The Allied Bombing of German Cities in World War Two Was Unjustifiable
Intelligence Squared
00:00
The Bombing of Coventry
In 1942, when Arthur Harris took over at Bomber Command, the war was very much going Germany's way. Britain had suffered defeat after defeat in North Africa and our forces were on the defensive inside Russia. It seemed likely that before the summer was out, Hitler would be master of the whole of Europe. So it was a momentous decision to take what is now known as 'area bombing' The RAF could not strike strategically important targets - only towns or cities. And this spent for Americans of the US Army Air Force when they began arriving in Britain,. as the RAF, couldn't hit town with political approval. Why? Only because the alternative was a policy of passivity against those living in
Transcript
Play full episode
