Should we apologize?

[dom]

Is it right that the German government is requesting a public apology from HRH for the bombings of civilian cities such as Dresden? Should Dresden be considered a war crime? Lets hear your views. Personally, they can offski...

[monty]

hang on didnt bomber command start it after Hitler bombed our citys.

If i remember correctly we refused too at first and it took years to persuade churchill to do it as he was strongly opposed to civillan bombing and casualties

apologize my a**e

[Guv]

Hmmmm,

Even after 60 years this kind of discussion stirs up anger even from the Grandchildren of those involved.

Should we apologise for the slaughter of innocent Civillians, YES, of course we should, but then again so should all parties of the conflict not just us Brits.

Who is/was right or wrong is a matter of perspective, but the steps towards apologising without pointing fingers is a must if we are to ensure that this kind of thing never happens again. Unless your name is Uncle Sam, then of course rules don't apply to you do they!!

As for Churchill, how much of Coventry can you find that is pre-1940? But that's another story.

Probably the most controversial topic on this forum so far.

Guv.

[Whizz_Bang]

Well worded mate, I know how passionate people can ge ton this subject.... I agree with Guv on this, apologies or more so 'admissions' should be part of the peace building process, it is however very easy for us to say as non of us witnessed the level of suffering the people of the day went through. For them it must be a bitter pill to swallow.

I'm interested in other oppinions... keep em coming and good topic Dom.

[Bonkers]

Very good subject, indeed.
Yeah, the right thing would be to assume some acceptance for damage and loss of civilan life.
Is so easy now. Now that most of the poor flight crews are gone? Back then , not only was it bomb 'em into submission, but also , an eye for an eye. It took years and years ,to put Coventry and other areas back on the map. We paid money and sweat and toil back into rebuilding those German cities back together, in the fifties and more. As a good will gesture, almost an appology for our invovement.
The then, German people were happy with that, we were happy with that. Have they asked the bloomin' American people for anything ? or the Communists for anything, like keeping them locked away behind a wall for generations ? Don't think so?
The brave aircrews that went there, knew what bombing did, yet still they went. They had to, it was a means to an end.
atleast we did not round up innocent people by the thousands and kill them off in cold blood. They wanted to irradicate an whole race, we, on the other hand wanted to stop them.
My answer to any appology is ywo words, and one is. OFF.
Sorry.

[Tiny]

Maybe now is a good time to apologize. Although I do not believe it was a 'war crime' as many people in the past have tried to label it.

At the time it was total war and Bomber Harris wanted to flatten Germany as he beleived it was the only way to bring Germany to her knees.

But should we still be feeling such anger towards it 60 years on? With idiots such as Blair and Bush in the world today starting fights to ensure Brit an US interest's are maintained, I think it would be a real positive thing for both Germany and Us to apologize for the civilian casualties caused during the war by 'carpet bombing'.

[Tiny]

After reflection, I take back my previous statement (I think I'd been smoking too much of the old peace pipe ;D)

After the Blitz on our country we were well within our rights to repay the complement. Germany should stop trying to make itself out to be the victim of the war.

[Max]

Any loss of civilian life in war time is regrateble. But the real point is who started it, you start a fight no good complaining when you get hurt!! Anyway according to the new Brussels history book England played no part in the first or the second world war, so it couldn't have been British planes that bombed them!!

[Tommy]

Very Good point!

[Whizz_Bang]

[glow=red,2,300]England played no part in the first or the second world war, so it couldn't have been British planes that bombed them!! [/glow]

Good answer dude !

[Tiny]

Good point Max. I thought our vets fought to free Europe of an all conqeuring political group who liked to re-write history to suit them.

Funny how things don't change eh?

[Pesolo]

When countries fight there are no innocent cillvains if they are not on the front lines they are working in the factorys building weapons to kill other cillvains or front line soliders

[Whizz_Bang]

Valid point Pesolo but bombs dont discriminate between munitions workers and school kids.

[OLL]

In my opinion, every nation was party to acts which could be deemed as regrettable. We could go on forever apologising for one thing or the other. In the end it makes little difference, innocent people were killed and no amount of apologies can change that. German's should keep quiet and keep there heads down when it comes to things like this - they won't find much sympathy anywhere. They have even complained about the amount of WW2 history which is taught in British schools. LOL

[Gordon]

coming from a german background... the german people, as a whole, don't mention the war much. They believe that it was two sided, and thats true. Once again this is politicians digging old graves.

Yeah, the allies bombed funk out of germany - but germany bombed first. So, what came first - the chicken and the egg. And on that note, which was worse - the chicken that can lay eggs, or the egg which hatches a chicken and makes more eggs... work that one out