But I was always taught that the sort of terror bombing you cite was due to (a) night missions versus day missions, and (b) general license assumed after (accidental) German bombing of civilians in GB.
And,
(c) wasn't Dresden an American mission?
"But I was always taught that the sort of terror bombing you cite was due to (a) night missions versus day missions, and (b) general license assumed after (accidental) German bombing of civilians in GB.
And,
(c) wasn't Dresden an American mission?"
The Brits bombed area targets at night, "because" they could not do precision bombing and could not afford the losses they incurred during day-time bombing raids. Of course, the military inability to conduct precision bombing does not justify bombing -- aiming at -- civilian centers. E.G. historic city centers and residential districts. Which is precisely what the British theory of terror bombing INTENDED. To aim at civilians, to terrorize them, as a means of "breaking their resistance".
The Americans, with greater precision, could conduct day-time bombing raids. The American policy, for most of the war, was to bomb ONLY militarily-significant targets. This is what they told the American people, and is what the American people expected. So the American Air Corps accepted the greater risk and losses of day-time bombing, because they were addressing militarily-significant targets, and not taking the easy way out just bombing cities at large.
So the American and British policies were different, not only their capabilities . . .
The bombing of Dresden was a primarily British mission, tho the Americans did some bombing there, too. (There were certain industrial areas outside of the city center.) Even some British pilots were sickened at what they saw -- coming back for another raid, and another, with the entire city in flames.
You are correct about the accidental bombing of some British citizens by Germans. The Germans did not intend to start a terror-bombing campaign against civilians. The Germans viewed the purposeful bombing of Berlin by the British as outrageous. After Dresden, Hitler wanted to escalate by using chemical weapons (gas) but even Keitel talked him out of that.
When they ran out of military targets, even the Americans adopted the policy of using their ordnance on anything and everything -- straffing cows and farmers on roads, etc. The air campaign had outlived all purpose by most of '45 . . .
other than tactical air support, which was under Eisenhower's command. The strategic air bombing discussed above was run by Air Command (Bomber Harris on the British side) and not coordinated with the ground campaign.
I believe it was primarily British.
We flew in the day light which was much more dangerous.
Of course I could be totally wrong...