 Arthur Harris was appointed Air Officer Commanding @-@ in @-@ Chief of RAF Bomber Command on 22 February 1942 , and immediately set about implementing his plan to destroy Germany through dehousing . As part of their move to area attacks , on the night of 28 March a force dropped explosives and incendiaries on Lübeck , causing massive damage . Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders were enraged , and ordered retaliation . 
