Genuine & Original You and the RAF Can Smash Germany WW2 Home Front Poster

Rare and authentic vintage World War Two British public information poster issued for H.M. Stationery Office by W.R. Royle and Son Ltd.

This fabulous poster features an open letter dated 30 November 1942 from Air Chief Marshal Arthur T. Harris. The letter includes an impassioned plea by Harris to the British public for the production of more bomber aircraft.

Harris, also commonly known as “Bomber” Harris or “Butcher” Harris by some, was commander-in-chief of British Bomber Command from early 1942 until 1945. In 1942 Harris began to initiate the new strategy of area bombing raids over German cities. These raids were intended to destroy the morale of the German population and industrial workforce.

The raids caused widespread civilian casualties and devasted civilian and industrial infrastructure. Two of the German cities most notably affected by the area bombing strategy was Cologne in 1942 and later Dresden in 1945 which was completely obliterated.

Consequently, both Harris and the area bombing directive remain extremely controversial to this day.

At the start of the area bombing directive, Harris said, quoting the Old Testament: “The Nazis entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb them. At Rotterdam, London, Warsaw and half a hundred other places, they put their rather naive theory into operation. They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind.”