BOOK REVIEW: The Hardest Victory: RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War

-

 

BOOK REVIEW: The Hardest Victory: RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War

By Denis Richards OBE



During the Second World War the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command conducted an ‘area bombing’ offensive against Germany. Post-World War II, RAF Bomber Command and the ‘area bombing’ campaign underwent close scrutiny and has been the subject of continued post-war criticism for its ‘immorality,’ as hundreds of thousands civilians were killed. Further, the RAF bombing offensive has also been considered ‘wasteful,’ as thousands and thousands of tons of bombs were dropped on many targets that critics have claimed were not military in nature.

In The Hardest Victory, Denis Richards provides a clear, precise and cogent counter-argument to the criticisms of RAF Bomber Command that is both informing and forcefully effective. Richards contends that the RAF bombing offensive was simply a matter of capability at the time and that, in order to mitigate the threat of a potential German invasion of England, the RAF was the only service capable of an offensive strike against the heart of Germany. Winston Churchill addressed the Cabinet colleagues on 3 September 1940 and stated “We must therefore develop the power to carry an ever increasing volume of explosive to Germany, so as to pulverize the entire industry and scientific structure on which the war effort and economic life of the enemy depend, while holding him at arm’s length from our island…”[1] Thus, the RAF bomber campaign was on.

Denis Richards OBE, was a distinguished historian for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He was a graduate of Cambridge University, having majored in History. During the Second World War be worked in the RAF Historical Section and started what would eventually be the official history of the RAF during the War. After publication of the three volume set of the The RAF Official History 1939-1945, Richards taught at Morley College and Sussex University before he retired to full time writing.

In The Hardest Victory, published in 1994, Richards lays out the history and formation of Bomber Command, from pre-war organization to rapid expansion once the war began. He also highlights the challenges, obstacles, and difficulties experienced by the RAF as it set about to create an offensive arm with which to strike Germany. Richards also acknowledges and addresses the debates between the RAFs ‘area bombing’ techniques compared against the USAAF ‘precision bombing’ techniques. The Hardest Victory presents a thorough narrative that is richly detailed and balanced as he conveys the sacrifice of the Bomber Command aircrew and personnel during the Second World War and the ‘Combined Bomber Offensive.’

The main argument in The Hardest Day addresses two main criticisms of the RAF Bomber Command in its campaign against Germany from 1939 to 1945. Richards effectively argues that Bomber Command was incredibly successful in the collective, and that the morality of the selected ‘area bombing’ technique must be weighed against other techniques used during the Second World War. In 1940, for example, the RAF attempted daylight precision bombing. The results were disastrous due to incredible aircraft and crew losses and the continued attacks in daylight would spell doom for the Bomber Command, the only offensive weapon England had against Germany. Subsequently, the night approach was selected on clear moonlit nights for precision. In time, this would evolve into ‘area bombing,’ eg simply attacking a wide area in an industrial or factory town.

The Hardest Day was written specifically as a counter-argument to the post-war criticisms of Bomber Commands ‘area bombing’ techniques executed over Germany from 1941 to 1945. Much of the post-war writing, especially by revisionists in the late 1960s to the 1980s, was severe criticisms of the RAF approach as the results were wanting, with respect to industrial targets and the number of civilians killed. Richards provides excellent analysis and supporting statistical data to support his argument. His most effective argument, with respect to the moral questions associated is that the results of Bomber Commands sorties against the Ruhr and industrial Germany pale in comparison to the destruction wrought on Tokyo, Nagasaki, and Hiroshima.

Richards tackles the subject of the RAFs Bomber Command chronologically with rich details that include first person narrative, technical data and accompanying photographs of each aircraft type used during each phase of the bomber campaign against Germany. Also included is an outstanding appendix with chronological dates, order of battle, and explanations of bombs and bombsights.

The Hardest Victory finishes with an exceptionally honest discussion revolving around the debate on ‘area bombing.’ Richards provides an incredibly clear picture of the effects of ‘area bombing’ and its disappointing results when compared against that of the USAAFs ‘precision bombing’ results captured in the post-war USAAF ‘Strategic Bombing Survey.’

However, what Richards provides in The Hardest Victory is some detailed insights on the task and decisions that faced Great Britain, the Royal Air Force, and the fledgling Bomber Command, at the start of the Second World War. The RAF’s Fighter Command was solely responsible for the defense of Great Britain in 1939 and 1940. Once the threat of German invasion was contained, it was Bomber Command whose shoulders bore the burden of the only ‘offensive’ campaign to be undertaken against Germany proper from 1940 to 1945.

Bibliography

Richards, Denis, The Hardest Victory: RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War, Norton and Company, New York: 1994

 

 

 

 

 

 


[1] Richards, Denis, The Hardest Victory: RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War, Page 69

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“U.S. MARINE CORPS PRE-WAR TRAINING AND THE BATTLE OF BELLEAU WOOD: 1917-1918”

-
Image
I : Introduction                     The fighting in Belleau Wood, France, in  June, 1918 saw the command of the U.S. Marine 6th Machine Gun Battalion change hands four times in 11 days. Such was the nature of the vicious fight between the 4th Marine Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division (U.S. Army) and the Germans pushing towards Paris. By all accounts, this first real test of the U.S Marines in the First World War, was a bloodletting that should have ended in a rout as the experienced and veteran German machine gunners tore into the inexperienced U.S. Marines. Rather than collapse, the 4th Marine Brigade withstood the German assaults and not only held firm, but triumphed. The U.S. Marine Corps 5th and 6th Marine Regiments in 1918 fought against the veteran and very experienced German infantry. This study seeks to identify how ad hoc Marine Corps infantry battalions and the newly formed 4...
Read more

Clausewitz and Jomini: Drawing the Line between Art and Science

-
Image
  Clausewitz and Jomini: Drawing the Line between  Art  and Science In the West, two military philosophers have had much influence on the military arts and, will remain influential for time to come. But both are influential for different reasons. And many immediately see their similarities but their differences, however, are very nuanced. Jomini has had many readers, and simultaneously, critics as well. Especially when compared against Clausewitz. And “ most of what Jomini had to contribute that was of real value—which was a great deal—has long since been absorbed into the way we write practical doctrine.” [1] Jomini thought warfare as the ultimate drama to be conducted between geniuses. And Jomini surely saw (or preferred) combat between ‘chivalrous’ hosts. “As a soldier, preferring loyal and chivalrous warfare to organized assassination.” [2] Both men were ‘of their time’ however, Clausewitz, being heavily influenced by such ‘Continentalist’ philosophers such as Immanue...
Read more

"Conventional Commanders in an Unconventional War: The U.S. Army in Vietnam 1965-1972"

-
Image
 This is the introduction to "Conventional Commanders"... Introduction “More combat battalions from the U. S. are necessary. A total of 13 additional battalions need to be sent now. On June 15, we announced 75,000 men or 15 battalions. A total of 28 battalions is now necessary.”   Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara National Security Council Meeting, July 27, 1965 [1]   On a cold February afternoon in 1966, Marlys Lippman held a weathered package in her hands. Marked with the word “DECEASED,” she had mailed to her brother two months prior. Her brother, Lieutenant Colonel Gordan Lippman, a native of South Dakota, was killed in South Vietnam on 11 December 1965. He was serving as the Executive Officer (XO) of the 1 st Brigade, 1 st Infantry Division, one of the first two infantry divisions sent to South Vietnam in mid-1965.   LTC Lippman was killed by an enemy sniper one evening on the firebase. [2] Forty-one years old, LTC Lippman was deployed to ...
Read more
-
Image
           Interview with Ms Trisha Sicilia, Senior Supplier Quality Engineer, Lockheed Martin Corporation By Patrick Eaton INTERVIEW LINKS: (3 Part Recordings) ABSTRACT: The topic of the final research is the Bell Aircraft Corporation and the Air Force Plant #6 in Smyrna/Marietta, Georgia. During the Second World War II, Bell Aircraft won a contract to produce the B-29 Superfortress. Cobb County Georgia and the Governor of Georgia lobbied to have Bell Aircraft produce the B-29 in Marietta Georgia. As Bell Aircraft ended operations in 1945, Lockheed Aircraft picked up operations in Marietta and continues to operate in Marietta. I conducted an interview of Ms. Trisha Sicilia who is a Senior Supplier Quality Engineer in support of the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35), the F-22 Raptor, the F-15C Eagle, and the C-130 Hercules aircraft. Ms. Sicilia has been involved in the aviation industry for well over 20 years and has previously worked at Pratt & Whitney ...
Read more