Ever since the end of---and actually during---World War II, people have argued whether the Allied bombing of Germany was a cause for that country's surrender or a waste of men and materials. Probably the best defense of it is it forced the Germans to devote huge amounts of men and materials to defend the homeland, while leaving the outer reaches of the Nazi empire open to assault. Plus, the U.S. Air Forces used the bombings to lure the German fighters out for destruction and to gain air superiority over Europe and the French invasion beaches.
The diversion of men and materials is only mentioned once in the book, while the destruction of the German Air Force is covered in more depth.
But the major thesis of the book is the British wasted their bombing efforts on the destruction of German cities and the killing of German civilians. Sir Author "Bomber" Harris, commander of the British bombers is subjected to severe criticism for his goal to destroy the German cities, towns and people. When encouraged by his superior to target oil production and other essential war industries, Harris constantly refused by offering up contradictory excuses.
What stunned me was that Harris and his superior Sir Charles Portal kept writing letters back and forth arguing what the RAF should bomb. For God's sake, they were both in the same country, why couldn't they meet face to face? Perhaps because they weren't leaders, but simply military bureaucrats!
With the help of post-war analysis and even the testimony of Albert Speer, Germany's industrial 'czar,' the author proves his point that the RAF could have shortened the war, saved the lives of tens of thousands of British airmen and hundreds of thousands of German civilians by bombing the way the U.S. Air Forces did. Plus, as a result of Harris' fixation, scores of historic German towns ceased to exist, even those with no military importance.
Other books have shown that Harris fought to keep the bombers going against German population areas, while Allied shipping was being sunk at a terrible rate. Later, when the RAF was forced to divert a few squadrons to patrol the sea lanes they had an immediate effect on the shipping losses.
In many ways this is an unsettling book about the misuse of Allied air power, and the loss of so many lives for no reason at all, due to one man's ego and belief he knew how to end the war. Every student of World War II should read this book.
The diversion of men and materials is only mentioned once in the book, while the destruction of the German Air Force is covered in more depth.
But the major thesis of the book is the British wasted their bombing efforts on the destruction of German cities and the killing of German civilians. Sir Author "Bomber" Harris, commander of the British bombers is subjected to severe criticism for his goal to destroy the German cities, towns and people. When encouraged by his superior to target oil production and other essential war industries, Harris constantly refused by offering up contradictory excuses.
What stunned me was that Harris and his superior Sir Charles Portal kept writing letters back and forth arguing what the RAF should bomb. For God's sake, they were both in the same country, why couldn't they meet face to face? Perhaps because they weren't leaders, but simply military bureaucrats!
With the help of post-war analysis and even the testimony of Albert Speer, Germany's industrial 'czar,' the author proves his point that the RAF could have shortened the war, saved the lives of tens of thousands of British airmen and hundreds of thousands of German civilians by bombing the way the U.S. Air Forces did. Plus, as a result of Harris' fixation, scores of historic German towns ceased to exist, even those with no military importance.
Other books have shown that Harris fought to keep the bombers going against German population areas, while Allied shipping was being sunk at a terrible rate. Later, when the RAF was forced to divert a few squadrons to patrol the sea lanes they had an immediate effect on the shipping losses.
In many ways this is an unsettling book about the misuse of Allied air power, and the loss of so many lives for no reason at all, due to one man's ego and belief he knew how to end the war. Every student of World War II should read this book.
