Harris became known as 'Bomber' due to his vigorous tactics in bombing the Germans during WW2. He was an architect of Britain's most effective attacks against the German infrastructure at a time when the country was limited in its resources and manpower.

His preference for strategic area bombing (as opposed to precision targeting) came at the cost of many civilian lives and gained him notoriety. A statue of him outside the RAF Church of St. Clement Danes, London was unveiled by the Queen Mother in 1992 but has been frequently defaced.