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But Germany was already invaded and, for all practical purposes, defeated. Bombing Dresden was not going to save the lives of Allies and did not contribute to ending the war. (Again, if anyone knows better, please correct my history.)

Here's the time line.

From September 1944 to April 1945 the Nazis launched thousands of V@ rockets specifically to target civilians in the UK.

From December 1944 to January 1945 the Nazis fought the last great offensive of the war, the Ardennes Offensive which we call the Battle of the Bulge.

Dresden was bombed in February 1945.

From the Allied point of view, Nazi Germany was a weakened but not yet defanged beast. The Battle of the Bulge ended just a week or two before the firebombing of Dresden and the Allied command was not about to let up on the Nazis after they had almost been successful in retaking territory from the Allies. Especially since during that offensive the Nazis had just killed US and UK POWs wholesale, executions-style.

Additionally, dozens of German rockets were landing in the UK every day in February 1945.

Suffice it to say that in February 1945, with rocket bombs falling daily in London, US troops finding the slaughtered bodies of POWs and more and more reports of genocide from the East, the Allies were not too concerned about overdoing it when they bombed Dresden.

Nor should they have been.

Thanks for that history. I respectfully disagree not with your facts, but with your conclusion. I believe we share strongly pro-life positions, so I'm surprised to find you giving unqualified support to the bombing of Dresden.

To my knowledge, unlike Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Dresden was not of military significance. Berlin was, and I certainly don't dispute the necessity of bombing there (and Berlin was devastated -- I lived there for a year in the '70s, and even then, 30 years after the end of the war, the destruction was incredible).

One last thing: I'd just like to point out that the same German newspaper quoted in this article, Bild, has endorsed President Bush:

"Bush has learned the lessons of history. Good words do not help against violent fanatics, only military strength. With him, as opposed to Kerry, there is no waffling," it said.
"With Bush, we know what to expect. No one knows what John Kerry stands for and where he wants to lead America -- and the world."
Noting widespread opposition to Bush in Europe, Bild said that history had proved another conservative Republican US president, Ronald Reagan, to have been on the right side of history.
"We thank him for the end of the Cold War and reunification. It is very possible, that we will also be thankful to George W. Bush one day," it said.

EUROPE'S BIGGEST NEWSPAPER ENDORSES BUSH (GERMAN TABLOID PAPER CALLED BILD)

There was actually a military objective in the bombing. Dresden was regarded as the center of the rail network for that part of Germany and the bombing was intended to sever all rail links.

The RAF sent 800 bombers on the night of Feb 23 and interestingly enough the USAAF sent another 400 B-17s the next day to give them another going over. The whole idea was to deliver a knockout blow so that Germany would immediately surrender. Unfortunately they chose to fight on for another three months.

Also remember that the allied forces in Europe were experiencing enormous casualties. One unit of the US army went through 50 Lieutenants from D Day to the surrender of Germany.