Heavy bombing offensive against Germany

   THE GERMAN CITY OF HAMBURG DEVESTATED BY HEAVY BOMBING RAIDS

Because of the British Government's insistence that policy be directed solely at knocking out Nazi war production, there was no need to soft pedal with regard to bombing civilian targets.

Late in 1943 when the RAF heavy bombing offensive was well under way, a debate took place between Sir Arthur Harris Commander-in Chief bomber Command and the Air Ministry. Harris objected strongly to the publicity which tended to show that Bomber Command operations were a bit of a side-show. Harris demanded that the aim of the bomber offensive should be clearly stated, this being the destruction of German cities and the killing of German workers and the disruption of live throughout Germany.

Public opinion seemed to support the bombing offensive, for example in July-August 1942, the public were disappointed at the apparent failure of the RAF to carry out the destruction of German cities one by one, there were repeated calls for 1.000 bomber raids, there was no doubt people knew  they would result in heavy civilian casualties.