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The Bombing of Auschwitz
Research Question:
Why wasn’t Auschwitz bombed by the Allies?
Subject: History
Word Count: 3989
Figure 1 Railway tracks leading to the camp entrance1
1
Lockhart, Keely. “Holocaust Memorial Day: Remembering the Horror of Auschwitz.” The Telegraph,
Telegraph Media Group, 27 Jan. 2016,
Personal code: gpz105
, 1
Contents Page
Page 2-3 Introduction
Page 3-4 Bombing of Auschwitz
Page 4-7 Allied intelligence on Auschwitz
Page 7-10 Was Bombing Auschwitz feasible
Page 11-13 Usefulness of a raid
Page 13-14 Conclusion
Page 15 Appendix
Page 16 Bibliography
Personal code: gpz105
, 2
Introduction
The Research question of this extended essay is “Why wasn’t Auschwitz bombed by the
Allies”. The perspectives of revisionist historians such as David Wyman are important as they assert that
Allied leaders abandoned the Jews by rejecting their pleas to bomb Auschwitz, despite being aware of the
atrocities taking place. These serious accusations have prompted historical investigations from both
revisionist and orthodox camps, culminating in evidence on both sides. Whilst revisionist historians raise
critical points about the Allies’ reticence to bomb non-military targets and limited Allied intelligence,
orthodox views argue that the inefficiency of Allied bombing and likely Allied and Jewish casualties
would make the operation unproductive. This investigation will address the Allies’ decision not to bomb
Auschwitz by examining the available intelligence, the feasibility of bombing Auschwitz and usefulness
of a raid based on a synthesises from Martin Gilbert's “Auschwitz and the Allies” and Bernard
Wasserstein’s “Britain and the Jews of Europe”. Both authors have access to Churchills diaries, private
correspondence between Allied leaders, and government archives and therefore provide insightful
examination of the research question.
This research question is worthy of study because a conclusion of negligence could challenge the
traditional narrative of the virtuous and honourable Allied victory over Nazi Germany. The suggestion
that Churchill and Roosevelt – respectively two of the most beloved leaders in their nations’ history –
Personal code: gpz105
, 3
would wilfully neglect the lives of 1.1 million people might seem unimaginable. It is worth questioning
the established historical record, as it is commonly said that “history is written by the victors”, suggesting
that the history books may have downplayed the victors’ role in the Holocaust.
Bombing Of Auschwitz
Auschwitz was a series of concentration camps operated from 1940 to 1945 by the SS, where
2
they facilitated the murder of over 1.1 million Jews . Requests to bomb the camp were first issued by
Jewish Rabbi Dov Weissmandel in August of 19443, who beseeched Allied leaders to halt the cruel
killings and mass deportations of Hungarian Jews by bombing Auschwitz’s gas chambers, crematoriums
and the railway lines leading up to the camp. Regrettably, the lack of Allied response has led to
considerable controversy. This historiographical debate was first addressed by historian David Wyman in
a 1979 New York Times article entitled “Why Auschwitz Wasn't Bombed”. It was the first time that a
historian had openly reflected negatively on Allied efforts to combat mass execution of European Jews in
1944, affording the public with a new perspective on how Allied governments including Churchill’s and
may have mishandled some aspects of the war. In this capacity it remains a widely discussed example of
a missed opportunity by the Allies, Churchill, and his government to disrupt the mass execution of Jews
by Nazi Germany.
Allied Intelligence on Auschwitz
2
Van Pelt, Robert. [2002]. “The Case for Auschwitz: Evidence from the Irving Trial,” pp.106
3
“Bombing Auschwitz.” Auschwitz and the Allies, by Martin Gilbert, Simon & Schuster, 2011, pp. 217.
Personal code: gpz105
The Bombing of Auschwitz
Research Question:
Why wasn’t Auschwitz bombed by the Allies?
Subject: History
Word Count: 3989
Figure 1 Railway tracks leading to the camp entrance1
1
Lockhart, Keely. “Holocaust Memorial Day: Remembering the Horror of Auschwitz.” The Telegraph,
Telegraph Media Group, 27 Jan. 2016,
Personal code: gpz105
, 1
Contents Page
Page 2-3 Introduction
Page 3-4 Bombing of Auschwitz
Page 4-7 Allied intelligence on Auschwitz
Page 7-10 Was Bombing Auschwitz feasible
Page 11-13 Usefulness of a raid
Page 13-14 Conclusion
Page 15 Appendix
Page 16 Bibliography
Personal code: gpz105
, 2
Introduction
The Research question of this extended essay is “Why wasn’t Auschwitz bombed by the
Allies”. The perspectives of revisionist historians such as David Wyman are important as they assert that
Allied leaders abandoned the Jews by rejecting their pleas to bomb Auschwitz, despite being aware of the
atrocities taking place. These serious accusations have prompted historical investigations from both
revisionist and orthodox camps, culminating in evidence on both sides. Whilst revisionist historians raise
critical points about the Allies’ reticence to bomb non-military targets and limited Allied intelligence,
orthodox views argue that the inefficiency of Allied bombing and likely Allied and Jewish casualties
would make the operation unproductive. This investigation will address the Allies’ decision not to bomb
Auschwitz by examining the available intelligence, the feasibility of bombing Auschwitz and usefulness
of a raid based on a synthesises from Martin Gilbert's “Auschwitz and the Allies” and Bernard
Wasserstein’s “Britain and the Jews of Europe”. Both authors have access to Churchills diaries, private
correspondence between Allied leaders, and government archives and therefore provide insightful
examination of the research question.
This research question is worthy of study because a conclusion of negligence could challenge the
traditional narrative of the virtuous and honourable Allied victory over Nazi Germany. The suggestion
that Churchill and Roosevelt – respectively two of the most beloved leaders in their nations’ history –
Personal code: gpz105
, 3
would wilfully neglect the lives of 1.1 million people might seem unimaginable. It is worth questioning
the established historical record, as it is commonly said that “history is written by the victors”, suggesting
that the history books may have downplayed the victors’ role in the Holocaust.
Bombing Of Auschwitz
Auschwitz was a series of concentration camps operated from 1940 to 1945 by the SS, where
2
they facilitated the murder of over 1.1 million Jews . Requests to bomb the camp were first issued by
Jewish Rabbi Dov Weissmandel in August of 19443, who beseeched Allied leaders to halt the cruel
killings and mass deportations of Hungarian Jews by bombing Auschwitz’s gas chambers, crematoriums
and the railway lines leading up to the camp. Regrettably, the lack of Allied response has led to
considerable controversy. This historiographical debate was first addressed by historian David Wyman in
a 1979 New York Times article entitled “Why Auschwitz Wasn't Bombed”. It was the first time that a
historian had openly reflected negatively on Allied efforts to combat mass execution of European Jews in
1944, affording the public with a new perspective on how Allied governments including Churchill’s and
may have mishandled some aspects of the war. In this capacity it remains a widely discussed example of
a missed opportunity by the Allies, Churchill, and his government to disrupt the mass execution of Jews
by Nazi Germany.
Allied Intelligence on Auschwitz
2
Van Pelt, Robert. [2002]. “The Case for Auschwitz: Evidence from the Irving Trial,” pp.106
3
“Bombing Auschwitz.” Auschwitz and the Allies, by Martin Gilbert, Simon & Schuster, 2011, pp. 217.
Personal code: gpz105
