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The Battle of Britain Moreover, the OKL could not settle on an appropriate strategy. For one thing, Gring's fear of Hitler led him to falsify or misrepresent what information was available in the direction of an uncritical and over-optimistic interpretation of air strength. The clock mechanism was co-ordinated with the distances of the intersecting beams from the target so the target was directly below when the bombs were released. This heavy bombing by German forces began in September 1940 and lasted for 57 days. The rate of civilian housing loss was averaging 40,000 people per week dehoused in September 1940. London, and cities. In late 1940, Churchill credited the shelters. Wever's vision was not realised, staff studies in those subjects fell by the wayside and the Air Academies focused on tactics, technology and operational planning, rather than on independent strategic air offensives. Underground officials were ordered to lock station entrances during raids but by the second week of heavy bombing, the government relented and ordered the stations to be opened. [79] The Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence (WVS) was established in 1938 by the Home Secretary, Samuel Hoare, who considered it the female branch of the ARP. On 9 April 1941, Luftflotte 2 dropped 150 tons (152t) of high explosives and 50,000 incendiaries from 120 bombers in a five-hour attack. The number of contacts and combats rose in 1941, from 44 and two in 48 sorties in January 1941, to 204 and 74 in May (643 sorties). To prevent German formations from hitting targets in Britain, Bomber Command would destroy Luftwaffe aircraft on their bases, aircraft in their factories and fuel reserves by attacking oil plants. In this section. [180] The 10th directive in October 1940 mentioned morale by name but industrial cities were only to be targeted if weather prevented raids on oil targets.[181]. Dowding was summoned on 17 October, to explain the poor state of the night defences and the supposed (but ultimately successful) "failure" of his daytime strategy. The bombing also helped to support the U-boat blockade by sinking some 58,000 long tons (58,900t) of shipping and damaging 450,000 long tons (457,000t) more. By December, the SC2500 (2,500kg (5,512lb)) "Max" bomb was used. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. The Communists attempted to blame the damage and casualties of the Coventry raid on the rich factory owners, big business and landowning interests and called for a negotiated peace. It hoped to destroy morale by destroying the enemy's factories and public utilities as well as its food stocks (by attacking shipping). The moon was full and the Thames had a very low ebb tide. The primary goal of Bomber Command was to destroy the German industrial base (economic warfare) and in doing so reduce morale. For the London-based American football team, see, Directive 23: Gring and the Kriegsmarine, This was caused by moisture ruining the electrical. [131], Nevertheless, it was radar that proved to be the critical weapon in the night battles over Britain from this point onward. [80], Pre-war dire predictions of mass air-raid neurosis were not borne out. [170] In November and December 1940, the Luftwaffe flew 9,000 sorties against British targets and RAF night fighters claimed only six shot down. Around 66,000 houses were destroyed and 77,000 people made homeless ("bombed out"[158]), with 1,900 people killed and 1,450 seriously hurt on one night. [90][91], Y-Gert was an automatic beam-tracking system and the most complex of the three devices, which was operated through autopilot. [42], Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the Luftwaffe had an unclear strategy and poor intelligence. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 84. While wartime bombings affected London in both world wars, it was the Blitz that truly altered the cityscape forever. From 7 September 1940, London was systematically bombed by the Luftwaffe for 56 of the following 57 days and nights. Night fighters could claim only four bombers for four losses. The Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook and Churchill distanced themselves. Added to the fact an interception relied on visual sighting, a kill was most unlikely even in the conditions of a moonlit sky. [189] The "Communist threat" was deemed important enough for Herbert Morrison to order, with the support of the Cabinet, the cessation of activities of the Daily Worker, the Communist newspaper. On 10/11 March, 240 bombers dropped 193 tons (196t) of high explosives and 46,000 incendiaries. 11 Group RAF and No. Only a few weeks after the British victory in the Battle of. [94], On 9 September the OKL appeared to be backing two strategies. [80] The WVS organised the evacuation of children, established centres for those displaced by bombing and operated canteens, salvage and recycling schemes. [99] Fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with six pilots killed and another seven wounded. 7 September 1940 In the run up to 7 September, the night the Blitz began, the Luftwaffe had targeted RAF airfields and radar stations for destruction in preparation for the German invasion of the. [87] Dowding accepted that as AOC, he was responsible for the day and night defence of Britain but seemed reluctant to act quickly and his critics in the Air Staff felt that this was due to his stubborn nature. This philosophy proved impractical, as Bomber Command lacked the technology and equipment for mass night operations, since resources were diverted to Fighter Command in the mid-1930s and it took until 1943 to catch up. On 17 January around 100 bombers dropped a high concentration of incendiaries, some 32,000 in all. [24][182] Support for peace negotiations declined from 29% in February. British fighter aircraft production continued at a rate surpassing Germany's by 2 to 1. 12 Group RAF). The lack of bombing in the Phoney War contributed significantly to the return of people to the cities, but class conflict was not eased a year later when evacuation operations had to be put into effect again. The first attack merely damaged the rail network for three days,[102] and the second attack failed altogether. Ex-Army personnel and his successors as Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, Albert Kesselring (3 June 1936 31 May 1937) and Hans-Jrgen Stumpff (1 June 1937 31 January 1939) are usually blamed for abandoning strategic planning for close air support. The general neglect of the RAF until the late spurt in 1938, left few resources for night air defence and the Government, through the Air Ministry and other civil and military institutions was responsible for policy. Ports were easier to find and made better targets. 5 Jan. Leslie Hore-Belisha, Britain's Minister of War, is dismissed. On 17 April 346 tons (352t) of explosives and 46,000 incendiaries were dropped from 250 bombers led by KG 26. The Blitz (the London Blitz) was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7th September 1940 and 10th May 1941 during the World War Two Every night bar one for ten solid weeks,from 7 September to 14 November 1940, London was attacked by an average of 160 bombers. Bomb damage around St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. The word "blitz" comes from the German term. The Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of . [5] Large air battles broke out, lasting for most of the day. Smaller raids are not included in the tonnages. Its hope was to destroy its targets and draw the RAF into defending them, allowing the Luftwaffe to destroy their fighters in large numbers, thereby achieving air superiority. The Communist Party made political capital out of these difficulties. [78], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". The first three directives in 1940 did not mention civilian populations or morale in any way. Minister of Home Security Herbert Morrison was also worried morale was breaking, noting the defeatism expressed by civilians. de Zeng, Henry L., Doug G. Stankey and Eddie J. Creek. [145] Captured German aircrews also indicated the homes of industrial workers were deliberately targeted. He roused them, ensured they took oxygen and Dextro-Energen amphetamine tablets, then completed the mission. To reduce losses further, strategy changed to prefer night raids, giving the bombers greater protection under cover of darkness. [15] It was thought that "the bomber will always get through" and could not be resisted, particularly at night. [137] Around 21 factories were seriously damaged in Coventry, and loss of public utilities stopped work at nine others, disrupting industrial output for several months. Throughout 193339 none of the 16 Western Air Plans drafted mentioned morale as a target. [11][162] Plymouth in particular, because of its vulnerable position on the south coast and close proximity to German air bases, was subjected to the heaviest attacks. The AFS had 138,000 personnel by July 1939. Liverpool suffered 180 long tons (183t) of bombs dropped. The Blitz began on 7 September, 'Black Saturday', when German bombers attacked London, leaving 430 dead and 1,600 injured. A further attack on the Clyde, this time at Greenock, took place on 6 and 7 May. The port cities of Bristol, Cardiff, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Southampton, Swansea, Belfast, and Glasgow were also bombed, as were the industrial centres of Birmingham, Coventry, Manchester, and Sheffield. [3] OKL instead sought clusters of targets that suited the latest policy (which changed frequently), and disputes within the leadership were about tactics rather than strategy. Thereafter, he would refuse to make available any air units to destroy British dockyards, ports, port facilities, or shipping in dock or at sea, lest Kriegsmarine gain control of more Luftwaffe units. The fake fires could only begin when the bombing started over an adjacent target and its effects were brought under control. [141][failed verification] Altogether, 130 German bombers destroyed the historical centre of London. Four days later 230 tons (234t) were dropped including 60,000 incendiaries. Between September 1940 and May 1941 the German Luftwaffe attacked the city on over 70 separate occasions, with around 1 million homes being destroyed and killing over 20,000 civilians. This timeline highlights key moments in the run up to and during the Battle of Britain. Using historical paintings, a timeline, and a simple map, children can discover why the re started, how it spread, and the damage it caused. One-third of London's streets were impassable. Nine days later, two waves of 125 and 170 bombers dropped heavy bombs, including 160 tons (163t) of high explosive and 32,000 incendiaries. The building of London's Royal Docks introduced a new world of commerce to the capital. [25], When Hitler tried to intervene more in the running of the air force later in the war, he was faced with a political conflict of his own making between himself and Gring, which was not fully resolved until the war was almost over. At around 4:00 PM on that September day, 348 German bombers escorted by 617 fighters Sept. 7, 1940 - the beginning of the London Blitz blasted London until 6:00 PM. [156], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. To support naval operations by attacking naval bases, protecting German naval bases and participating directly in naval battles. Their incendiary bombs Want to Read. An interactive map showing the location of bombs dropped on London during World War II has been created. Then bombers carrying SC1000 (1,000kg (2,205lb)), SC1400 (1,400kg (3,086lb)), and SC1800 (1,800kg (3,968lb)) "Satan" bombs were used to level streets and residential areas. A Raid From Above The difficulty of RAF bombers in night navigation and target finding led the British to believe that it would be the same for German bomber crews. [94], On 15 September the Luftwaffe made two large daylight attacks on London along the Thames Estuary, targeting the docks and rail communications in the city. British anti-aircraft defences (General Frederick Alfred Pile) fired 8,326 rounds and shot down only 2 bombers. [115] In the initial operations against London, it did appear as if rail targets and the bridges over the Thames had been singled out: Victoria Station was hit by four bombs and suffered extensive damage. [50], On the other hand, some historians have recently contended that this revisionism of the "Blitz spirit" narrative may have been an over-correction. Each setback caused more civilians to volunteer to become unpaid Local Defence Volunteers. It is argued that persisting with attacks on RAF airfields might have won air superiority for the Luftwaffe. The crew would be ordered to drop their bombs either by a code word from the ground controller or at the conclusion of the signal transmissions which would stop. Other units ceased using parachute flares and opted for explosive target markers. Areas of Learning Mathematics Literacy Communication and Language Understanding The World Physical Development Personal, Social & Emotional Development Expressive Arts and Design Theme and Topics Everyday Life Fantasy and Adventure Festivals and Cultural Celebrations Places Weather and Seasons Science & Investigation [52], Based in part on the experience of German bombing in the First World War, politicians feared mass psychological trauma from aerial attacks and the collapse of civil society. The Luftwaffe flew 4,000 sorties that month, including 12 major and three heavy attacks. [90][91], In June 1940, a German prisoner of war was overheard boasting that the British would never find the Knickebein, even though it was under their noses. In mid-September 1940, about 150,000 people a night slept in the Underground, although by winter and spring the numbers declined to 100,000 or less. It was evoked by both the right and left political factions in Britain in 1982, during the Falklands War when it was portrayed in a nostalgic narrative in which the Second World War represented patriotism actively and successfully acting as a defender of democracy. The official history volume British War Production (Postan, 1952) noted that the greatest effect on output of warlike stores was on the supply of components and dispersal of production rather than complete equipment. The primary target of NAZI Germany was to destroy the civilian center and industries on London. [149], By now, the imminent threat of invasion had all but passed as the Luftwaffe had failed to gain the prerequisite air superiority. A tall white house known locally as the 'leaning tower of Rotherhithe' has sold for 1.5million. The Blitz holds a special place in British history for the light which it supposedly sheds on . Added to the tension of the mission which exhausted and drained crews, tiredness caught up with and killed many. Between 1940 and 1941, the Germans attacked Britain by bombing London. The property stands alone on a section of riverbank on the Thames, in South East London 's . [127] Over 10,000 incendiaries were dropped. In recent years a large number of wartime recordings relating to the Blitz have been made available on audiobooks such as The Blitz, The Home Front and British War Broadcasting. At 18:17, it released the first of 10,000 firebombs, eventually amounting to 300 dropped per minute. London experienced regular attacks and on 10-11 May 1941 was hit by its biggest raid. The attacks were authorized by Germany's chancellor, Adolf Hitler, after the British carried out a nighttime air raid on Berlin. The government planned the evacuation of four million peoplemostly women and childrenfrom urban areas, including 1.4million from London. In the Myth of the Blitz, Calder exposed some of the counter-evidences of anti-social and divisive behaviours. In September, there had been no less than 667 hits on railways in Great Britain, and at one period, between 5,000 and 6,000 wagons were standing idle from the effect of delayed action bombs. Despite the bombing, British production rose steadily throughout this period, although there were significant falls during April 1941, probably influenced by the departure of workers for Easter Holidays, according to the British official history. A Gallup poll found only 3% of Britons expected to lose the war in May 1940. In those sites, carbon arc lamps were used to simulate flashes at tram overhead wires. The British were still one-third below the establishment of heavy anti-aircraft artillery AAA (or ack-ack) in May 1941, with only 2,631 weapons available. [9] and a large raid on the night of 10-11 May 1941. The blitz 1940-1941: an interactive timeline This interactive timeline tracks the German air force's bombing campaign as it devastated towns and cities across Britain during the second world. [27], Although not specifically prepared to conduct independent strategic air operations against an opponent, the Luftwaffe was expected to do so over Britain. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency . But even in May, 67 percent of the sorties were visual cat's-eye missions. At a London railway station, arriving troops pass by children who are being evacuated to the countryside. Birmingham and Coventry were subject to 450 long tons (457t) of bombs between them in the last 10 days of October. [127] In November 1940, 6,000 sorties and 23 major attacks (more than 100 tons [102t] of bombs dropped) were flown. (AUDIO: The Wanderer) Despite being forbidden under the terms of the Treaty of . [195] Many sites of bombed buildings, when cleared of rubble, were cultivated to grow vegetables to ease wartime food shortages and were known as victory gardens.[196]. Ed Murrow reporting on war torn London during the blitz. [139], Although official German air doctrine did target civilian morale, it did not espouse the attacking of civilians directly. In Wartime One Girls Journey From The Blitz To Sadlers Wells is understandable in our digital library an online permission to it is set as public . Hayward 2007, www.ltmrecordings.com/blitz1notes.html, Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:33, German strategic bombing during World War I, Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany, Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence, Bombing of Wiener Neustadt in World War II, "The Blitz: The Bombing of Britain in WWII", "Families pay tribute to Stoke Newington war dead", Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle for Britain, The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy, Parliament & The Blitz UK Parliament Living Heritage, "London Blitz 1940: the first day's bomb attacks listed in full", Archive recordings from The Blitz, 194041 (audiobook), The Blitz: Sorting the Myth from the Reality, Exploring 20th century London The Blitz, Oral history interview with Barry Fulford, recalling his childhood during the Blitz, Interactive bombing map of Buckinghamshire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Blitz&oldid=1141315217. At the beginning of the war in 1939, London was the largest city in the world, with 8.2 million inhabitants. News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. Democracies, where public opinion was allowed, were thought particularly vulnerable. On 8 May 1941, 57 ships were destroyed, sunk or damaged, amounting to 80,000 long tons (81,300t). [1], In early July 1940, the German High Command began planning Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. [51], British air raid sirens sounded for the first time 22 minutes after Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. [61] A single direct hit on a shelter in Stoke Newington on October 1940 killed 160 civilians. However, resentment of rich self-evacuees or hostile treatment of poor ones were signs of persistence of class resentments although these factors did not appear to threaten social order.

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