Coursework Draft 

“Assess the significance of the Allied Strategic Bombing of Germany during the Second
World War.” 
The Allied strategic bombing on Germany was seen as major part of the Allies success in World War
II due to the impact in which air power brought. Bomber Harris was put in charge of Bomber
Command after the area bombing directive was proceeded with. Harris strongly believed that power
in the air and destruction of major cities in Germany would become a major factor as to who would
win the war. Harris thought that it would reduce damage on ground troops in contrast to the scars
left from the trenches in World War 1. However, the impact of strategic bombing near to the
beginning of Harris’ time as head of Bomber Command didn’t go fully to plan as by March 1944
German morale was still high and they had not suffered much damage which Harris originally
thought that they would. Harris in December 1943 declared that “his bomber force could bring
about the collapse of Germany by April 1944”; this was clearly not the case as the German forces
continued to progress and reinforce until the middle of 1944. However, the significance of the allied
strategic bombing was increased when the US Army Air Force joined and to Harris’ surprise it was
the superiority of the Allied aerial threats compared to the Germans Luftwaffe. The US realised that
their plan to battle the Luftwaffe in daylight would not work. Here the significance of strategy on the
allied bombing is shown as the Americans used long range escort fighters to protect their bombers
who then had found it easier to follow their previous strategy of precision bombing. By the end of
1944 the Allied air forces were gaining dominance over the Axis Powers. This shows the great
significance of which the Allies strategy in their aerial bombings out powered the Luftwaffe which
was one of the most technologically advanced air forces at the time. 
The Allied strategic bombing was significant as the Allies didn’t target largely populated areas such
as the main cities but they targeted areas which would help destroy the Axis powers’ ability to afford
the war. This involved targeting enemy’s infrastructures such as factories, railways and even
refineries which were important for enemies as they required oil to build bombs and oil to transport
vehicles containing necessary war supplies. The Allies strategy was to wear their enemies down by
taking away the places and civilians who were necessary for the production of war resources and
supplies. This was significant as it limited and reduced the supplies to the front lines and the
resources they would need to put up with the war. However, the Allies were moving towards
bombing of larger areas and cities but insisted that they were involved in ‘precision bombing’ of
military targets. 80 percent of their bombings in the last quarter of 1944 was based on radar and
around half their bombs missed their desired point by more than two miles. Therefore, more of the
smaller areas with Germany’s main industrial sources were destroyed. 
 
 
 
 
The allied strategic bombing of Germany on their industry impacted the German economy during World War II.
Germany’s industry was completed destroyed  This is quite significant because at the beginning of the
war Germany were the most heavily industrialised country which highlights how devastating the decline in
their industriall output. 
 
The Allied strategic bombing on Germany was one of the principal's ways in which the Allies wanted to
dampen the morale of the German civilians. Almost a third of the population was affected by this and many
more feared the consequences of it.