Prof. Overy's work includes Why the Allies Won and is estimable. If the Economist headline-grabber is valid, and his new work follows the line of philosophy Prof. Grayling, Down Among the Dead Cities, in citing all Bomber Command aircrew as war criminals, then I would be sad for his decline.
Production Policy of Cabinet Defence Committee (Supply), 31/10/41, was to assign UK resources to build 12,670 Heavies for mid-’43 1st.line strength of 4,000 Scott/Hughes,Official History, Administration of War Production,HMSO,1955,P.429. UK High Policy was again to be of attrition of enemy strength, not this time by weight of men, but by denial of materials: Economic Warfare to sever sources, Air bombardment and Naval blockade to sever distribution, by RN on/under the sea, and by Bomber Command.
Fads to decry “carpet” bombing, and to overlook civilian pain from RN blockade (RN's Task since its inception), ignore the High Authority of Strategy stated to Commanders. In 10/41 Hope could not rest on the retreating Red Army, on dilatory Uncle Sam, or on theory of fission: Options were Armistice as is, where is, or recourse to CBW. Grayling-types need to put forward a credible alternative warfighting Policy, other than waiting patiently for someone else to do the dying.
Harris was appointed in Feb.1942 to implement the Policy of our elected Govt., which was thoroughly approved of by all, and especially by my mother who had emerged merely shocked from the bombed flat whence her friend had not.