6 MARCH 2004, Page 26

A blitz on culture

From David Woodhead Sir: If, as Noble Frankland argues in agreeing with the conclusions of Frederick Taylor's book Dresden (Books, 28 February), it was legitimate to destroy the city in February 1945 because it was a communications and industrial centre, why was its incomparable historic centre deliberately targeted by the RAF and USAF, rather than its communications and industry?

As Taylor himself admits, the targets of 2,600 tons of high explosives and incendiary devices were 13 square miles of its undefended centre, 'including incalculable quantities of treasure and works of art and dozens of the finest buildings in Europe'. Not to mention, of course, tens of thousands of civilians and refugees.

David Woodhead

Leatherhead, Surrey