Classic Debate: The Allied bombing of German cities in World War II was unjustifiable

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  Welcome to Intelligence Squared, where great minds meet.

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  Today we're bringing you a classic debate from 2012.

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  The role of Bomber Command in World War II is highly contentious,

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  but was the offensive on German cities immoral and unjustified,

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  or was it a decisive contribution to the Allied victory?

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  Intelligence Squared brought together three of Britain's most distinguished World War II historians and one of our best-known moral philosophers to debate this very question.

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  Arguing in favour of the motion that Allied bombing of German cities in World War II was unjustifiable were philosopher A.C.

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  Grayling and history professor Richard Overy.

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  Opposing them were historians Anthony Beaver and Patrick Bishop.

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  The debate was chaired by editor-in-chief of The Week magazine, Jeremy O'Grady.

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  Now let's join Jeremy with more.

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  Welcome, ladies and gentlemen.

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  So nice to see so many of you here today.

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  And I think tonight is all going to be about the intersection of moral principle and historical fact,

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  and the extent to which historical fact may or may not incline you to change your mind from the great historical principle that Anthony Grayling cites in the title of his own book on this subject.

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  whether it is ever justifiable to bomb civilians.

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  And some of the questions that you will probably be asking yourself tonight

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  as we get more and more into the history of this is,

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  for example,

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  if it were the case that the bombing of civilians was crucial in stopping Hitler becoming victorious,

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