• Title: The Fire and the Darkness
• Author: Sinclair McKay
• Genre/Subject: WWII History
• Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
• Publication Date: 2018
• Start date: 4/19/24
• Finish date: 4/24/24

Review:

Dresden. Kurt Vonnegut made the name part of popular consciousness with the publication of Slaughterhouse Five. But for historians this is a minefield that most choose not to navigate. How to balance the remembrance with politics and the war. Like with Hiroshima, it’s difficult to discuss or write about without taking a side or showing bias. This author and historian did navigate that minefield and the result is this excellent volume.

I learned a lot, or I guess that’s because I knew very little about Dresden and the firestorm going in. I’ve seen it mentioned in articles and whispered about in bars and pubs, but I didn’t know the whole history until now.

Bombing is repugnant to me, always will be, but I’m a realist and I understand why bombing remains extremely popular over 100 years after the first dashing aviator tossed a cannonball out of his Sopwith Camel. Bombing is intended to, and very effectively manages to terrify and demoralize the civilian population of an enemy combatant. Sounds very martial and strategic when I put it like that. But the reality is that you’re blasting the limbs off of children trying to go to the park to play football. But Dresden, was much, much, much worse than that.

February 13, 1945 at 22:03 the full fury of Bomber Command was unleashed on the German city of Dresden. Dresden was a baroque jewel of a city, know for its pottery, its glorious opera house, the magnificent dome on the cathedral and its natural beauty with the river Elbe winding through it. It also was one of the most virulently anti Jewish centers to be found anywhere in Nazi Germany. Jewish children, any that didn’t get deported to death camps, were not allowed to purchase or consume ice cream. Jewish households could not own pets and all their cats and dachsunds were confiscated. So, seriously an awful place to live if you were not exactly what the Party wanted you to be.

The first wave of hundreds of bombers killed persons and destroyed the buildings. The second wave rained fiery death throughout the city. Then the following morning the final wave of American bombers finished off whatever was left crawling through the ruins. The firestorm was literally that, a molten hurricane that could melt the stones on the streets. This was horror in every sense of that word.

So what does a historian do when faced with this? Tells the story, right from the city’s beginnings right through to the aftermath and rebuilding. Not taking sides, not passing judgements, just writing the history. And the result is an authentic and authoritative account of a dark episode in human history.

I have to admit that as compelling and incisive as this was, it was a difficult read at an emotional level, considering that when I read this, and if you are reading this in the future, Israel was bombing the hell out of Gaza. It’s easy for people to say, “Bomb em back to the stone age!” regardless of who “em” is. But when you read something like this, I hope it allows you to feel some compassion, some humanity. Go find a 10 year old girl whose parents have just been vaporized and explain the political factors that led to this eventuality. Explain to her about how collateral damage is regrettable but unavoidable. I dare you. I fucking dare you.

Fuck. Sorry. I wasn’t going to do this. Why I’ve been busy finding anything else to do except write this review. Better fold those socks again Neilos, might be time to polish the silver. Why I’m avoiding the news. Why I’m not happy with humans sometimes, like right now.

Anyhow, this was an excellent book. Five Stars.