Harris decided that the best way to effect the German people's morale... was to bomb large areas of German population centres... he called it "dehousing"... in effect, he was trying to kill multi thousands of German men women and children..to demoralise the German people... this failed... !! German war production actually peaked in mid 1944... because all he really achieved is to enrage the german people for revenge...!!.. same as Londoners felt in the blitz...Ohh... and never forget Dresden!!
@MrOrmesby The morale of Germans quickly fell apart during the year 1944, as post-war surveys readily prove it. Dehousing was effective. The bombing campaign shortened the war and as a result less people died than would have done so were it not for the bombing. Thanks to Harris, even the German loss of life was lower than could have been, although this is of secondary importance as the German people were the aggressors.
Harris was a has been - to call himself a 'philosopher', is perversion of the epithet. He wanted to be relevant. Took advantage of desperate times to create a military career. My heart goes to the kids who trusted him and were largely killed, or mutilated horribly for nothing. Only recently did bomber command receive a campaign medal for their terrible efforts. Was Churchill a war monger? But the Great Man - I believe - was horrified by the creature post event of Dresden.
Personally, I think that Harris was nothing short of a monster. His objectives weren't about a disregard for civilian lives while carrying out the business of war-- it was about embracing killing innocent people under the misguided belief that it would accelerate the end of the Germans by terrorizing them into submission.
While it did terrorize them, it actually strengthened their resolve to fight as they had nothing to lose. By in large these terror bombings were morally bankrupt.
@KJLesnick Bomber Harris was a great humanist who defended humanity against the Nazi beasts. His clever strategy of area bombing was proven effective. For example, after the Hamburg bombing, Goebbels wrote that if seven more similar attacks happened then they would have to surrender. It is a lie that the bombing "strengthened the resolve" of Germans. To the contrary, by 1944 they were very war-weary. Whenever the US/British troops captured a German city, the Germans greeted the victors.
@KJLesnick (continued) The example shows that the Germans became war-weary.
It is also well-known that the bombing of German cities diverted fighter planes and flak artillery from the fronts, destroyed the morale of German troops and crippled the German economy. All of these shortened the war. Additional millions of soldiers would have died if Harris hadn't conducted his campaign. Actually, Harris saved the lives of many people, and he did this out of humanistic convictions.
Harris decided that the best way to effect the German people's morale... was to bomb large areas of German population centres... he called it "dehousing"... in effect, he was trying to kill multi thousands of German men women and children..to demoralise the German people... this failed... !! German war production actually peaked in mid 1944... because all he really achieved is to enrage the german people for revenge...!!.. same as Londoners felt in the blitz...Ohh... and never forget Dresden!!
MrOrmesby 5 days ago
@MrOrmesby The morale of Germans quickly fell apart during the year 1944, as post-war surveys readily prove it. Dehousing was effective. The bombing campaign shortened the war and as a result less people died than would have done so were it not for the bombing. Thanks to Harris, even the German loss of life was lower than could have been, although this is of secondary importance as the German people were the aggressors.
bolshevikML 4 days ago
Harris was a has been - to call himself a 'philosopher', is perversion of the epithet. He wanted to be relevant. Took advantage of desperate times to create a military career. My heart goes to the kids who trusted him and were largely killed, or mutilated horribly for nothing. Only recently did bomber command receive a campaign medal for their terrible efforts. Was Churchill a war monger? But the Great Man - I believe - was horrified by the creature post event of Dresden.
saxcoburg 2 weeks ago
thanks.
glrcmptn 3 months ago
Personally, I think that Harris was nothing short of a monster. His objectives weren't about a disregard for civilian lives while carrying out the business of war-- it was about embracing killing innocent people under the misguided belief that it would accelerate the end of the Germans by terrorizing them into submission.
While it did terrorize them, it actually strengthened their resolve to fight as they had nothing to lose. By in large these terror bombings were morally bankrupt.
KJLesnick 5 months ago
@KJLesnick Bomber Harris was a great humanist who defended humanity against the Nazi beasts. His clever strategy of area bombing was proven effective. For example, after the Hamburg bombing, Goebbels wrote that if seven more similar attacks happened then they would have to surrender. It is a lie that the bombing "strengthened the resolve" of Germans. To the contrary, by 1944 they were very war-weary. Whenever the US/British troops captured a German city, the Germans greeted the victors.
bolshevikML 3 months ago
@KJLesnick (continued) The example shows that the Germans became war-weary.
It is also well-known that the bombing of German cities diverted fighter planes and flak artillery from the fronts, destroyed the morale of German troops and crippled the German economy. All of these shortened the war. Additional millions of soldiers would have died if Harris hadn't conducted his campaign. Actually, Harris saved the lives of many people, and he did this out of humanistic convictions.
bolshevikML 3 months ago
@bolshevikML
An incredibly weak argument.
You might as well just nuke all civilians becaue it would save a few soliders lives in shortening the war.
More German civilians were bombed to death than the combined number of deaths of the British, American and French military during the war.
TheTruthMerchant 3 weeks ago
@KJLesnick What's your opinon of the crew of the Enola Gay then?
Trayusstudent1 2 months ago