this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2025
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History Memes

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[–] bollybing@lemmynsfw.com 25 points 4 weeks ago (4 children)

Holy shit, the number in Slaughterhouse 5 is from Nazi propaganda and I believed it for like 20 years. Thanks for the correction!

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 32 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

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 4 weeks 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 4 weeks ago

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

[–] bollybing@lemmynsfw.com 9 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks 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 4 weeks ago

Bomber Harris was not fucking around.

[–] mossy_@lemmy.world 8 points 4 weeks ago

well... so it goes

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 5 points 4 weeks ago

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