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Bungay, Stephen (2000). However, the use of delayed-action bombs, while initially very effective, gradually had less impact, partly because they failed to detonate. Although the stress of the war resulted in many anxiety attacks, eating disorders, fatigue, weeping, miscarriages, and other physical and mental ailments, society did not collapse. 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 Blitz 1940 971941 510 : Blitz [121] Few anti-aircraft guns had fire-control systems, and the underpowered searchlights were usually ineffective against aircraft at altitudes above 12,000ft (3,700m). [130], Airborne Interception radar (AI) was unreliable. [127] Other sources say 449 bombers and a total of 470 long tons (478t) of bombs were dropped. 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. Famed SF author Connie Willis' first novel in five years, Blackout, returns to a scenario she's explored before: Time-traveling scholars find themselves changing historical events they're only . Bombsite rubble from Birmingham was used to make runways on US Air Force bases in Kent and Essex in southeast England. London: The Blitz, September 1940-June 1941 | Historic England 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. British night-fighter operations out over the Channel were proving successful. 12 Group RAF). [31] On 7 September, the Germans shifted away from the destruction of the RAF's supporting structures. [13], The German air offensive failed because the Luftwaffe High Command (Oberkommando der Luftwaffe, OKL) did not develop a methodical strategy for destroying British war industry. But the Luftwaffe's effort eased in the last 10 attacks as seven Kampfgruppen moved to Austria in preparation for the Balkans Campaign in Yugoslavia and Greece. People left shelters when told instead of refusing to leave, although many housewives reportedly enjoyed the break from housework. News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. [109], These decisions, apparently taken at the Luftflotte or Fliegerkorps level, meant attacks on individual targets were gradually replaced by what was, for all intents and purposes, an unrestricted area attack or Terrorangriff (Terror Attack). Too early and the chances of success receded; too late and the real conflagration at the target would exceed the diversionary fires. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency . Hitler quickly developed scepticism toward strategic bombing, confirmed by the results of the Blitz. [23], Ultimately, Hitler was trapped within his own vision of bombing as a terror weapon, formed in the 1930s when he threatened smaller nations into accepting German rule rather than submit to air bombardment. [179], Some writers claim the Air Staff ignored a critical lesson, that British morale did not break and that attacking German morale was not sufficient to induce a collapse. Four days later 230 tons (234t) were dropped including 60,000 incendiaries. [24], A major problem in the managing of the Luftwaffe was Gring. Added to the fact an interception relied on visual sighting, a kill was most unlikely even in the conditions of a moonlit sky. 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. [17], The vital industries and transport centres that would be targeted for shutdown were valid military targets. London's Royal Docks History - Official Timeline By 16 February 1941, this had grown to 12; with 5 equipped, or partially equipped with Beaufighters spread over 5 Groups. What he saw as the mythserene national unitybecame "historical truth". More might have been achieved had OKL exploited the vulnerability of British sea communications. [1], In early July 1940, the German High Command began planning Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. [49] In 1939 military theorist Basil Liddell-Hart predicted that 250,000 deaths and injuries in Britain could occur in the first week of war. [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]. American observer Ralph Ingersoll reported the bombing was inaccurate and did not hit targets of military value, but destroyed the surrounding areas. On 17 April 346 tons (352t) of explosives and 46,000 incendiaries were dropped from 250 bombers led by KG 26. More than 13,000 civilians had been killed, and almost 20,000 injured, in September and October alone,[110] but the death toll was much less than expected. The pilot flew along an approach beam, monitored by a ground controller. 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. [57] The programme favoured backyard Anderson shelters and small brick surface shelters. This involved the bombing of English Channel convoys, ports, and RAF airfields and supporting industries. The Blitz Around Britain - World War 2 | Imperial War Museums Other units ceased using parachute flares and opted for explosive target markers. One third of London was destroyed. In those sites, carbon arc lamps were used to simulate flashes at tram overhead wires. At around 8.30pm on Sunday 13 October, a high-explosive bomb plunged through the Coronation Avenue flats on Stoke Newington High Street, and exploded directly above a shelter made up of three interconnected basements. From July until September 1940 the Luftwaffe attacked Fighter Command to gain air superiority as a prelude to invasion. The name "Blitz" comes from the word "blitzkrieg" which meant "lightning war". Bombing civilians would cause a collapse of morale and a loss of production in the remaining factories. In late 1943, just before the Battle of Berlin, Harris declared the power of Bomber Command would enable it to achieve "a state of devastation in which surrender is inevitable". In July 1939, Gring arranged a display of the Luftwaffe's most advanced equipment at Rechlin, to give the impression the air force was more prepared for a strategic air war than was actually the case. [85] Although night air defence was causing greater concern before the war, it was not at the forefront of RAF planning after 1935, when funds were directed into the new ground-based radar day fighter interception system. An average of 200 were able to strike per night. [10] Bombing failed to demoralise the British into surrender or do much damage to the war economy; eight months of bombing never seriously hampered British war production, which continued to increase. 6063, 6768, 75, 7879, 21516. Morale was not mentioned until the ninth wartime directive on 21 September 1940. [190], The brief success of the Communists also fed into the hands of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). The offensive came to be called the Blitz after the German word blitzkrieg ("lightning war"). Summerfield, Penny and Peniston-Bird, Corina. [40] The Port of London, in particular, was an important target, bringing in one-third of overseas trade. 4 June 1940 18 June 1940 22 June 1940 1 July 1940 . On the night of 22/23 July 1940, Flying Officer Cyril Ashfield (pilot), Pilot Officer Geoffrey Morris (air observer) and Flight Sergeant Reginald Leyland (Air Intercept radar operator) of the Fighter Interception Unit became the first pilot and crew to intercept and destroy an enemy aircraft using onboard radar to guide them to a visual interception, when their AI night fighter brought down a Do 17 off Sussex. Unpopular with many of his fellow MP's, Prime Minister Chamberlain agreed to replace him under pressure from . In this section. [125], Few fighter aircraft were able to operate at night. [30] The replacement of pilots and aircrew was more difficult. The Blitz | Blitz London | Battle of Britain WW2 | RAF Museum [53] Winston Churchill told Parliament in 1934, "We must expect that, under the pressure of continuous attack upon London, at least three or four million people would be driven out into the open country around the metropolis". They concluded bombers should strike a single target each night and use more incendiaries because they had a greater impact on production than high explosives. Wever outlined five points of air strategy: Wever argued that OKL should not be solely educated in tactical and operational matters but also in grand strategy, war economics, armament production and the mentality of potential opponents (also known as mirror imaging). He recognised the right of the public to seize tube stations and authorised plans to improve their condition and expand them by tunnelling. [72] The psychoanalysts were correct, and the special network of psychiatric clinics opened to receive mental casualties of the attacks closed due to lack of need. [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. 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. [187] Historians' critical response to this construction focused on what were seen as over-emphasised claims of patriotic nationalism and national unity. To prevent the movement of large enemy ground forces to the decisive areas, by destroying railways and roads, particularly bridges and tunnels, which are indispensable for the movement and supply of forces. Many Londoners, in particular, took to using the Underground railway system, without authority, for shelter and sleeping through the night. The Impact of the Blitz on London - History Learning Site [69] Contrary to pre-war fears of anti-Semitic violence in the East End, one observer found that the "Cockney and the Jew [worked] together, against the Indian". The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (Kindle Edition) by. [12], Five nights later, Birmingham was hit by 369 bombers from KG 54, KG26, and KG55. At this time, the Underground lines were mostly owned and run by separate companies, all of which were merged together with . [153] For Gring, his prestige had been damaged by the defeat in the Battle of Britain, and he wanted to regain it by subduing Britain by air power alone. By the end of November, 1,100 bombers were available for night raids. Dowding had introduced the concept of airborne radar and encouraged its usage. 10 great films set in Britain during the Second World War | BFI Browse 1,952 london blitz stock photos and images available, or search for the blitz or world war ii to find more great stock photos and pictures. WW2 Timeline | Timeline Cards (teacher made) - Twinkl Around 200 people were killed and another 2,000 injured. [113] In the case of Battersea power station, an unused extension was hit and destroyed during November but the station was not put out of action during the night attacks. [192] The total number of evacuees numbered 1.4million, including a high proportion from the poorest inner-city families. The hope was that, if it could deceive German bombardiers, it would draw more bombers away from the real target. London: The Blitz, September 1940-June 1941 Records are incomplete, but between 7 October 1940 and 6 June 1941 almost 28,000 high explosive bombs and over 400 parachute mines were recorded landing on Greater London. [56] Not only was there evacuation over land, but also by ship. The History Place - World War II in Europe Timeline: The Blitz [43] The Luftwaffe's strategy became increasingly aimless over the winter of 19401941. World War 2 Timeline - 1940. by Ben Johnson. On September 13, 1940, shortly after the start of Germany's bombing campaign on the towns and cities of Britain, five high explosive bombs were dropped on Buckingham Palace. By the height of the Blitz, they were becoming more successful. At the beginning of the war in 1939, London was the largest city in the world, with 8.2 million inhabitants. Battle of Britain timeline. [115] The bombing disrupted rail traffic through London without destroying any of the crossings. The North Sea port of Hull, a convenient and easily found target or secondary target for bombers unable to locate their primary targets, suffered the Hull Blitz. To support naval operations by attacking naval bases, protecting German naval bases and participating directly in naval battles. It was supposed Bomber Command, Coastal Command, and the Royal Navy could not operate under conditions of German air superiority. 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. [24], Hitler was much more attracted to the political aspects of bombing. Although there were a few large air battles fought in daylight later in the month and into October, the Luftwaffe switched its main effort to night attacks. [27], Although not specifically prepared to conduct independent strategic air operations against an opponent, the Luftwaffe was expected to do so over Britain. The Children's Overseas Reception Board was organised by the government to help parents send their children overseas to four British Dominions Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Ironically, the Blitz was the result of an . Yet when compared with Luftwaffe daylight operations, there was a sharp decline in German losses to one percent. His hope wasfor reasons of political prestige within Germany itselfthat the German population would be protected from the Allied bombings. Before the war, the Chamberlain government stated that night defence from air attack should not take up much of the national effort. To start off, the idea of the London Underground as a bomb shelter wasn't a new one by 1940. [168] The Blenheim had only a small speed advantage to overtake a German bomber in a stern-chase. Its round-the-clock bombing of London was an immediate attempt to force the British government to capitulate, but it was also striking at Britain's vital sea communications to achieve a victory through siege. Although many civilians had used them for shelter during the First World War, the government in 1939 refused to allow the stations to be used as shelters so as not to interfere with commuter and troop travel and the fears that occupants might refuse to leave. Airfields became water-logged and the 18 Kampfgruppen (bomber groups) of the Luftwaffe's Kampfgeschwadern (bomber wings) were relocated to Germany for rest and re-equipment. [98] The fighting in the air was more intense in daylight. No follow-up raids were made, as OKL underestimated the British power of recovery (as Bomber Command would do over Germany from 1943 to 1945). The considerable rail network distributed to the rest of the country. In the Myth of the Blitz, Calder exposed some of the counter-evidences of anti-social and divisive behaviours. Blitzkrieg - the lightning war - was the name given to the devastating German bombing attacks to which the United Kingdom was subjected from September 1940 until May 1941. German crews, even if they survived, faced capture. In March 1941, two raids on Plymouth and London dehoused 148,000 people. TikTok said in a blog post in June that it will route all data from U.S. users to servers controlled by Oracle, the Silicon Valley company it chose as its U.S. tech partner in 2020 in an effort to . The main damage was inflicted on the commercial and domestic areas. It would prove formidable but its development was slow. Smaller raids are not included in the tonnages. When the second hand re-aligned with the first, the bombs were released. [167] The Bristol Blenheim F.1 carried four .303in (7.7mm) machine guns which lacked the firepower to easily shoot down a Do 17, Ju 88 or Heinkel He 111. Whitechapel, London - History | Victorian Era and Before Timeline of events in 1940 during World War 2 - Historic UK The amount of firm operational and tactical preparation for a bombing campaign was minimal, largely because of the failure by Hitler as supreme commander to insist upon such a commitment. WW2: The Blitz Hits | Sky HISTORY TV Channel When a continuous sound was heard from the second beam the crew knew they were above the target and dropped their bombs. German legal scholars of the 1930s carefully worked out guidelines for what type of bombing was permissible under international law. This incident was called the 'Blitz'. [99] Fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with six pilots killed and another seven wounded. - Wikipedia [114] It is not clear whether the power station or any specific structure was targeted during the German offensive as the Luftwaffe could not accurately bomb select targets during night operations. [149] This strategy had been recognised before the war, but Operation Eagle Attack and the following Battle of Britain had got in the way of striking at Britain's sea communications and diverted German air strength to the campaign against the RAF and its supporting structures. [84], The attitude of the Air Ministry was in contrast to the experiences of the First World War when German bombers caused physical and psychological damage out of all proportion to their numbers. Ports were easier to find and made better targets. [127] Over 10,000 incendiaries were dropped. By September 1940, the large-scale German air raids which had been expected twelve months earlier finally arrived. [143], Not all of the Luftwaffe effort was made against inland cities. Timeline London portal v t e The United Kingdom took part in World War II from 3 September 1939 until 15 August 1945. During World War I, German zeppelins and Gotha airplanes had bombed the city and forced people to take shelter in the tunnels. The Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940 (a battle for daylight air superiority between the Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force over the United Kingdom). When the Luftwaffe struck at British cities for the first time on 7 September 1940, a number of civic and political leaders were worried by Dowding's apparent lack of reaction to the new crisis. July 20, 1982: Two IRA bombs explode in central London less than two hours apart. Another poll found an 88% approval rating for Churchill in July. [117] Attacks against East End docks were effective and many Thames barges were destroyed. [13] British wartime studies concluded that most cities took 10 to 15 days to recover when hit severely, but some, such as Birmingham, took three months. This meant that British coastal centres and shipping at sea west of Ireland were the prime targets. [174] By the end of May, Kesselring's Luftflotte 2 had been withdrawn, leaving Hugo Sperrle's Luftflotte 3 as a token force to maintain the illusion of strategic bombing. The Second Great Fire Of London - 29th December 1940 [40] Late in the afternoon of 7 September 1940, the Germans began Operation London (Unternehmen Loge, Loge being the codename for London) and Operation Sea Snake (Unternehmen Seeschlange), the air offensives against London and other industrial cities. [156], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. The main focus was London. Liverpool and its port became an important destination for convoys heading through the Western Approaches from North America, bringing supplies and materials. [81], British air doctrine, since Hugh Trenchard had commanded the Royal Flying Corps (19151917), stressed offence as the best means of defence,[82] which became known as the cult of the offensive. Much damage was done. Rumours that Jews were inflating prices, were responsible for the Black Market, were the first to panic under attack (even the cause of the panic) and secured the best shelters via underhanded methods, were also widespread. Authorities expected that the raids would be brief and in daylight, rather than attacks by night, which forced Londoners to sleep in shelters. They also noted regional production was severely disrupted when city centres were devastated through the loss of administrative offices, utilities and transport. Blitz Incidents: High Holborn - the morning of 8th October 1940 - Blogger Many of the latter were abandoned in 1940 as unsafe. The Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook and Churchill distanced themselves. While direct attacks against civilians were ruled out as "terror bombing", the concept of attacking vital war industriesand probable heavy civilian casualties and breakdown of civilian moralewas ruled as acceptable.[18]. Dec. 17, 1983: Six people are. X- and Y-Gert beams were placed over false targets and switched only at the last minute. [86], Hugh Dowding, Air Officer Commanding Fighter Command, defeated the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, but preparing day fighter defences left little for night air defence. An American witness wrote "By every test and measure I am able to apply, these people are staunch to the bone and won't quit the British are stronger and in a better position than they were at its beginning". Tickets were issued for bunks in large shelters, to reduce the amount of time spent queuing. London Blitz History, Facts & Importance | What was the Blitz of WW2 [88] Bomber crews already had some experience with the Lorenz beam, a commercial blind-landing aid for night or bad weather landings. In 1938, a committee of psychiatrists predicted three times as many mental as physical casualties from aerial bombing, implying three to four million psychiatric patients. Locating targets in skies obscured by industrial haze meant the target area needed to be illuminated and hit "without regard for the civilian population". Regional commissioners were given plenipotentiary powers to restore communications and organise the distribution of supplies to keep the war economy moving. (PROSE: Ash, TV: The Empty Child) It lasted from 7 September 1940 to 21 May 1941. The Blitz was a huge bombing campaign of London and other English cities carried about by the German airforce from September 1940 to May 1941. The property stands alone on a section of riverbank on the Thames, in South East London 's . Over a quarter of London's population had left the city by November 1940. The Metropolitan-Vickers works in Manchester was hit by 12 long tons (12.2t) of bombs. But even in May, 67 percent of the sorties were visual cat's-eye missions. Cardiff was bombed on three nights; Portsmouth centre was devastated by five raids. 348 bombers led by 617 fighters barraged London around 4:00 in the afternoon that day. [49], In addition to high-explosive and incendiary bombs, the Germans could use poison gas and even bacteriological warfare, all with a high degree of accuracy. The first major raid took place on 7 September. Time Travel Back To The London Blitz In Connie Willis' New - Gizmodo The Battle of Britain and the Blitz were two central moments in the British war effort during World War II. [176] Total losses could have been as high as 600 bombers, just 1.5 percent of the sorties flown. More than 40,000civilians were killed by Luftwaffe bombing during the war, almost half of them in the capital, where more than a million houses were destroyed or damaged. Nine days later, two waves of 125 and 170 bombers dropped heavy bombs, including 160 tons (163t) of high explosive and 32,000 incendiaries. Predictions had underestimated civilian adaptability and resourcefulness. Contributions rose to the 5,000 "Spitfire Funds" to build fighters and the number of work days lost to strikes in 1940 was the lowest in history. [136] The raid against Coventry was particularly devastating, and led to widespread use of the phrase "to coventrate". The Blitz | Facts, History, Damage, & Casualties | Britannica By September 1940, London had already experienced German bombing. The Luftwaffe was not pressed into ground support operations because of pressure from the army or because it was led by ex-soldiers, the Luftwaffe favoured a model of joint inter-service operations, rather than independent strategic air campaigns. If the German bomber flew closer to its own beam than the meacon then the former signal would come through the stronger on the direction finder. In Sunderland on 25 April, Luftflotte 2 sent 60 bombers which dropped 80 tons (81.3t) of high explosive and 9,000 incendiaries. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. London: Aurum Press. Civilians left for more remote areas of the country. [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.