Chug,
Thanks for your informative reply. I'm very happy if we differ - it's a free forum and all the better for it. And I have the utmost respect for anyone who flew long range transport in those days with minimal nav aids.
But the issue you highlight is the central one - did Bomber Command go for the cities because it was all they could effectively hit, or because they believed that killing the industrial workforce (and to be clear, they were told to aim for the population centres instead of industrial areas) was faster way to end the war? The first answer is an honest one, and true. But the second one is the one Harris believed in, to his very core. And therein lies the question that remains so sensitive.
In 1943, the USAAF and Bomber Command had been unable to agree on a fully joint offensive (Pointblank). The USAAF claimed that they could conduct a precision bombing offensive against industrial targets - in reality, their accuracy wasn't much better than Bomber Command's. But they aimed at industrial targets, not housing. Harris would not bend, and threw his forces against the largest German population centres furthest east - especially Berlin - and came up short. He could have aimed at industrial centres, but chose not to. he would still have killed civilians - just not on purpose.
By late 43, it was clear to Churchill and Eisenhower that the Aliies would have to invade Europe and defeat the Wermacht on the ground to win the war. Harris (and Spaatz) are on record as opposing Overlord and claiming that 'one more push' would cause Germany to collapse. Harris, because he claimed that morale was about to collapse (it wasn't) and Spaatz because he claimed he had destroyed the german economy's ability to fight on (he hadn't).
Here's my point - both the Allied bomber commanders were, unfortunately, unable to see that their rhetoric (victory through air power alone) was not matched by reality (victory with air power making a huge contribution). That made the job of the Supreme Commander much harder in late 44 and early 45.
Not a thing in this thread takes away from one second the honour and tributes due to Bomber Command aircrew, and all aircrew who fought so gallantly.
Chug, I'm going to halt here, not because I don't want to exchange any more views, but because I think I've set out my stall. You have yours and I respect it absolutely.
Very best regards
Engines.