Numerous papers by Moore, Colgate, and Vonnegut have questioned the effectiveness of polarization charging in the generation of breakdown electric fields in thunderclouds, specifically directing their criticisms toward the recent numerical models of Ziv and Levin and Scott and Levin. This reply seeks to answer the points they raised and pinpoint the deficiencies in the models. Model results closely follow the available experimental data. The most significant model results are the following : (1) Larger electric fields are produced with a decrease in the effectiveness of the polarization charging mechanism. (2) Lightning can be produced before significant radar echos appear; the maximum radar returns then follow the lightning. These results stem from the extremely nonlinear interactions between precipitation formation and polarization charging. The mechanism is sufficiently effective that despite the hindering influences mentioned by Moore, Colgate, and Vonnegut, large electric fields are produced.