[159] Operations against London up until May 1941 could also have a severe impact on morale. 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. Although there had been many bombing raids on London since mid 1940, the first raid where the survival of St. Paul's Cathedral was at risk and where the Watch were tested in the extreme was on Sunday 29th December 1940. [92], German beacons operated on the medium-frequency band and the signals involved a two-letter Morse identifier followed by a lengthy time-lapse which enabled the Luftwaffe crews to determine the signal's bearing. [145], In 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted strategy again. Other targets would be considered if the primary ones could not be attacked because of weather conditions. [134], From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted its strategy and attacked other industrial cities. A present day image of the Freedom Press, Whitechapel, London. [2], The British began to assess the impact of the Blitz in August 1941 and the RAF Air Staff used the German experience to improve Bomber Command's offensives. [11][12] The greatest effect was to force the British to disperse the production of aircraft and spare parts. 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). [67] By the end of 1940 improvements had been made in the Underground and in many other large shelters. In particular, class division was most evident during the Blitz. Another poll found an 88% approval rating for Churchill in July. [40] The Port of London, in particular, was an important target, bringing in one-third of overseas trade. London, and cities. [119] The Ministry of Home Security reported that although the damage caused was "serious" it was not "crippling" and the quays, basins, railways and equipment remained operational. Three cross-beams intersected the beam along which the He 111 was flying. 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. Industry, seats of government and communications could be destroyed, depriving an opponent of the means to make war. 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. 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". When the third cross-beam was reached the bomb aimer activated a third trigger, which stopped the first hand of the clock, with the second hand continuing. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term Blitzkrieg, the German word meaning 'lightning war'.[4]. [1] It was the capital not just for the United Kingdom, but for the entire British Empire. They believed the Luftwaffe had failed in precision attack and concluded the German example of area attack using incendiaries was the way forward for operations over Germany. News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. Still, many British citizens, who had been members of the Labour Party, itself inert over the issue, turned to the Communist Party. In the Myth of the Blitz, Calder exposed some of the counter-evidences of anti-social and divisive behaviours. The difference this made to the effectiveness of air defences is questionable. Want to Read. Five main rail lines were cut in London and rolling stock damaged. 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. For eight months the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on London and other strategic cities across Britain. The first major raid took place on 7 September. In one incident on 28/29 April, Peter Stahl of KG 30 was flying on his 50th mission. [77] Before the war, civilians were issued with 50million respirators (gas masks) in case bombardment with gas began before evacuation. The AOC Bomber Command, Arthur Harris, who did see German morale as an objective, did not believe that the morale-collapse could occur without the destruction of the German economy. The Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of . [145] Use of incendiaries, which were inherently inaccurate, indicated much less care was taken to avoid civilian property close to industrial sites. All but seven of its 12,000 houses were damaged. [55] The relocation of the government and the civil service was also planned but would only have occurred if necessary so as not to damage civilian morale. Ports were easier to find and made better targets. But their operations were to no avail; the worsening weather and unsustainable attrition in daylight gave the OKL an excuse to switch to night attacks on 7 October. Rapid frequency changes were introduced for X-Gert, whose wider band of frequencies and greater tactical flexibility ensured it remained effective at a time when British selective jamming was degrading the effectiveness of Y-Gert. [109], By mid-November 1940, when the Germans adopted a changed plan, more than 11,600 long tons (11,800t) of high explosive and nearly 1,000,000 incendiaries had fallen on London. The first three directives in 1940 did not mention civilian populations or morale in any way. Children pull crackers under paper decorations while jubilant adults smile . The populace of the port of Hull became "trekkers", people who made a mass exodus from cities before, during and after attacks. It was to be some months before an effective night-fighter force would be ready, and anti-aircraft defences only became adequate after the Blitz was over, so ruses were created to lure German bombers away from their targets. [156] Hitler now had his sights set on attacking the USSR with Operation Barbarossa, and the Blitz came to an end. American observer Ralph Ingersoll reported the bombing was inaccurate and did not hit targets of military value, but destroyed the surrounding areas. The first German attack on London actually occurred by accident. [22], Two prominent enthusiasts for ground-support operations (direct or indirect) were Hugo Sperrle the commander of Luftflotte 3 (1 February 1939 23 August 1944) and Hans Jeschonnek (Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff from 1 February 1939 19 August 1943). [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]. 1 March 1935 3 June 1936) championed strategic bombing and the building of suitable aircraft, although he emphasised the importance of aviation in operational and tactical terms. [149] The indifference displayed by the OKL to Directive 23 was perhaps best demonstrated in operational directives which diluted its effect. [146] Eventually, he convinced Hitler of the need to attack British port facilities. 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. Cardiff was bombed on three nights; Portsmouth centre was devastated by five raids. The day's fighting cost Kesselring and Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2) 24 aircraft, including 13 Bf 109s. [13] In April 1941, when the targets were British ports, rifle production fell by 25 percent, filled-shell production by 4.6 percent and in small-arms production 4.5 percent. From July until September 1940 the Luftwaffe attacked Fighter Command to gain air superiority as a prelude to invasion. Still, in February 1941, there remained only seven squadrons with 87 pilots, under half the required strength. 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. In subsequent months a steady number of German bombers would fall to night fighters. [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. Tickets were issued for bunks in large shelters, to reduce the amount of time spent queuing. Over several months, the 20,000 shells spent per raider shot down in September 1940, was reduced to 4,087 in January 1941 and to 2,963 shells in February 1941. It had no time to gather reliable intelligence on Britain's industries. Between 1940 and 1941, the Germans attacked Britain by bombing London. There was also minor ethnic antagonism between the small Black, Indian and Jewish communities, but despite this these tensions quietly and quickly subsided. Though they failed to make a large gain in influence, the membership of the Party had doubled by June 1941. [87], Because of the inaccuracy of celestial navigation for night navigation and target finding in a fast-moving aircraft, the Luftwaffe developed radio navigation devices and relied on three systems: Knickebein (Crooked leg), X-Gert (X-Device), and Y-Gert (Y-Device). [145] Captured German aircrews also indicated the homes of industrial workers were deliberately targeted. [70] Pub visits increased in number (beer was never rationed), and 13,000 attended cricket at Lord's. The word "blitz" comes from the German term. [70], Although the intensity of the bombing was not as great as pre-war expectations so an equal comparison is impossible, no psychiatric crisis occurred because of the Blitz even during the period of greatest bombing of September 1940. [147] At Raeder's prompting, Hitler correctly noted that the greatest damage to the British war economy had been done through the destruction of merchant shipping by submarines and air attacks by small numbers of Focke-Wulf Fw 200 naval aircraft and ordered the German air arm to focus its efforts against British convoys. [27], Although not specifically prepared to conduct independent strategic air operations against an opponent, the Luftwaffe was expected to do so over Britain. 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. History of the Battle of Britain The Blitz - The Hardest Night The Blitz - The Hardest Night 10/11 May 1941, 11:02pm - 05:57am The most devastating raid on London took place on the night of 10/11 May 1941. [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. Air attacks continued sporadically, then in 1944 an entirely new threat arrived in the form . The details of the conversation were passed to an RAF Air Staff technical advisor, Dr. R. V. Jones, who started a search which discovered that Luftwaffe Lorenz receivers were more than blind-landing devices. [173] Losses were minimal. An estimated 43,000 people lost their lives. Bomb damage around St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. 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. 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 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. Jones began a search for German beams; Avro Ansons of the Beam Approach Training Development Unit (BATDU) were flown up and down Britain fitted with a 30MHz receiver. [166] This was not immediately apparent. 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. [168] The Boulton Paul Defiant, despite its poor performance during daylight engagements, was a much better night fighter. 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. [50] Panic during the Munich crisis, such as the migration by 150,000 people to Wales, contributed to fear of social chaos.[54]. In January 1941, Fighter Command flew 486 sorties against 1,965 made by the Germans. The name "Blitz" comes from the word "blitzkrieg" which meant "lightning war". [173] On 3/4 May, nine were shot down in one night. Authorities provided stoves and bathrooms and canteen trains provided food. So worried were the government over the sudden campaign of leaflets and posters distributed by the Communist Party in Coventry and London, that the police were sent to seize their production facilities. Poor intelligence about British industry and economic efficiency led to OKL concentrating on tactics rather than strategy. British anti-aircraft defences (General Frederick Alfred Pile) fired 8,326 rounds and shot down only 2 bombers. Night fighters could claim only four bombers for four losses. By September 1940, the large-scale German air raids which had been expected twelve months earlier finally arrived. The German Luftwaffe dropped thousands of bombs on London from 1939 to 1945, killing almost 30,000 people. From the beginning of the National Socialist regime until 1939, there was a debate in German military journals over the role of strategic bombardment, with some contributors arguing along the lines of the British and Americans. An average of 200 were able to strike per night. Tawny Pipit (1944) While the likes of Welcome Mr. Washington (1944), Great Day (1945) and I Live in Grosvenor Square (1945) extended British hospitality to visiting Americans, Anthony Asquith's The Demi-Paradise (1943) was alone in offering the hand of friendship to our Soviet allies. The property stands alone on a section of riverbank on the Thames, in South East London 's . British night-fighter operations out over the Channel were proving successful. [58], Deep shelters provided most protection against a direct hit. The OKL had not been informed that Britain was to be considered a potential opponent until early 1938. [156] Westminster Abbey and the Law Courts were damaged, while the Chamber of the House of Commons was 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. Ground-based radar was limited, and airborne radar and RAF night fighters were generally ineffective. : The Blitz 1940 971941 510 : Blitz World War 2 Timeline - 1940. by Ben Johnson. Below is a table by city of the number of major raids (where at least 100 tons of bombs were dropped) and tonnage of bombs dropped during these major raids. 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. An interactive map showing the location of bombs dropped on London during World War II has been created. Aviation strategists dispute that morale was ever a major consideration for Bomber Command. [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. [99] Fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with six pilots killed and another seven wounded. [37], Regardless of the ability of the Luftwaffe to win air superiority, Hitler was frustrated it was not happening quickly enough. Roads and railways were blocked and ships could not leave harbour. But the great bulk of the traffic went on, and Londonersthough they glanced apprehensively each morning at the list of closed stretches of line displayed at their local station, or made strange detours round back streets in the busesstill got to work. An unknown number of bombs fell on these diversionary ("Starfish") targets. [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. The light guns, about half of which were of the excellent Bofors 40 mm, dealt with aircraft only up to 6,000ft (1,800m). On 8 May 1941, 57 ships were destroyed, sunk or damaged, amounting to 80,000 long tons (81,300t). Less than 100 incidents reported by the London Fire Brigade up to 5pm on September 7, 1940. [26], The deliberate separation of the Luftwaffe from the rest of the military structure encouraged the emergence of a major "communications gap" between Hitler and the Luftwaffe, which other factors helped to exacerbate. (Photo by J. Before getting into detail, an overview of the area around St. Paul's Cathedral will help set the scene. On the night of 13/14 November, 77 He 111s of Kampfgeschwader 26 (26th Bomber Wing, or KG 26) bombed London while 63 from KG 55 hit Birmingham. At this time, the Underground lines were mostly owned and run by separate companies, all of which were merged together with . 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. [111], Wartime observers perceived the bombing as indiscriminate. [112] In fact, on 8 September 1940 both Battersea and West Ham Power Station were both shut down after the 7 September daylight attack on London. [173] On 10/11 May, London suffered severe damage, but 10 German bombers were downed. Bomb-Damage Maps Reveal London's World War II Devastation. [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. The building of London's Royal Docks introduced a new world of commerce to the capital. [38][a], It was decided to focus on bombing Britain's industrial cities, in daylight to begin with. Within four months, 88 percent of evacuated mothers, 86 percent of small children, and 43 percent of schoolchildren had been returned home. [172], By April and May 1941, the Luftwaffe was still getting through to their targets, taking no more than one- to two-percent losses per mission. 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. [30] The replacement of pilots and aircrew was more difficult. The government planned the evacuation of four million peoplemostly women and childrenfrom urban areas, including 1.4million from London. Here are the flats today, courtesy of Street View . From 7 September 1940, London was systematically bombed by the Luftwaffe for 56 of the following 57 days and nights. 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. [155], The diversion of heavier bombers to the Balkans meant that the crews and units left behind were asked to fly two or three sorties per night. To confuse the British, radio silence was observed until the bombs fell. [157] Air attacks sank 39,126 long tons (39,754t) of shipping, with another 111,601 long tons (113,392t) damaged. [126] RAF day fighters were converting to night operations and the interim Bristol Blenheim night fighter conversion of the light bomber was being replaced by the powerful Beaufighter, but this was only available in very small numbers. Much of the city centre was destroyed. [28], The Luftwaffe's poor intelligence meant that their aircraft were not always able to locate their targets, and thus attacks on factories and airfields failed to achieve the desired results. [24][182] In comparison to the Allied bombing campaign against Germany, casualties due to the Blitz were relatively low; the bombing of Hamburg alone inflicted about 40,000 civilian casualties. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. Operating over home territory, British aircrew could fly again if they survived being shot down. [115] The bombing disrupted rail traffic through London without destroying any of the crossings. 12 Group RAF). [145] Part of the reason for this was inaccuracy of navigation. The Battle of Britain The London Underground rail system was also affected; high explosive bombs damaged the tunnels rendering some unsafe. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency . Notable interviews include Thomas Alderson, the first recipient of the George Cross, John Cormack, who survived eight days trapped beneath rubble on Clydeside, and Herbert Morrison's famous "Britain shall not burn" appeal for more fireguards in December 1940. The estimate of tonnes of bombs an enemy could drop per day grew as aircraft technology advanced, from 75 in 1922, to 150 in 1934, to 644 in 1937. 'Blitz' is an abbreviation of the German word 'blitzkrieg', meaning 'lightning war'. The lightning attack was infamously called "Black Saturday". Many Londoners, in particular, took to using the Underground railway system, without authority, for shelter and sleeping through the night. Dowding had introduced the concept of airborne radar and encouraged its usage. [139], Although official German air doctrine did target civilian morale, it did not espouse the attacking of civilians directly. [156], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. [1], In early July 1940, the German High Command began planning Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. X-Gert received and analysed the pulses, giving the pilot visual and aural directions. 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 . To start off, the idea of the London Underground as a bomb shelter wasn't a new one by 1940. The debris of St Thomas's Hospital, London, the morning after receiving a direct hit during the Blitz, in front of the Houses of . This led the British to develop countermeasures, which became known as the Battle of the Beams. Some 107,400 gross tons (109,100t) of shipping was damaged in the Thames Estuary and 1,600 civilians were casualties. By 19/20 April 1941, it had dropped 3,984 mines, .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}13 of the total dropped. [127] Other sources say 449 bombers and a total of 470 long tons (478t) of bombs were dropped.
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