Bomber Harris. Hero or Villain?

Question: Bomber Harris!. Hero or Villain!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

As the above people mention, heavy strategic bombers were the only weapon system available for England to use against Germany for several years, so they used them!.

That being said, there's not a lot of differences between night-time carpet bombing, which was the British method of bombing, and marching people into gas-chambers!. Both are designed to kill innocent civilians, and these civilians can do nothing to protect themselves!

I suppose that if you and your family were on the receiving end of Harris's night-time firebombings, then you'd say he was a monster, but if you and your family were at the receiving end of the Luftwaffe's night-time firebombings, you'd call him a hero!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Complicated issue!.

It was the Nazis who started the practice of bombing cities!. War tends to be a race to the bottom, morally speaking!.

also it's useful to recall that it was Churchill who made the production of a strategic bomber fleet a priority, because he felt that would be the only weapon available for perhaps years with which the Allies could strike against the Nazis in a significant way!.

His idea spread to the US, which also invested enormously in the creation of its own strategic bomber fleet!. Once expensive weapons systems exist, the temptation to use them can be overwhelming, especially if the enemy "started it"!.

Harris was, in my opinion, simply doing what he was told!. If that was a villainous act, the true villain lived in Downing Street!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm going to say "hero!."

Normally, bombing cities would be criminal!. But I think that the context of actions influences the morality of those actions -- just like killing is murder or self defense depending on the context!.

Harris helped defeat the Nazis; so, his horrible bombing campaign was intended to defeat a far more horrible regime!. Thank God the Nazis were defeated; so, I guess I'm thankful for people like Harris!. So, I call him a hero!.Www@QuestionHome@Com