The main criticism of Harris was his unswerving belief in city bombing to win the war. Once the allied armies were safely established in France he received a new directive in September 1944 making the petroleum industry his "first priority".
However Harris continued to devote the majority of his effort to city bombing so for the last 3 months of 1944 only 14% of attacks were on oil targets whilst cities received some 53%.
Not surprisingly this led to deterioration in his relations with higher command with Harris writing to the Chief of Air Staff to "..consider whether it was best....that I should remain.."
In the end the CAS declined to accept his resignation offer. The official historian commenting that "no other course at this stage of the war was open.....which would not have been a remedy worse than the disease."