It was pushed quite hard by a postwar historian by the name of David Irving, who was later discredited for being... well, a pro-Nazi piece of shit. But at the time Slaughterhouse 5 came out, it could still pass amongst the public as cutting-edge popular history, so Vonnegut being taken in by it is more a reflection of the time.

[–] ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Kurt Vonnegut did actually go through Dresden during the war though. Some aspects of the story in Slaughterhouse 5 were his own observations.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago

The number of deaths cited are what's in question.

[–] bollybing@lemmynsfw.com 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Also just read the Wikipedia and the strength of each side in the conflict:

Nazi Germany:

28 Messerschmitt Bf110s
Anti-aircraft guns

UK&US:

769 Lancaster Bombers
527 B-17s
794 P-51 Mustangs
9 De Havilland Mosquitos

[–] SalamenceFury@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Bomber Harris was not fucking around.

[–] mossy_@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago

well... so it goes

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

Same, and I just finished the book for the 5th time last week!