How can YOU possibly talk about the ‘history of the raid’, there were three dams targeted: Möhne, Sorpe and Eder dams not two as you state. Both the Möhne and Eder were breached. The Sorpe was always known to be the most difficult because it was an earth mound rather than a concrete structure. Other reserve targets were the Ennepe Dam, which was attacked but not breached, the Lister and Schwelm Dams that weren't reached or attacked. So please get your facts right before having a dig at others.
It is easy to say with hindsight that, and I quote you, ‘the raid in real life was a disaster that achieved nothing other than the pointless deaths of our best bomber crews and a lot of forced labourers’. The MOD could only act on information and intelligence available at the time.
Also you can’t isolate the attack as a complete failure, the raid had other affects including:
1. Showing Stalin that Britain was able to mount such a raid on enemy territory and that showing him that we were a worthy ally. And yes we did need him as an ally at the time.
2. There was an effect on production of electricity and water output but for only a short time of a couple of months. Admittedly this was the main reason for the attack, expecting much more disruption to electricity supplies and manufacturing.
3. The biggest advantage, which wasn’t known at the time, was the effect on food production with farm animals being killed and arable land flooded and unusable.
4. There was a morale boost at home, showing people that the fight was now being taken to Germany.
5. German resources were being used to defend such raids that could have been used against the allies on the front lines.
So the raid may not have been the success in the way that was intended and around 40% casualty rate was a massive price to pay, but you cannot look at these things in isolation. This was a war not a single battle and no one will get it right every time.
There ends today’s in brief history lesson.
