The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the bombing of Dresden, are among the most controversial events of World War II. Both actions resulted in significant loss of life and have been the subject of much debate and analysis in the years since the war. While the atomic bombings and the bombing of Dresden were controversial at the time and have continued to be controversial in the years since it is important to note that the Allied leaders who ordered these bombings were operating within the context of the war and the rules of warfare that existed at the time. In particular, the concept of "total war" that emerged during World War II involved the use of all available resources, including military force, to defeat the enemy. This included the targeting of military and industrial targets, as well as infrastructure and civilian populations, to weaken the enemy's ability to wage war. Under these circumstances, it is unlikely that the Allied leaders who ordered the atomic bombings and the bombing of Dresden would be prosecuted for war crimes. While the loss of civilian life in these events is tragic, they were not necessarily violations of the laws of war as they were understood at the time.