 Family History Father successful architect Mother daughter of prosperous brewer Really bad news- Prohibition & Depression Father’s career ends with Depression Kurt Jr. attends Cornell University- biology/chemistry 1941-Joins the army at 20  Education Cornell University-failing Attended Carnegie Mellon & Univ of Tennessee for the Army to become mechanical engineer 1967-Univ. of Univ. of Iowa’s Writer’s Workshop- returns to Dresden to research for Slaughterhouse Five 1971-Earns master’s degree for Cat’s Cradle

“The Dresden atrocity, tremendously expensive and meticulously planned, was so meaningless, finally, that only one person on the entire planet got any benefit from it. I am that person. I wrote this book, which earned a lot of money for me and made my reputation, such as it is. One way or another, I got two or three dollars for every person killed. Some business I'm in.”

December 25, ,000 Americans captured Vonnegut captured and sent to Dresden to package medical supplies in the basement of a slaughterhouse Hitler’s last battle Drive wedge between Americans and British forces Subzero temps plus driving snow Allies surprised by attack Bloodiest battle every fought by Americans American stats- 19,000 killed 47,500 wounded 23,000 POW/MIA

 February 13-15, 1945 British and Americans bomb Dresden-tornado of heat and fire Hospital city for wounded German troops 3,400 tons of explosive dropped by 800 American and British aircraft-one bomb for every 2 people Temperature 1,000-2,000 degree Fahrenheit Death by fire or suffocation Causalities: 260,000 counted but 500,000 never located