Revision - Specific - Bombing of Germany

Question 1

Sir Arthur Harris quote from the beginning of his bombing campaign

Answer 1

“The German people entered this war under the rather childish delusion they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb them.”

“They sowed the wind, and now, they are going to reap the whirlwind.”

Question 2

Who was in charge of the RAF in the Battle of Britain?

Answer 2

Fighter Command

Question 3

Who was in charge of the RAF after the Battle of Britain?

Answer 3

Bomber Command. Led by Sir Arthur Harris

Question 4

What was Hitler’s views on civilian bombing?

Answer 4

He didn’t agree with it.

The first civilian bombing of London was done without his orders. Committed by Luftwaffe.

Question 5

First civilian bombing: date

Answer 5

24th August 1940

Question 6

How do we know that Churchill was keen to retaliate against the first civilian bombing?

Answer 6

“enthusiastic [about] the capability of long-range bombers… it was predictable that… he would unconditionally back Bomber Command to take the war to Germany, especially after the Luftwaffe had begun so empathetically to bring it to England.”

Question 7

What sort of civilian bombing did Churchill not agree with?

Answer 7

The likes seen in the Spanish Civil War

Question 8

What was civilian bombing similar too?

Answer 8

Naval blockade of WW1

Question 9

Positives of civilian bombing:

Answer 9

• Let the occupied peoples know that they were not forgotten
• Show Stalin that Britain was helping to weaken Germany

Question 10

First 12 months of civilian bombing:

Answer 10

Air Ministry claimed it was hitting targets.

Question 11

What did Lord Cherwell argue and when?

Answer 11

1941

That bombings (at night) were so inaccurate that they had no effect.

Question 12

When did Sir Arthur Harris take charge of the Bomber Command?

Answer 12

February 1942

Question 13

What were Harris’ changes in strategy?

Answer 13

• Instead of dropping bombs on small targets that were missed, drop them on larger targets.
• Industrial areas: factories, railway yards, homes of people who worked there.

Question 14

How did Lord Cherwell view Harris’ strategy?

Answer 14

“dehoused and demoralised”

Question 15

Historian Richard Overy’s view on Harris’ strategy?

Answer 15

The bombing “prevented the increase [of weapons] from being very considerably greater than it was.”

While industrial production in Germany increased in 1943, “it did not do so at anything like the rate it would have otherwise.”

Question 16

Churchill’s reaction to watching an Air Military film:

Answer 16

“Are we beasts? Have we taken this too far?”

Question 17

Who was Sir Charles Portal?

Answer 17

Chief of Air Staff

Question 18

What did Sir Charles Portal do in April 1942?

Answer 18

He updated Defence Committee on 4 consecutive days of German bombing.

Churchill said: “Don’t make too much of this in the press - we’re hitting them about three times as hard.”

Question 19

Dresden: date?

Answer 19

February 1945

Question 20

How many lives are believed to have been lost at Dresden?

Answer 20

25,000

Question 21

What created a firestorm at Dresden?

Answer 21

2nd wave of bombers dropping explosives and incendiaries

Question 22

Situation surrounding knowledge of Harris’ opinion on Dresden?

Answer 22

Dinner at Chequers.
Jock Colville asked Harris about the effect of the Dresden raid.

“Dresden? There’s no such place as Dresden.”

Question 23

Churchill’s view on civilian bombing after Dresden?

Churchill’s minute to Chiefs of Staff in March 1945

Answer 23

“bombing of German cities simply for the sake of increasing terror […] should be reviewed.”

“utterly ruined land”

“destruction of Dresden remains a serious query against the conduct of Allied bombing.”

Question 24

Interpretations of minute to Chiefs of Staff 1945?

Answer 24

Roy Jenkins:

Churchill gave Harris “a largely free hand to unleash terror on Berlin and eastern German cities”

Question 25

How many British and US aircrafts involved in bombing of Dresden?

Answer 25

1,200

Question 26

Harris’ 1977 interview with BBC?

Answer 26

He said he would have ‘destroyed Dresden again’.

Question 27

How did the Official History of the War describe Harris and Churchill’s relationship?

Answer 27

“such an important Commander-in-Chief been so continuously close to the centre of Government”

Question 28

How was Harris known by his men?

Answer 28

‘Butch’ Harris

Question 29

Harris’ reputation after the war?

Answer 29

• Only senior commander not to receive a peerage.
• Churchill’s victory speech made no reference to bomber command
• 1992 statue of him
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Question 30

Unveiling of Harris’ statue?

Answer 30

• There were riots against it in England and Germany
  
  • The Queen mother, who unveiled it, was jeered by protestors. They said: “Harris was a war criminal”
• 24-hour surveillance due to vandalism

Question 31

How did Churchill protect Harris?

Answer 31

Charles Portal asked Harris to move away from bombing and towards oil and transportation targets. He refused. Portal wanted to sack him but didn’t. Churchill didn’t intervene.

Question 32

Why does Best argue that it makes sense Churchill supported the bombing?

Answer 32

• “He believed the British public demanded it.”
• “He was sure Starlin appreciated it.”