Firebombing

“So it goes.” These three words convey the fatalistic mindset of Kurt Vonnegut through the voice of Billy Pilgrim, the protagonist of Vonnegut’s novel, Slaughterhouse Five. The strength of Vonnegut’s novel lies in his own personal experiences, as he himself was an American prisoner of war, was captured in Germany, and then was transferred to the city of Dresden. Throughout the novel, Billy Pilgrim suffers flashbacks of the horrors of war, specifically those associated with the bombing of Dresden. By narrating the novel through the voice of Billy, Vonnegut conveys his belief that war is absurd, exemplified by the causes and effects of the firebombing of Dresden. A war can have a number of causes that lead to horrific consequences such as the…

There were other options, and some believed that those options would have been more effective. Some high ranking military officials supported the idea of an invasion, “this course was the only one that would permit application of the full power of our combined resources-ground, naval and air-on the decisive objective”.¹³ This argument favored tested and tried methods of winning the war. Firebombing had worked in Germany, and could prove to be successful in Japan. Further, they saw no reason to…

Firebombing (Dresden, Tokyo, Hamburg) On March 9th, 1945, Tokyo was hit by a firebombing attack. Around 100,000 civilians had died. The plan was to have a low level bombing attack where speed and light weight was crucial. It would destroy the factories that produced war materials. The giant bonfire created spread the flames throughout Tokyo. The raid lasted around 3 hours, and it was the worst single firestorm recorded in history. Charred remains of Japanese civilians after the…

One reason that is commonly used to argue against the firebombing of Dresden, Germany is that the city was of no military significance to the German Army. Many forms of evidence exist that back up this argument. One of which is an article published on the History website. According to the information on the History website, referenced from the Yalta Conference in February 1945, “The tragic irony of the raid on Dresden, a medieval city renowned for its rich artistic and architectural treasures,…

between 60,000 and 80,000 people were killed instantly when the bomb fell” (McNamee). Although more people died from radiation sickness, the estimation of the total deaths is at the very least 135,000 people (McNamee). Firebombing was also used during the war on Japan and was almost just as destructive. In one “firebombing attack on Tokyo in March 1945 killed more than 80,000 people” (“Harry S Truman's Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb”). Comparing the initial death toll of the atomic bomb and…

Raymond Chan 5/31/17 Period 1 Grave of the Fireflies Essay The American firebombing of Japanese cities was a necessary and avoidable part of the war. I agree that it is necessary to firebomb Japanese cities because eventually, we need to stop Japan from invading United States. It is about protecting United States people, not the Japanese. It was a statement to warn Japan to surrender. It was necessary because the United States had a duty to their citizens and they used the atomic bomb to make…

meaningless, out of this world type of feel. He is known for his profound humor; always mocking present-day 's society (Marvin 1). Vonnegut usually focuses on warfare and the human quantity for both the foolishness and unpleasant. Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 11, 1922. He was the third child of Kurt, an architect, and his wife Edith (Allen Vonnegutlibrary.com). Both of them had lost their fortunes after World War I (Marvin 2). In 1940, Vonnegut attend the University…

The project I chose to do was an original artwork. It demonstrates various aspects of modernism and surrealism, by showing fragmentation, experimentation, and collage techniques. I utilised and manipulated key symbols and motifs from the novel, Slaughterhouse Five, such as an imprisoned soldier without eyes, a clock shaped lifecycle for birds, and the firebombing of Dresden. Together, the meaning behind the symbolism and motifs expressed within this poster describe why Billy Pilgrim feels the…

debatable topic, but most concrete evidence shows that the Soviet Union should be credited for ending the war, at least in Europe. There is a reason why Philip Roth called this time in history “the greatest collective inebriation in American history.” There was a collective, nationwide misconception of American power that gave the majority of its citizens a false sense of entitlement. Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man who overestimated his own power and failed in his attempts…

There have been many different types of domestic terrorist groups and organizations over the years. A form of terrorism that targets its actions based on a perceived threat or harm to the environment is known as Eco-Terrorism. If a group of activists attempt to join the cause of another group and commits violence in the furtherance of the ideals, it could conceivably be considered terrorism. If the outside group were to commit a violent act that resulted in a death, then it has arguably…