Bomber Harris.
Probably I am the oldest survivor from those days, but even I have little to add to what has been said. It may well be that Harris exceeded his authority on occasion. He would not have been the first Commander to do so, and he will not be the last. If it turns out well, Authority will take all the credit. If it goes wrong - you're on your own, mate !
As I have mentioned before, the (anticipated) effect of "area" bombing on civilian morale was as big a factor in the minds of the war planners as the material destruction involved. It is not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, but the size of the fight in the dog. Hitler thought he could "break" our morale, he didn't. We thought we could break the German civilian morale, we didn't.
But that was no reason why he - or we - would not try. If you want to (or are forced to) fight global war, you must desire the end (victory), and you must desire all the means you can lay your hands on to get it - many of these will not be pretty. Nice guys don't win wars.
"If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen" (as Harry Truman memorably observed).
D.