In the last days of WW2, Allied forces launched a devastating firebombing on Dresden, a cultural city with little strategic value, known mainly for its dolls and cigarettes. The city, filled with refugees fleeing the east, became a target to inflict maximum civilian casualties. Temperatures reached 1650°C (3,000°F), incinerating up to 500,000 people, though official accounts claim 25,000. Survivors were hit in follow-up attacks. This tragic event has largely been downplayed due to Allied propaganda.