Vonnegut and Dresden

**Skeptical** · Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:22 pm Post subject: Vonnegut and Dresden

As many of you know, the late Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was a POW in Dresden, Germany when that city was fire-bombed in February of 1945. His classic book, Slaughterhouse-Five is based partially on his experiences. Now that Vonnegut's gone, his heirs have published Armageddon in Retrospect a more detailed telling of his experiences in Dresden. This excerpt appeared recently in the London Times:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_extracts/article4038905.ece

Vonnegut is right in that very few American school children have ever heard of this incident much less the horrific loss of life. As odd as it may sound, it seems that Dresden very well may have been worse than the atom bombings. At least Hiroshima and Nagasaki, death for most was mercifully quick. The people of Dresden had plenty of time to hear death coming. Sad

Oh - be sure to read the comments below the article. Seems we still haven't forgiven, forgotten or learned the lesson.

S
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