"You needn't worry about bombs, by the way. Dresden is an open city. It is undefended, and contains no war industries or troop concentrations of any importance." (146)
This quote is dramatic irony and an understatement all in one. There is irony in the fact that the Englishmen is telling the American soldiers leaving for Dresden that there is no need to worry for their safety from bombs. The audience knows from historical knowledge as well as from Billy's flashbacks that the city of Dresden does in fact get bombed. The purpose of this irony is to show readers the unsuspecting nature the Americans had while in Dresden. They did not have the slightest clue that a bomb would be dropped right over their heads. I think this also is a symbol for a war as a whole. The American soldiers and soldiers from other countries as well never knew what their enemy had planned. The whole idea of war is to catch the enemy off guard and kill their soldiers. I would think that no matter where in Europe the soldiers were, they should at least be conscious that there is a possibility that a bomb could be dropped on their heads. The understatement is that the Englishman goes on to say that there are no war industries or troops of importance. Apparently there was something of importance in Dresden or it would not have been bombed. I don't think that bombs were commodities that could be wasted on barren fields.
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