At around 0100 yesterday (12th Oct) I was roaming round the wasteland which is our daily TV diet, and came in half-way through "Into the Wind" (Channel 19, "Yesterday", 1230-0200). No doubt this is an old one, and many of you may have seen it before, but it was new on me. Judging by the appearance of the "oldies" wheeled on to tell their stories, they were in their 80s, which would place it some 10-15 years ago.
I found it a riveting discussion of the ethics of our Bomber Campaign in WWII, concluding (inevitably) with the destruction of Dresden at the end of the war. I thought it very fair and well balanced, and would very much like to see it again. But I can find no way of "catch-up" on Channel 19 (any IT wizards out there ?), so will just have to keep an eye open to see if, sooner or later, they put it on once more (as they do most programmes).
That is not the main purpose of this Post. MPN11's page 375, #7484 (7th Oct) re: "Bases", gave a very interesting link (thanks, MPN11 !):
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http://www.raflincolnshire.info/bom.../bombercmd.htm>
Which in turn led me to:
R.A.F. - Lincolshire - Info.
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Strategic Bombing Directives
Jul 1941 saw the Chiefs of Staff make one of their most important statements with respect to bombing operations, signaling their support for total war from the air and an all-out offensive by the only Service able to target the enemy's centres of gravity effectively at the time.
"We must first destroy the foundations upon which the German war machine runs - the economy which feeds it, the morale which sustains it, the supplies which nourish it and the hopes of victory which inspire it. Only then shall we be able to return to the continent and occupy and control portions of his territory and impose our will on the enemy . . . . it is on bombing on a scale undreamed of in the last war, that we find the new weapon on which we must principally depend for the destruction of economic life and morale."
Following the extreme attrition of the Bomber Command force during 1941 this was superseded on 14 Feb 1942 by a new area bombing directive.
"It has been decided that the primary objective of your operations should be focused on the morale of the enemy civil population and in particular the industrial workers". The Chief of the Air Staff, Lord Portal supplemented with his own thoughts "I suppose it is clear that the Aiming Points are to be the built up areas and not the dockyards or aircraft factories."
As this our favourite Thread has once again lapsed into the Slough of Despond (Page 2 on Mil. Av.), I thought it opportune to air this well-worn subject once again and invite comment.
Danny42C.