Edited sentence: As such, the actual death toll will never be known.Furthermore, Dresden was a renowned centre for German culture, art, and architecture.German citizens who lived in / near Dresden during the war note that there was no significant military build up in that city at the time of the phosphorous firebombing (a war crime).Much of these facts were covered up / ignored by the Allied powers who feared a backlash for the deaths of so many innocent civilians.The city WAS home to tens of thousands of refugees escaping the rapidly advancing Red Army in the latter months of the war.This last "fact" is inaccurate and chiefly derived from propaganda efforts both during the war and innaccurate WWII history taught in (principally) American, English, and other "alled" schools post-war