Asked By: Roland Wilson - 1/21/2011

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Harris was following the orders of churchill and other politicians to reduce Germany`s capacity to wage war. he did this to the best of his ability despite conflicting orders from above to "bomb this or bomb that"

Harris was never ordered to stop bombing cities and bomb oil. He had a fundamental disagreement with his boss, Chief of the Air Staff Portal, about whether Oil was worth going after. You must remember that Harris had spent 3 years moving between targets at the whim of the Air Staff and he just saw this as another "panacea" target. He argued that the bombing of German cities was doing the job he intended it to do and bombing oil would not have the effect desired.
It turns out that he was wrong and oil was not a panacea but a vital element in the final victory but you must know that Harris turned around 40?f his missions onto oil at Portal's behest.
During their disagreement Harris told Portal to "back me or sack me". Portal did not sack him.

Harris was nicknamed Bomber by the newspapers. His aircrews called him "Butch"

Harris was acting under orders to destroy Germany`s war machine. He did that in the best way he thought possible AT THE TIME.
Harris did not have the luxury of 65 years peace and the records of nazi Germany to know just how close they were to defeat. He did his job as he saw it.

As stated above he received no peerage after the war. This may be because Harris refused any honours whilst "my people who have given for so long such devoted service are denied any recognition" beyond the Defence medal. The politicians refusal to give Bomber Command a specific campaign medal still rankles with veterans, family and historians.
He was made Marshal of the RAF before his official retirement and given the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

He was eased out of the service a few months short of qualifying for a full pension as an Air Chief Marshal and given no opportunity of a nice colonial job or other public post.

He retired to South Africa in 1948 and after Winston Churchill`s return as Prime Minister, he insisted that Harris accept a Baronetcy. he returned to England in 1953 and lived there until his death in 1984 just before his 92nd Birthday.

Many people wanted to lay the blame purely on Harris for the bombing of Germany, mainly politicians. Harris was blunt and outspoken, a trait that served him well as a man and a commander but, unfortunately, not something that serves well in times of peace and the bleeding Heart Liberals are not in fear of their lives.

When Clement Attlee published his memoirs he made reference to his worries about area bombing. Harris replied. "I am weary of the repeated attempts since the war to saddle me, and me alone, with the bombing policies ordered and approved by HM Government OF WHICH YOU WERE A LEADING MEMBER"
Clement Attlee was happy to order Harris to bomb Germany but wanted to distance himself from the policy later. One of the first politicians to do this, to his shame, was Winston Churchill who, with his politicians instinct, saw which way the wind was blowing before the war with Germany even ended.

Harris spent 3 years in control of one of the most potent weapons ever forged by Man. during those three years he committed 90?f his troops to attack, on average, 5 times a fortnight. No General before or since has fought so many battles where he has committed that amount of his force to combat. Not Caesar, Wellington, Napoleon, Haig, Montgomery or Eisenhower.

Yes, Harris made mistakes, so did all of the ones mentioned above. IMHO opinion Harris deserves the thanks of the free world for helping to preserve that free world. What Bomber Command did to Germany was horrific and painful. The alternative, to allow Germany free production of its factories, and the ability to use the weaponry that was deployed to stop both BC and the USAAF against the Russians and the invading armies in Normandy would have resulted in far more casualties.

A final thought. The only men truly able to judge the performance of a commander are those he sent to fight.

At a reunion for the Air Gunners association in the 1970s Harris made a speech in which he asked "Will you go back to Dresden or Nuremberg or Berlin tonight?"
According to an onlooker "Every man stepped forward and said 'Yes Sir we will go' and no-one there could be in any doubt that they meant it"

Ray

Answered By: Ray W - 1/22/2011