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Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/946021.html
Why Wasn't Auschwitz Bombed?
[Ha'aretz] Michael Berenbaum - When President George W. Bush visited Yad Vashem last Friday, he paused before a photograph of Auschwitz, called over Secretary of State Rice and said, "We should have bombed Auschwitz." Why wasn't Auschwitz bombed? The question of bombing Auschwitz arose only in the summer of 1944, more than two years after the gassing of Jews had begun. By July, information about Auschwitz and its function was available, German air defenses were weakened, and the accuracy of Allied bombing was increasing. By July, officials of the Jewish Agency in London were forcefully calling for the bombing. All that was required was the political will. As early as May 1944, the U.S. Air Force had the capability to strike Auschwitz at will. The rail lines from Hungary were also well within range. Between May 15 and July 8, 437,402 Jews were deported from Hungary, overwhelmingly to Birkenau, the death camp of Auschwitz. On July 7, 1944, American bombers flew over the railway lines to Auschwitz. On August 20, 127 Flying Fortresses dropped 1,336 500-pound bombs on the I.G. Farben synthetic oil factory less than five miles east of Birkenau. The death camp remained untouched.