Battle of Britain

Goal of Today Today we will be looking at the Battle of Britain. Keep in mind the precautionary measures taken by the civilian population.

‘Blitzkrieg’ was a revolutionary new form of warfare introduced by the Germans, involving rapidly advancing tank formations supported by dive- bombers and paratroopers. It allowed the German Army to crush all opponents in the period between

After France fell, French generals predicted that Great Britain, which they considered a weaker country, would “have her neck wrung like a chicken’s in three weeks”. Churchill refused to surrender to Hitler.

His real interest was a war in the East, against Communist Russia. Hitler needed to end the war in the West quickly. Blitzkrieg tactics could not be used against the British due to the English Channel. Hitler had never wanted to go to war with the British, he saw them as fellow ‘Aryans’. Hitler had thought the British would seek peace terms.

In 1940, instead of dropping its bombs on military positions such as aerodromes and naval bases, the German planes turned their attention on London and its population of 9 million people. Hitler planned to invade Britain and part of the reason for attacking London was not only to destroy business and commercial targets essential to the economic survival of the country but also to destroy the morale of the British.

Churchill June 1940 a speech preparing the English people of what lay ahead Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age… Let us therefore brace ourselves of our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say ‘This was their finest hour’

'We shall fight on the beaches...‘, June 4, 1940 '... We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...' Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister

At about five o'clock in the afternoon, on 7th September 1940, the first bombers arrived to drop incendiary bombs on the London docks. Incendiary bombs are used to start fires and it was the light of the docks aflame that guided the other bombers to their target even in the darkness of the night. In this way, bombing continued constantly throughout the night until 4.30 the next morning. Battle of Britain: The “Blitz”

London was a major trading and commercial center and when a bomb or incendiary device started a fire, anything could burn. This is from the memoirs of a fire-fighter at the height of the Blitz, working down in the docklands: "There were pepper fires, loading the surrounding air heavily with stinging particles so that when a fireman took a deep breath it felt like breathing fire itself. There were rum fires, with torrents of blazing liquid pouring from the warehouse door and barrels exploding like bombs themselves. There was a paint fire, another cascade of white hot flame, coating the pump with varnish that could not be cleaned off for weeks. A rubber fire gave forth black clouds of smoke that could only be fought from a distance, always threatening to choke the attackers".

In November the city of Coventry almost burnt to the ground. Battle of Britain: The “Blitz” Bomb damage in the City, 1940' by Eve Kirk

First Hand Account "First, there was the alert, a wail rising and falling for two minutes. There was not one siren but a series, as the note was taken up by borough after borough. Then, there was a heavy, uneven throb of the bombers. Then there were many noises. The howling of dogs; the sound of a high explosive bomb falling, like a tearing sheet; the clatter of little incendiaries on the roofs and pavements; the dull thud of walls collapsing; the burglar alarms which destruction had set ringing; the crackle of flames, a relishing, licking noise, and the bells of the fire engines".--- Angus Calder 'The People's War

Casualties in the Blitz First Night: 7th/8th September killed 16,000 seriously injured From 7th September 1940 to New Year's Day ,339 killed 17,937 seriously injured. Night of May 10th/11th ,436 killed 1,752 seriously injured

What did the civilian population do? Air raid precautions to protect the people of London were made compulsory by the government as early as In April of that year an Air Raid Warden service was set up. Just over a year later 200,000 people had been recruited into the service.

Measures designed to protect the citizens Wooden rattles would be used to sound the alarm if the Germans dropped gas bombs. All civilians were given gas masks, and were expected to have them with them at all times.

2) Children are evacuated from city Children in the vulnerable cities were evacuated to the rural countryside where there was less danger.

Clothing Required as part of the Government Evacuation Scheme Boys- 1 vest, 1 pair of pants, 1 pair of trousers, 2 pairs of socks, handkerchiefs, 1 pullover or jersey, Girls- 1 vest, 1 pair of knickers, 1 petticoat, 2 pairs of stockings, handkerchiefs, 1 slip, 1 blouse, 1 cardigan Both- Overcoat or Mackintosh- Nightwear: comb, towel, soap, face- cloth, toothbrush, boots or shoes, plimsolls Food: Sandwiches, packets of nuts and seedless raisins, dry biscuits, barley sugar (rather than sugar), apple, orange. ALL: should have Gas Masks

3) Provide Provisions for air raid shelters

Anderson shelters were simple iron structures that could be buried in peoples back gardens.

For families who did not have a back garden, or were not willing to use public shelters, they could opt to stay at home and use a Morrison Shelter.

The London “Tube”: Air Raid Shelters during the Blitz The ‘London Underground’ system [the ‘Tube’], provided shelter for over 170,000 Londoners’ each night of the Blitz.

The Blackout To stop the bombers using the light of the city to help them pinpoint targets, the government ordered a 'blackout'. All lights were to be switched off or turned down. Street lamps and neon lights were turned off. Special hoods were placed over the headlights of cars allowing only a tiny slit of light to light the road ahead. People by law had to prevent any light from being seen outside. Blinds, curtains, cardboard, paper, even black paint were used to cover the windows of residential homes. It was the job of ARP wardens to enforce this law. They would patrol the streets guided by the dim light of their hooded torches, knocking on the doors of those households that failed to uphold the rules of the blackout.

Problems of the Blackout With the outbreak of war, the blackout became mandatory beginning half an hour after sunset and ending half an hour before sunrise. It brought new problems for Londoners. Following the first night of complete darkness, posters were issued to warn people to "Watch out in the Blackout" as many people were injured tripping up, falling down steps, or bumping into things. In September 1939, the first month of the blackout, the number of people killed in road accidents increased by 100%. Londoners were not only finding it hard to see, they were finding it hard to be seen.

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Due to severe food shortages a rationing system was introduced..

WHAT WERE THE EFFECTS OF THE BLITZ ON EVERYDAY LIFE IN BRITAIN ? AIR-RAIDS ~ Which cities were the main areas targeted – manufacturing centers, ports, etc? VOLUNTEER ORGANISATIONS ~ Bombing brought people together eg. ARP, LDV, WVS, AFS. SHORTAGES ~ Caused by German U-boat blockade – rationing introduced, use of ration cards, queuing up. PRECAUTIONS – MEASURES TAKEN TO PROTECT CIVILIANS: Buildings sand-bagged / tape stuck across windows / evacuation of children / Anderson shelters – Morrison Shelters / Underground stations [in London] / gas masks / 1 million coffins prepared / Blackouts. DAMAGE ~ 20,000 Londoners killed, 43,000 killed nationwide. Over 1 million houses damaged, 1.5 million people made homeless. City streets razed, houses destroyed, lives lost, wounded.

Your assignment. You are a citizen in London in You are to write 5 diary entries explaining what life is like for you.

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August 1940: The Battle of Britain. British planes managed to hold off a German air assault and prevented a land invasion of Britain

The Royal Air Force