Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet, GCB, OBE, AFC (13 April 1892 – 5 April 1984), commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press and often within the RAF as "Butcher" or "Butch" Harris,[a] was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) RAF Bomber Command during the height of the Anglo-American strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

[–] LeninWeave@hexbear.net 35 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

strategic bombing

This might be the worst euphemism the west ever invented. It literally, actually means "intentionally killing as many civilians as possible".

[–] KobaCumTribute@hexbear.net 31 points 5 days ago (1 children)

It literally, actually means "intentionally killing as many civilians as possible".

It's all targets chosen by some guys in a room pointing at a map and saying "destroy this thing, whatever it is, for reasons", as opposed to being picked out in the field by spotters or aircraft operating on their own discretion.

It's just mostly associated with the WWII and Korean war terror bombing campaigns the British and US carried out where the things being targeted were either residential areas or cities that had industry somewhere in them.

[–] LeninWeave@hexbear.net 17 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

It's just mostly associated with the WWII and Korean war terror bombing campaigns the British and US carried out where the things being targeted were either residential areas or cities that had industry somewhere in them.

I think you're right about the definition, that's my mistake. I've only ever heard it used to refer to these campaigns where they often avoided bombing war industry in favor of bombing civilians, knowing (especially later) that it was not an effective strategy.

[–] miz@hexbear.net 12 points 5 days ago

thanks