Sir Arthur Travers Harris, commonly known as "Bomber Harris," was a prominent British military commander and air chief marshal during World War II. Harris is best known for his leadership of the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command and his controversial strategic bombing campaign against Germany.
Born on April 13, 1892, Harris began his military career as a soldier in World War I before transitioning to the newly-formed RAF in 1919. He quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the commander-in-chief of Bomber Command in 1942.
During his tenure, Harris implemented a strategy of nighttime area bombing, targeting German cities and industrial areas. This approach aimed to disrupt German production, degrade morale, and force surrender. Harris believed that by attacking civilian populations, Germany would quickly collapse and the war would end sooner.
Critics have argued that Harris's campaigns resulted in unnecessary civilian deaths and destruction, symbolized by the controversial bombing of Dresden in February 1945. Nevertheless, others credit him with successfully weakening German infrastructure and diverting resources away from the eastern front.
After the war, Harris retired from the military in 1946 and went on to work as an executive for British South American Airways until his retirement in 1953. He passed away on April 5, 1984. Sir Arthur Travers Harris remains a polarizing figure, with his strategic bombing campaign continuing to be a subject of debate and controversy.
