From: poser@vxdsyc.desy.de (Till Poser  -  ZEUS OFFLINE)
Subject: Re: Neugermanischer Tribalismus, was Re: A-4/V-2 Jahrestag
Reply-To: Poser@vxdsyc.desy.de
Organization: Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron, Experiment ZEUS bei HERA
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 17:30:11 GMT

In article <1992Oct10.234416.6504@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de>, 
lbs@tkmhp4.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de (Lech Borkowski) writes:

|>In article <1992Oct9.223656.15049@dscomsf.desy.de> 
|>Poser@vxdsyc.desy.de writes:

|>>   Abkommen, nachdem sie im Mai '40 Rotterdam und im August London 
|>>   (zunaechst versehentlich, dann gezielt), Coventry und Birmingham mit
|>>   vernichtendem Feuer belegten. Goebbels propagandisierte schamlos mit 
|>>   der Coventry-Aktion, sprach von "Coventrieren" anderer britischer 
|>>   Staedte und dichtete mehrere tausend Tote und unsagbare Verwuestungen
|>>   ebendort hinzu. Er gab damit Churchill das Stichwort zu durchaus zu 
|>>   rechtfertigenden Vergeltungsaktionen.
|>
|> Correction: Luftwaffe attacked civilian targets from the very first
|>days of the war, in September 1939, during the attack on Poland.
|>Example: Warsaw and numerous attacks on other cities and refugees
|>on the roads.

I am not really prepared to argue the case of strategic targets vs. tactical
targets and targets of opportunity, since the initiation of the war was a 
completely reprehensible violation of International Law on behalf of Germany
in any case, so the point is somewhat moot.

However, nearly all of the bombing of Warsaw took place after after the 
remaining Polish forces, that is the garrison of Warsaw and those who 
managed to break out of the Bzura and Lodz encirclements, put up a gallant 
defence and declared the city a fortress on 17-18.09.39, with the intention 
to hold out until the western allies, Britain and France, entered the war 
on the western front. The bombing by the Luftwaffe and the shelling by the 
Wehrmacht commenced until the 27.09.39, when the Warsaw garrison surrendered. 
The spirited defence made Warsaw a "legitimate" tactical target, if You 
pardon the expression, even in the eyes of Poland's allies.

As for the charge of attacking refugee columns, remember that on most roads
where refugees went back, army columns moved forth. The latter were tactical
targets or targets of opportunity and it is not all that easy to distinguish
one from the other in "fog of war" situations. Soldiers have a disquieting 
habit of "shoot first and let God sort them out".

All that had nearly nothing at all to do with the initiation of strategic 
bombing of purely civilian targets, i.e. population centers, on behalf of 
Bomber Command. That had to be justified to the British Parliament and the 
British public, and the Rotterdam bombardment, and as a final nail in the 
coffin, London and Coventry actions cut much closer to home, and caused the 
swing in public opinion, which supported unlimited strategic bombing against 
Germany.

I suppose we can argue endlessly back and forth about excessive German 
savagery being or not being perpetrated during the ~4 weeks it took to 
overrun Poland. That would not be a fruitful excercise, since the attack 
itself was a wholly unconscionable action. However, as military
engagements up to that point went, this action is not noted for outright
brutality, on either side (In the occupied areas, though, the killing of
occupation soldiers was answered with hostage executions as reprisals, which
are, without any question, an utterly disgusting crime. And of course, what 
went on _after_ the conquest of Poland is simply unspeakable.) and cannot be
compared with what went on in the wake of "Barbarossa". 

Fair enough?

|> Lech Borkowski

       Till Poser         Internet: poser@vxdsyc.desy.de
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