Bomber offensive,

by Arthur Harris and Arthur Travers Harris

Book Overview

A thorough analysis of Britain's bombing campaign against Germany and personal recollections of Britain's bomber commander. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0006AR5OI
• Release Date: January 1947
• Publisher: Collins
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.

Customer Reviews

History before it became PC

A tremendous insight into the British night bombing campaign--for years the only way England could aggressively take the war to the enemy.

An Insider's View of Allied Strategic Bombing

Revisionist historians may point an accusatory finger at Sir Arthur Travers "Bomber" Harris, the man who orchestrated the strategic bombing of Germany by the RAF during WWII, because of the substantial civilian deaths it caused... But given the deliberate establishment of German military and industrial installations in heavily populated areas and the lack of technology that would allow today's precision bombing of targets, this is precisely what crippled the German war machine and shortened the duration of the war (and, by consequence, the Holocaust). This is the story in Sir Arthur's own words, which allows the reader to enter the mind of a towering figure in RAF history and take an insider's look at the decisions, the dilemmas, and the person behind them. It's a bit specialized, of course, so if you're looking for a general book about WWII (or even WWII in the air) look elsewhere. But if you have an interest in the RAF strategic bombing campaign that helped bring Germany to its knees, this is a tremendously informative and fascinating book!

review of Harris' autobiography

One of the most controversial figures of the Second World War was an african who sunk more German battleships than the Royal Navy, did as much to win the Battle of Britain as Fighter Command (but lost more men in the process), and killed over 50,000 of the enemy in a single night.What interested me most was the thoughts of such a commander. It's not only Air Marshalls who strive hard, have to overcome obstructive idiots who are supposed to be helping you, and when you've succeeded, get it in the neck from those you've most benefitted. It is clear his main enemy during the war was useless bureaucrats. High up on his list was top brass at the RN with their battleship mentality, and requests to divert money and bombers to some of their more pointless tasks (as he saw it). He showed disdain also for the army's cavalry mentality, but probably most of all he hated pointless civil service delay during war-time:"After the war, Albert Speer, [...], was asked to what extent the loss of records affected efficiency in production. He replied "On the contrary, the loss of records led to a temporary loosening of the ties of bureaucracy. We very often received the message 'Administrative building burnt out, production continues at full pressure.' " Perhaps our own problems could have been solved as expeditiously by a few bombs on the appropriate Government departments."Unexpected attacks that hurt him more though were those from the floor of the House of Commons, and Fleet Street; he didn't have to wait till the end of the war to learn that his efforts were considered offensive by many, as he acknowledges in the title of his book which is to some extent an account of his life as well as of the bomber offensive itself.At least two of his brothers had been considered more promising than him, and though born (in 1892) in England, he had chosen to become a Rhodesian. Resisting intense pressure from his father to join the army, at sixteen he accepted a ticket and a fiver and went off to become in turn a gold miner, farmer and driver, and loved the life. Returning from a trip into the bush he heard of the outbreak of WWI and took the last available position in the 1st Rhodesian Regiment: bugler. He soon took part in the greatest marching performance of an infantry brigade in English military history, and after they had: "...defeated and collected the Boche ... I sailed for England determined to find some way of going to war in a sitting position. I thought of the cavalry but I had no faith in horse warfare. The Gunners were full up. I thought I would learn to fly; even before the war I had toyed with the idea of joining the R.N.A.S. and might have done so if it had not meant becoming a professional sailor. I therefore joined the R.F.C."Openly admitting to help from a highly-placed uncle, he was appointed a second-lieutenant on probation, and soon formed a squadron for home defence (one of his men shot down the first Zeppelin) and for defending artillery

A harsh and realistic account

Harris was head of bomber command in WWII for the british. This account starts with his initial military service in africa in the first world war where he particiopated in the longest forced march to combat known in modern history. He became (by shear nepotism in his own words) an officer in the flying corps and saw action in mesopotania (now basically IRAQ). He rose to become head of the british airforce. He analyses phases of the war from this high perspective. For instance, balancing aircarft production and crew training against losses over germany, produced grim statistics like an 'acceptable' loss rate of 4% of aircraft and men PER MONTH. tactics for window (now called chaff foil dropped to blind radar) introduction and decisions for its deployment are discussed. Here the germans made the wrong decision. They did not even try to reseach conter measures for chaff in the fear that the allies would hear about it. Harriss took the correct gamble and used it. The effects were devesting. The normal error for night bombing was five miles due mainly to the effect of german radar directed ground fire. With Window this error went down to 1 and a half miles. This increased the bomb / incendary concentration and caused the worlds first fire storm in Hamburg in 1943. After the raids 74% of all buildings were destroyed in this city. He is almost silent on the dresden raid. "Atomic Explosives" are discussed, but the full implications are not realised. I think estimates of a simple atomic bomb were an equivalent of 2000 tons of TNT. The first one released about 14,000 tons TNT equivalent energy. This period saw RADAR and RADIO navigation progress at an amazing rate. In this book it is seen from the usability and effect perspective. Essential reading for WWII historians...