The bombing of Dresden commenced. It would end on the 15th.
Dresden was an ardently Nazi city that was rail transport and communication center, and contained 110 factories and 50,000 workers. The raid was to have commenced as a daylight raid by the USAAF 8th Air Force but bad weather precluded it, so the RAF commenced operations first instead with a nighttime raid. Polish pilots servign in British supplied units had their sidearms removed due to outrage over the Yalta Agreement. Two raids were conducted that night. The USAAF hit the following day. A firestorm erupted during the raids leading to mass destruction,
Up to 25,000 civilians, a fraction of the casualties claimed by the German propogandists, lost their lives due to the raid.
The bombing became infamous, in part because of the grossly exaggerated casualty figure, but also because of the horrible nature of the destruction. In reality, the city was more of a military target than legend would have it, and if the destruction was horrific, which it was, it raises the question of the overall morality of the Allied bombing efforts, particularly as they evolved during the war.
The Germans surrendered Budapest to the Red Army.
The British 2nd Army completed clearing the Reichswald Forest.
The US Navy began operations in Manila Bay.
Corregidor was bombarded.
The 11th Airborne Division took Caviete.
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