This thread has drifted off my question … into an alternative and very interesting discussion – namely the veracity of Deighton’s “history” of the BoB. I’m looking forward to Andy’s critique as much as anyone, thank you Damien for the book!
But reverting to the original question if I may. In the final chapter entitled ‘The Results’ Deighton says that Britain’s commanders breathed a sigh of relief when the Luftwaffe began to bomb London. This was from 7 September 1940. He then goes on to say that …
[quote] Some said that the bombing of London was the very reaction that Churchill had hoped to provoke when he sent the RAF to Berlin on Sunday 25 August. If that was his intention – and Churchill was a master of strategy – he never admitted it was so. To have contrived that London was bombed, even as a war-winning master-stroke, would still have damaged his reputation. [unquote]
Indeed, but my original post (#1 above) also quotes Deighton, himself quoting the RAF Official History, noting that (the War Cabinet or the RAF?) extended a similar unofficial invitation a few months earlier (during the Battle of France). Note that Churchill certainly chaired the War Cabinet and it has been argued often enough (eg: re Dresden) he effectively directed the RAF.
I’m disappointed Deighton didn’t see fit to compare the two issues and raise the obvious (and to Dave’s point, unwanted) question “what sort of responsible person would ‘invite’ the bombing of his/her own people?” The answer is of course – a thick skinned pragmatist. Sound like anyone?
edits = grammar not content
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