Originally Posted by
Chugalug2
For a Service that counts attaining Air Superiority as a sine qua non, the RAF post WWII seems to have a blind spot regarding the Bombing Offensive against the German Reich. That Holland shares its view is a matter for him, but to suggest that Wallis did too, simply because of Upkeep and Tallboy is really gilding the lily. Harris believed in area bombing true. But what else could take the war to Germany? No amount of pickle barrels could provide precision bombing in any modern sense. Certainly some weapon systems (mainly Wallis's) provided for precision attacks by day but at considerable cost, and even then shared the beneficial effects that Harris's Old Lags achieved by bludgeoning Germany night after night, together with the USAAC by day. The concentration of flak, and day and night fighters, in the Reich denuded the Eastern and later on the Western Fronts of Air Defence. That slippery charmer, Speer, admitted it was the second front, so by D-Day we are talking four fronts, and counting.
Bomber Command was a war winning weapon system, achieving air superiority in the East and the West for the Allies, and finally in the skies above Germany itself. Harris may have believed that Strategic Bombing could win the war alone, he certainly implied that it might, but he had to fire the bellies of those Old Lags that he sent out night after night with resolve. He was poorly treated by Churchill and by his own Service. 55573 of his command paid the ultimate price, but not in vain. You don't win wars by being nice, you do so by destroying your enemy's ability to wage war. That is what drove Harris and he should be given the credit for his share in final victory.
As to the programme (first tx in 2011 I believe), very good, but could be better I'd say simply by praising Upkeep without the knee jerk need to damn the Bombing Offensive (though the Beeb will never do otherwise I fear).
John Strachey, who Harris tried to have removed from his post at the Directorate of Bombing Operations due to his communist leanings, was the post war Under Secretary of State for Air and is assumed to have snubbed Harris for an honour and thus BC as a whole. Harris was determined to continue his way and that way was lost after the Battle of Berlin. When BC came under the control of Eisenhower in April 44 it achieved great success in destroying transportation and invasion targets. It has long been held that Harris should have been dismissed in the winter of 44, when he returned to the destruction of cities, but there was not the political will to do so. Air superiority in the west won by the USAAF with their long range Mustangs and the attrition of the German day fighter force. So what of the men who flew and died for BC? My family and my wife's family lost members in the service of BC. My adjutant was an X BC man. No one can or should attempt to tarnish their resolve and courage. To go and fly night after night in the face of overwhelming odds, in my opinion ,should mean everyone of them deserves a VC.