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source four
Extracts from the response of Chief of Air Staff Charles Portal to Churchill's letter on area bombing, 5 April 1945
(Catalogue ref: CAB 120/303)
Transcript
CAB 120/303; response to Churchill’s letter, 1945

Questions
  1. Look at the directives (orders) given to Bomber Command in January 1943 and in September 1944. In what ways did the orders change?

  2. Given the new directive of September 1944, should the Dresden raid have taken place? Give reasons to support your answer.

  3. What reasons does the Chief of Air Staff give for continuing area bombing?

  4. What will and will not be main targets for the bombing from now on? Why?
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