Was Bomber Harris a hero?
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Was Bomber Harris a hero?
A hero in 1945, Harris’s reputation steadily declined after the war. Identified as the key architect of Bomber Command’s area bombing policy that resulted in the devastation of German cities and the deaths of thousands of German civilians, he was vilified as a mass murderer and a war criminal.
What did Sir Arthur Harris do?
Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet, byname Bomber Harris, (born April 13, 1892, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England—died April 5, 1984, Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire), British air officer who initiated and directed the “saturation bombing” that the Royal Air Force inflicted on Germany during World War II.
What happened to Bomber Harris?
Harris died on 5 April 1984, eight days before his 92nd birthday, at his home in Goring.
Was Dresden Bombing necessary?
Given the high number of civilian casualties and the relatively few strategic targets, some even called the bombing of Dresden a war crime, though both the British and the American militaries defended the bombing as necessary.
Why is Arthur Harris controversial?
In 1992 the Queen Mother unveiled a bronze statue of Arthur Harris, the head of Bomber Command during World War 2. The event caused international criticism and people attacked the statue. They were protesting against the deaths and destruction caused by the bombing of Dresden.
Where was Bomber Command based?
RAF Bomber Command
| Bomber Command | |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force (RAF); attached squadrons & individual personnel of the RCAF, RAAF, and RNZAF. |
| Role | Strategic bombing |
| Headquarters | 1936–1940: RAF Uxbridge 1940–1968: RAF High Wycombe |
Why did the bombing of Dresden take place?
Both Allies and Germans alike have argued over the real purpose of the firebombing; the ostensible “official” rationale was that Dresden was a major communications center and bombing it would hamper the German ability to convey messages to its army, which was battling Soviet forces at the time.
Who is responsible for Dresden bombing?
On 13 February 1945, British aircraft launched an attack on the eastern German city of Dresden. In the days that followed, they and their US allies would drop nearly 4,000 tons of bombs in the assault.
Why did the British bomb Dresden?
Dresden was bombed because the British, the Americans and the Russians were all trying to win the war. It was a tragedy and by today’s standards a horrific war crime, but all-out wars debase and degrade humanity to the point at which war crimes are inevitable. That, at any rate, is how I see it.
What did Churchill say about the decision to bomb Dresden?
On the other hand, alone among Allied leaders, Churchill said, after being shown the results of one particularly gruesome raid, “Are we beasts? Are we taking this too far?” He said the decision to bomb Dresden was “a serious query against the conduct of Allied bombing.”
Who ordered the Dresden fire-bombing?
The RAF commander who ordered the controversial fire-bombing of Dresden which killed an estimated 25,000 civilians during World War II said he would do it again in a long lost interview filmed 30 years after the end of the conflict.
Was there ever any morality in the bombing raids?
But the debate about the morality – and indeed efficacy – of the bombing raids was already under way in the closing stages of the war, and to Harris’ disappointment, his request for a special campaign medal for the Bomber Command was refused.