Under such circumstances, the bombing offensive could only be effective if it was directed at targets as big as cities.
Bomber Command was overwhelmingly committed to the strategic bombing offensive against Germany and its contribution to the Allied war effort must primarily be judged in that context.
By August Germany began a bombing offensive on Britain, but failed to convince the Britons to give up.
In the last year of the war, the bombing offensive "came of age".
There were also discussions to increase the bombing offensive against Germany and continue the buildup of American forces in Britain prior to an invasion of France.
Without the bombing offensive, the increases would have been far greater and would possibly have enabled the Reichswehr's Panzer divisions to be reconstituted.
An instance of the doctrine's shortcomings can be seen in the bombing offensives conducted by the United States during the Vietnam War.
Coningham began the war commanding Bomber Command's No.4 Group, which he led for two years in the bombing offensive against Germany.
The Royal Navy would not risk its battleships and Eaker did not want to divert resources from the strategic bombing offensive.
The He 111 also formed the core of the strategic bombing offensive later in the year.