Still, many British citizens, who had been members of the Labour Party, itself inert over the issue, turned to the Communist Party. [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. By the end of November, 1,100 bombers were available for night raids. 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". These collections include period interviews with civilians, servicemen, aircrew, politicians and Civil Defence personnel, as well as Blitz actuality recordings, news bulletins and public information broadcasts. They have usually been treated as distinct campaigns, but they are linked by the fact that the German Air Force conducted a continuous eleven-month offensive against Britain from July 1940 to June 1941. Reflections made by factory skylights were created by placing lights under angled wooden panels. [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. 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. : The Blitz 1940 971941 510 : Blitz [1], In early July 1940, the German High Command began planning Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Ultimately, the Russian royal family reached a . The first three directives in 1940 did not mention civilian populations or morale in any way. [13] The strategic impact on industrial cities was varied; most took from 10 to 15 days to recover from heavy raids, although Belfast and Liverpool took longer. 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. Bombing civilians would cause a collapse of morale and a loss of production in the remaining factories. [143], Not all of the Luftwaffe effort was made against inland cities. [149] Some 50 Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers and Jabos (fighter-bombers) were used, officially classed as Leichte Kampfflugzeuge ("light bombers") and sometimes called Leichte Kesselringe ("Light Kesselrings"). Bomb damage around St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. (Photo by J. [50] London hospitals prepared for 300,000 casualties in the first week of war. [156] Westminster Abbey and the Law Courts were damaged, while the Chamber of the House of Commons was destroyed. World War 2 Timeline - 1940. by Ben Johnson. Its explosive sound describes the Luftwaffe's almost continual aerial bombardment of the British Isles from. 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. [164], In the north, substantial efforts were made against Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Sunderland, which were large ports on the English east coast. Birmingham and Coventry were subject to 450 long tons (457t) of bombs between them in the last 10 days of October. 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. 10 Group RAF, No. [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. The aerial bombing was now principally aimed at the destruction of industrial targets, but also continued with the objective of breaking the morale of the civilian population. Daniel Todman reveals how Britons rebuilt their lives, and their cities, in the aftermath of the raids Published: December 1, 2017 at 4:27 pm Subs offer Attacking ports, shipping and imports as well as disrupting rail traffic in the surrounding areas, especially the distribution of coal, an important fuel in all industrial economies of the Second World War, would net a positive result. Some people even told government surveyors that they enjoyed air raids if they occurred occasionally, perhaps once a week. Hull and Glasgow were attacked but 715 long tons (726t) of bombs were spread out all over Britain. [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. The Royal Chapel, inner quadrangle and Palace gates were hit, and several workmen were injured. [187] Historians' critical response to this construction focused on what were seen as over-emphasised claims of patriotic nationalism and national unity. The Blitz The heavy and frequent bombing attacks on London and other cities was known as the 'Blitz'. Over the next few days weather was poor and the next main effort would not be made until 15 September 1940. Beginning in September 1940, the Blitz was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by the Luftwaffe against British cities. [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. The debris of St Thomas's Hospital, London, the morning after receiving a direct hit during the Blitz, in front of the Houses of . Two aerials at ground stations were rotated so that their beams converged over the target. 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 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. Poor intelligence about British industry and economic efficiency led to OKL concentrating on tactics rather than strategy. The London Blitz started quietly. On 17 January around 100 bombers dropped a high concentration of incendiaries, some 32,000 in all. [169], Improved aircraft designs were in the offing with the Bristol Beaufighter, then under development. 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. Regional commissioners were given plenipotentiary powers to restore communications and organise the distribution of supplies to keep the war economy moving. They also noted regional production was severely disrupted when city centres were devastated through the loss of administrative offices, utilities and transport. Ground-based radar was limited, and airborne radar and RAF night fighters were generally ineffective. [145] Use of incendiaries, which were inherently inaccurate, indicated much less care was taken to avoid civilian property close to industrial sites. [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. This led the British to develop countermeasures, which became known as the Battle of the Beams. He recognised the right of the public to seize tube stations and authorised plans to improve their condition and expand them by tunnelling. [27], Although not specifically prepared to conduct independent strategic air operations against an opponent, the Luftwaffe was expected to do so over Britain. At 18:17, it released the first of 10,000 firebombs, eventually amounting to 300 dropped per minute. Plymouth was attacked five times before the end of the month while Belfast, Hull, and Cardiff were hit. 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. Many more ports were attacked. London alone had 1,589 assembly points and although most children boarded evacuation trains at their local stations, trains ran out of the capital's main stations every nine minutes for nine hours. Between 1940 and 1941, the Germans attacked Britain by bombing London. Locating targets in skies obscured by industrial haze meant the target area needed to be illuminated and hit "without regard for the civilian population". [149], By now, the imminent threat of invasion had all but passed as the Luftwaffe had failed to gain the prerequisite air superiority. 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. Some 107,400 gross tons (109,100t) of shipping was damaged in the Thames Estuary and 1,600 civilians were casualties. To support the operations of the army formations, independent of railways, i.e., armoured forces and motorised forces, by impeding the enemy's advance and participating directly in ground operations. Attacks from below offered a larger target, compared to attacking tail-on, as well as a better chance of not being seen by the crew (so less chance of evasion), as well as greater likelihood of detonating its bomb load. [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. [136] The Germans were surprised by the success of the attack. Using historical paintings, a timeline, and a simple map, children can discover why the re started, how it spread, and the damage it caused. Launched in May 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, discover our collection of resources about the resilience of London during World War II. [156], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. It hoped to destroy morale by destroying the enemy's factories and public utilities as well as its food stocks (by attacking shipping). The London boroughs of City of Westminster and St Marylebone - 8.3 square miles of central London stretching from the north bank of the Thames up to Paddington and St John's Wood - were to suffer considerable bombing during the ensuing London Blitz of 7 September 1940 - 11 May 1941 and in later attacks during 1944 -1945. In January, Swansea was bombed four times, very heavily. Eventually, it would become a success. 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. The word "blitz" comes from the German term. 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. This became official policy on 7 October. The difference this made to the effectiveness of air defences is questionable. [106], Loge continued during October. [16], The Luftwaffe took a cautious view of strategic bombing but the OKL did not oppose the strategic bombardment of industries or cities. [35], While Gring was optimistic the Luftwaffe could prevail, Hitler was not. Soon a beam was traced to Derby (which had been mentioned in Luftwaffe transmissions). The mines' ability to destroy entire streets earned them respect in Britain, but several fell unexploded into British hands allowing counter-measures to be developed which damaged the German anti-shipping campaign. Before getting into detail, an overview of the area around St. Paul's Cathedral will help set the scene. To confuse the British, radio silence was observed until the bombs fell. [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. [145] Part of the reason for this was inaccuracy of navigation. 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. [33] Others argue that the Luftwaffe made little impression on Fighter Command in the last week of August and first week of September and that the shift in strategy was not decisive. This involved the bombing of English Channel convoys, ports, and RAF airfields and supporting industries. Four days later 230 tons (234t) were dropped including 60,000 incendiaries. The bombings left parts of London in ruins, and when the war ended in 1945 much of the city had to be rebuilt. The reverse would apply only if the meacon were closer. The rate of civilian housing loss was averaging 40,000 people per week dehoused in September 1940. 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. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:33. It would prove formidable but its development was slow. [50] The unexpected delay to civilian bombing during the Phoney War meant that the shelter programme finished in June 1940, before the Blitz. On 17 April 346 tons (352t) of explosives and 46,000 incendiaries were dropped from 250 bombers led by KG 26. The OKL had not been informed that Britain was to be considered a potential opponent until early 1938. [168] The Blenheim had only a small speed advantage to overtake a German bomber in a stern-chase. Only one year earlier, there had only been 6,600 full-time and 13,800 part-time firemen in the entire country. Although not encouraged by official policy, the use of mines and incendiaries, for tactical expediency, came close to indiscriminate bombing. [183], A popular image arose of British people in the Second World War: a collection of people locked in national solidarity. Summerfield, Penny and Peniston-Bird, Corina. In January 1941, Fighter Command flew 486 sorties against 1,965 made by the Germans. 80 Wing RAF. Still, in February 1941, there remained only seven squadrons with 87 pilots, under half the required strength. The History Place - World War II in Europe Timeline: London During the Blitz London during the Blitz A view of Big Ben through barbed wire entanglement. 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. As the mere threat of it had produced diplomatic results in the 1930s, he expected that the threat of German retaliation would persuade the Allies to adopt a policy of moderation and not to begin a policy of unrestricted bombing. [152] Raeder's successorKarl Dnitzwouldon the intervention of Hitlergain control of one unit (KG 40), but Gring would soon regain it. 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. The attacks against Birmingham took war industries some three months to recover fully. [50] Panic during the Munich crisis, such as the migration by 150,000 people to Wales, contributed to fear of social chaos.[54]. [39] The attacks were focused against western ports in March. [159] Operations against London up until May 1941 could also have a severe impact on morale. Dowding agreed air defence would require some offensive action and that fighters could not defend Britain alone. 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. [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. London: Aurum Press. The damage was considerable, and the Germans also used aerial mines. It also took part in the bombing over Britain. By September 1940, the large-scale German air raids which had been expected twelve months earlier finally arrived. [192] The total number of evacuees numbered 1.4million, including a high proportion from the poorest inner-city families. Before the war, the Chamberlain government stated that night defence from air attack should not take up much of the national effort. Between 1940 and 1945, over 52,000 civilians were killed in Britain during bombing raids by German aircraft. [134], From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted its strategy and attacked other industrial cities. Just three and twelve were claimed by the RAF and AA defences respectively. Only one bomber was lost, to anti-aircraft fire, despite the RAF flying 125-night sorties. 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. 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. Much civil-defence preparation in the form of shelters was left in the hands of local authorities and many areas such as Birmingham, Coventry, Belfast and the East End of London did not have enough shelters. [145] The shift from precision bombing to area attack is indicated in the tactical methods and weapons dropped. [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). [40], However, the Luftwaffe faced limitations. Other units ceased using parachute flares and opted for explosive target markers. On 10/11 March, 240 bombers dropped 193 tons (196t) of high explosives and 46,000 incendiaries. [42], Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the Luftwaffe had an unclear strategy and poor intelligence. The government planned the evacuation of four million peoplemostly women and childrenfrom urban areas, including 1.4million from London. [citation needed] This image entered the historiography of the Second World War in the 1980s and 1990s,[dubious discuss] especially after the publication of Angus Calder's book The Myth of the Blitz (1991). 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. [178][3], In aircraft production, the British were denied the opportunity to reach the planned target of 2,500 aircraft in a month, arguably the greatest achievement of the bombing, as it forced the dispersal of the industry, at first because of damage to aircraft factories and then by a policy of precautionary dispersal. Praise for Blitz: "With a relaxed style and array of fun characters, including an agent who makes people who look at him see their mother and a baby goat that turns into a little boy, O'Malley's latest will appeal to his many followers." Kirkus Reviews Praise for Daniel O'Malley and the Rook Files series: "Laugh-out-loud funny, occasionally bawdy, and paced like a spy thriller . [67] By the end of 1940 improvements had been made in the Underground and in many other large shelters. [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 light guns, about half of which were of the excellent Bofors 40 mm, dealt with aircraft only up to 6,000ft (1,800m). 4546. The Blitz began on 7 September, 'Black Saturday', when German bombers attacked London, leaving 430 dead and 1,600 injured. 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 . The first German attack on London actually occurred by accident. [51], British air raid sirens sounded for the first time 22 minutes after Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. Official histories concluded that the mental health of a nation may have improved, while panic was rare. [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]. [13][14], In the 1920s and 1930s, airpower theorists such as Giulio Douhet and Billy Mitchell claimed that air forces could win wars, obviating the need for land and sea combat. [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. Both the RAF and Luftwaffe struggled to replace manpower losses, though the Germans had larger reserves of trained aircrew. [109] Special units, such as KGr 100, became the Beleuchtergruppe (Firelighter Group), which used incendiaries and high explosives to mark the target area. [130], Airborne Interception radar (AI) was unreliable. The Romanov family was the imperial house of the Russian Empire from 1613 until being forced out of power in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. 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. Anti-Semitic attitudes became widespread, particularly in London. [68], Although only a small number of Londoners used the mass shelters, when journalists, celebrities and foreigners visited they became part of the Beveridge Report, part of a national debate on social and class division. [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. [131] Whitehall's disquiet at the failures of the RAF led to the replacement of Dowding (who was already due for retirement) with Sholto Douglas on 25 November. Get 20% off purchases above 10.Apply discount code SAVE20 at checkout.. Company Search. . 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. Little tonnage was dropped on Fighter Command airfields; Bomber Command airfields were hit instead. KGr 100 increased its use of incendiaries from 13 to 28 percent. 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. Morale was not mentioned until the ninth wartime directive on 21 September 1940. A present day image of the Freedom Press, Whitechapel, London. A trial blackout was held on 10 August 1939 and when Germany invaded Poland on 1 September, a blackout began at sunset. 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. Destroying RAF Fighter Command would allow the Germans to gain control of the skies over the invasion area. A summary of Harris' strategic intentions was clear. [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. [127] By the second month of the Blitz the defences were not performing well. The London Blitz Timeline Nathaniel Zarate Sep 7 1940 September 7, 1940 On Saturday September 7th 1940, Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force to bomb London. The main damage was inflicted on the commercial and domestic areas. 6063, 6768, 75, 7879, 21516. [78], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". [161] This raid was significant, as 63 German fighters were sent with the bombers, indicating the growing effectiveness of RAF night fighter defences. By September 1940, London had already experienced German bombing. The meacon system involved separate locations for a receiver with a directional aerial and a transmitter. 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 . [5] Large air battles broke out, lasting for most of the day. The heavy fighting in the Battle of Britain had eaten up most of Fighter Command's resources, so there was little investment in night fighting. It is argued that persisting with attacks on RAF airfields might have won air superiority for the Luftwaffe. Reception committees were completely unprepared for the condition of some of the children. Erik Larson (Goodreads Author) (shelved 1 time as london-blitz) avg rating 4.29 99,548 ratings published 2020. He frequently complained of the Luftwaffe's inability to damage industries sufficiently, saying, "The munitions industry cannot be impeded effectively by air raids usually, the prescribed targets are not hit". [150] The OKL had always regarded the interdiction of sea communications of less importance than bombing land-based aircraft industries.