three-day raids were able to do to German cities.
The article is so arm-chairish in its analysis. As Lord Mountbatten said defending the atomic bombings, "It was done in a total war context and has never been viewed in a total war context since then." (I'm quoting from memory so it is probably less-than-exact).
Actually,Berlin was bombed by The RAF(Bomber Command)shortly after The Luftwaffe bombed London(within days).Churchill instructed Air Vice Marshall Arthur Harris to strike Berlin in retaliation.Actually(from what I've read)Hitler never meant to undertake a bombing campaign against The City of London.He was more interested in the destruction of The RAF so that he could invade Britain(Operation Sea Lion)with control of the air.Some German bombers went off course and were caught over London by searchlights.In order to lighten their aircraft(and escape the triple AAA),they jettisoned their bombs.Thus began the whole thing which escalated from there!!!
"The Germans bombed British civilians long before German cities were bombed. Besides, German manufacturing took place in urban areas."
I was just at an air museum and saw a quick movie on the "Battle of Britain". In the beginning Germany was doing a good job at taking out airfields and radar sites and keeping the Brits on the run. The Brits sent a few bombers into Germany (Berlin?). Their bombs destroyed a shed and two people were injured. Hitler was so furious that they had attacked one of his cities that he diverted his bombers from the airfields and military targets to attack London (and other cites?).
This gave the RAF some breathing room to train, rebuild airfields, radar installions, planes, etc. And the rest is History.