Re: (was B_5 Aft Arc)Bombers/raiders

Bob wrote:

>At the risk of committing air power heresy I'll go one further and
claim
>that the importance of the Allied bomber offensives were that they
attrited
>the Luftwaffe, draining German men and resources just as the land
battles
>did. With "more" of each at their disposal it was a winning proposition
for
>the Allies. The secondary advantage lay in virtually eliminating the
>Luftwaffe's ability to play a battlefield interdiction role in the
west. As
>the campaigns continued even the eastern front was affected by the
drain on
>skilled air crew and air frames.
>
>Damage caused to targets of "strategic" bombing was of only tertiary
>importance unless you were one of those poor souls living in, or near
the
>target areas.
>
>Not the Allied plan certainly but arguably the net effect.
>
Actually, to my understanding, part of it was planned, with the daylight

bombing before June 1944 specifically intended to draw out the Luftwaffe

so that they could be engaged by the fighter escorts.

J