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. [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. [93] The use of diversionary techniques such as fires had to be made carefully. The primary goal of Bomber Command was to destroy the German industrial base (economic warfare) and in doing so reduce morale. The tactic was expanded into Feuerleitung (Blaze Control) with the creation of Brandbombenfelder (Incendiary Fields) to mark targets. Many unemployed people were drafted into the Royal Army Pay Corps and with the Pioneer Corps, were tasked with salvaging and clean-up. The London Underground rail system was also affected; high explosive bombs damaged the tunnels rendering some unsafe. [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. For all the destruction of life and property, the observers sent out by the Ministry of Home Security failed to discover the slightest sign of a break in morale. [71], According to Anna Freud and Edward Glover, London civilians surprisingly did not suffer from widespread shell shock, unlike the soldiers in the Dunkirk evacuation. 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. Ed Murrow reporting on war torn London during the blitz. 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. Other targets would be considered if the primary ones could not be attacked because of weather conditions. Two heavy (50 long tons (51t) of bombs) attacks were also flown. [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. [149], A further line in the directive stressed the need to inflict the heaviest losses possible, but also to intensify the air war in order to create the impression an amphibious assault on Britain was planned for 1941. All but seven of its 12,000 houses were damaged. Ports were easier to find and made better targets. The Blitz as it became known in the British press was a sustained aerial attack, sending waves of bombs raining down onto British towns and cities. The reverse would apply only if the meacon were closer. 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. [145], In 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted strategy again. The government saw the leading role taken by the Communist Party in advocating the building of deep shelters as an attempt to damage civilian morale, especially after the MolotovRibbentrop Pact of August 1939. 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. [15] It was thought that "the bomber will always get through" and could not be resisted, particularly at night. 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. 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. It showed the extent to which Hitler mistook Allied strategy for one of morale breaking instead of one of economic warfare, with the collapse of morale as a bonus. [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. The Blitz refers to the strategic bombing campaign conducted by the Germans against London and other cities in England from September of 1940 through May of 1941, targeting populated areas, factories and dock yards. The exhausted population took three weeks to overcome the effects of an attack. Anti-Semitic attitudes became widespread, particularly in London. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. [76], Despite the attacks, defeat in Norway and France, and the threat of invasion, overall morale remained high. However, as with the attacks in the south, the Germans failed to prevent maritime movements or cripple industry in the regions. Morrison warned that he could not counter the Communist unrest unless provision of shelters were made. The Blitz The heavy and frequent bombing attacks on London and other cities was known as the 'Blitz'. [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. [2], The military effectiveness of bombing varied. Timeline London portal v t e The United Kingdom took part in World War II from 3 September 1939 until 15 August 1945. de Zeng, Henry L., Doug G. Stankey and Eddie J. Creek. 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. To start off, the idea of the London Underground as a bomb shelter wasn't a new one by 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. 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. American observer Ralph Ingersoll reported the bombing was inaccurate and did not hit targets of military value, but destroyed the surrounding areas. July 20, 1982: Two IRA bombs explode in central London less than two hours apart. [56] Not only was there evacuation over land, but also by ship. The pilot flew along an approach beam, monitored by a ground controller. 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. The maps help to contextualize the staggering statistics from the Blitz: in London alone, there were 57 consecutive nights of bombing. 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. 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. 5 Jan. Leslie Hore-Belisha, Britain's Minister of War, is dismissed. The first cross-beam alerted the bomb-aimer, who activated a bombing clock when the second cross-beam was reached. [89][90], Knickebein was in general use but the X-Gert (X apparatus) was reserved for specially trained pathfinder crews. [145] The shift from precision bombing to area attack is indicated in the tactical methods and weapons dropped. This meant that British coastal centres and shipping at sea west of Ireland were the prime targets. [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. [23], While the war was being planned, Hitler never insisted upon the Luftwaffe planning a strategic bombing campaign and did not even give ample warning to the air staff that war with Britain or even Russia was a possibility. 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 The 'all clear' was sounded at 05.00 on 8 September - 420 people were killed and over 1600 seriously wounded. [146] Eventually, he convinced Hitler of the need to attack British port facilities. [133] By mid-November, nine squadrons were available, but only one was equipped with Beaufighters (No. Eventually, it would become a success. To confuse the British, radio silence was observed until the bombs fell. Between 1940 and 1945, over 52,000 civilians were killed in Britain during bombing raids by German aircraft. The Blitz (shortened from German 'Blitzkrieg', "lightning war") was the period of sustained strategic bombing of the United Kingdom by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. [42], Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the Luftwaffe had an unclear strategy and poor intelligence. [168] The Boulton Paul Defiant, despite its poor performance during daylight engagements, was a much better night fighter. [142] Civilian casualties on London throughout the Blitz amounted to 28,556 killed, and 25,578 wounded. In the following month, 22 German bombers were lost with 13 confirmed to have been shot down by night fighters. This had important implications. German legal scholars of the 1930s carefully worked out guidelines for what type of bombing was permissible under international law. In particular, class division was most evident during the Blitz. Bomb damage around St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. Industry, seats of government and communications could be destroyed, depriving an opponent of the means to make war. [103] The air battle was later commemorated by Battle of Britain Day. 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. [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. 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. The Minister of Aircraft Production, Lord Beaverbrook and Churchill distanced themselves. Damage was inflicted on the port installations, but many bombs fell on the city itself. [80] The WVS organised the evacuation of children, established centres for those displaced by bombing and operated canteens, salvage and recycling schemes. 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. This was when warfare deliberately included civilian populations. 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. [149] The indifference displayed by the OKL to Directive 23 was perhaps best demonstrated in operational directives which diluted its effect. 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). In this section. Civilians left for more remote areas of the country. Ground-based radar was limited, and airborne radar and RAF night fighters were generally ineffective. Corum 1997, pp. [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. Outside the capital, there had been widespread harassing activity by single aircraft, as well as fairly strong diversionary attacks on Birmingham, Coventry and Liverpool, but no major raids. 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. Another poll found an 88% approval rating for Churchill in July. Minister of Home Security Herbert Morrison was also worried morale was breaking, noting the defeatism expressed by civilians. [93] In general, German bombers were likely to get through to their targets without too much difficulty. News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. The attack started at 16:43 and lasted for 12 hours. Although the weather was poor, heavy raids took place that afternoon on the London suburbs and the airfield at Farnborough. The Battle of Britain [100] Another 247 bombers from Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) attacked that night. In the Myth of the Blitz, Calder exposed some of the counter-evidences of anti-social and divisive behaviours. 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. The day's fighting cost Kesselring and Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2) 24 aircraft, including 13 Bf 109s. [57] The programme favoured backyard Anderson shelters and small brick surface shelters. 348 bombers led by 617 fighters barraged London around 4:00 in the afternoon that day. Over a period of nine months, over 43,500 civilians were killed in the raids, which focused on major cities and industrial centres. In one incident on 28/29 April, Peter Stahl of KG 30 was flying on his 50th mission. [17], The vital industries and transport centres that would be targeted for shutdown were valid military targets. Tickets were issued for bunks in large shelters, to reduce the amount of time spent queuing. 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. The main damage was inflicted on the commercial and domestic areas. Its explosive sound describes the Luftwaffe's almost continual aerial bombardment of the British Isles from. Around 200 people were killed and another 2,000 injured. [144] In January and February 1941, Luftwaffe serviceability rates declined until just 551 of 1,214 bombers were combat-worthy. A Raid From Above [157] Air attacks sank 39,126 long tons (39,754t) of shipping, with another 111,601 long tons (113,392t) damaged. [76], Civilians of London played an enormous role in protecting their city. The Communist Party made political capital out of these difficulties. [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. The considerable rail network distributed to the rest of the country. The rate of civilian housing loss was averaging 40,000 people per week dehoused in September 1940. Using historical paintings, a timeline, and a simple map, children can discover why the re started, how it spread, and the damage it caused. All but one railway station line was blocked for several weeks. [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. Erik Larson (Goodreads Author) (shelved 1 time as london-blitz) avg rating 4.29 99,548 ratings published 2020. Nevertheless, its official opposition to attacks on civilians became an increasingly moot point when large-scale raids were conducted in November and December 1940. At the beginning of the war in 1939, London was the largest city in the world, with 8.2 million inhabitants. [128] London's defences were rapidly reorganised by General Pile, the Commander-in-Chief of Anti-Aircraft Command. 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. An average of 200 were able to strike per night. [50] Panic during the Munich crisis, such as the migration by 150,000 people to Wales, contributed to fear of social chaos.[54]. The German bombers would fly along either beam until they picked up the signal from the other beam. 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. One-third of London's streets were impassable. Hitler quickly developed scepticism toward strategic bombing, confirmed by the results of the Blitz. Dowding had introduced the concept of airborne radar and encouraged its usage. Dec. 17, 1983: Six people are. [16], The Luftwaffe took a cautious view of strategic bombing but the OKL did not oppose the strategic bombardment of industries or cities. [58][59], The most important existing communal shelters were the London Underground stations. 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. [161] Still, while heavily damaged, British ports continued to support war industry and supplies from North America continued to pass through them while the Royal Navy continued to operate in Plymouth, Southampton, and Portsmouth. 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. [78], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". The Battle of Britain and the Blitz were two central moments in the British war effort during World War II. Douglas set about introducing more squadrons and dispersing the few GL sets to create a carpet effect in the southern counties. 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. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency . The fake fires could only begin when the bombing started over an adjacent target and its effects were brought under control. Reflections made by factory skylights were created by placing lights under angled wooden panels. Seeschlange would be carried out by Fliegerkorps X (10th Air Corps) which concentrated on mining operations against shipping. [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. 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. This timeline highlights key moments in the run up to and during the Battle of Britain. [156] Other sources point out that half of the 144 berths in the port were rendered unusable and cargo unloading capability was reduced by 75 percent. [145] Use of incendiaries, which were inherently inaccurate, indicated much less care was taken to avoid civilian property close to industrial sites. Hull and Glasgow were attacked but 715 long tons (726t) of bombs were spread out all over Britain. Sperrle, commanding Luftflotte 3, was ordered to dispatch 250 sorties per night including 100 against the West Midlands. In March 1941, two raids on Plymouth and London dehoused 148,000 people. [73][74][75], The cheerful crowds visiting bomb sites were so large they interfered with rescue work. Curiously, while 43 percent of the contacts in May 1941 were by visual sightings, they accounted for 61 percent of the combats. [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. [145] Captured German aircrews also indicated the homes of industrial workers were deliberately targeted. Explore the London Blitz during 7th October 1940 to 6th June 1941 Aggregate Bomb Census Information Powered by Leaflet CartoDB - Map data OpenStreetMap.org contributors The National Archives give no warranty to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of the information provided. When a continuous sound was heard from the second beam the crew knew they were above the target and dropped their bombs. This heavy bombing by German forces began in September 1940 and lasted for 57 days. [184], Raids during the Blitz produced the greatest divisions and morale effects in the working-class areas, with lack of sleep, insufficient shelters and inefficiency of warning systems being major causes. German planners had to decide whether the Luftwaffe should deliver the weight of its attacks against a specific segment of British industry such as aircraft factories, or against a system of interrelated industries such as Britain's import and distribution network, or even in a blow aimed at breaking the morale of the British population. [107], Luftwaffe policy at this point was primarily to continue progressive attacks on London, chiefly by night attack; second, to interfere with production in the vast industrial arms factories of the West Midlands, again chiefly by night attack; and third to disrupt plants and factories during the day by means of fighter-bombers. [64][65] The government distributed Anderson shelters until 1941 and that year began distributing the Morrison shelter, which could be used inside homes. Beginning in September 1940, the Blitz was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by the Luftwaffe against British cities. Much of the city centre was destroyed. The name "Blitz" comes from the word "blitzkrieg" which meant "lightning war". Three cross-beams intersected the beam along which the He 111 was flying. 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. It believed it could greatly affect the balance of power on the battlefield by disrupting production and damaging civilian morale. Whitechapel suffered greatly during this period. The Luftwaffe had dropped 16,331 long tons (16,593t) of bombs. [170] On 19 November, John Cunningham of No. The Blitz began on 7 September, 'Black Saturday', when German bombers attacked London, leaving 430 dead and 1,600 injured. In January, Swansea was bombed four times, very heavily. 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". [88] Bomber crews already had some experience with the Lorenz beam, a commercial blind-landing aid for night or bad weather landings. Important events of 1940, including the beginning of the London Blitz (pictured above) and the Battle of Britain. [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). If a vigilant bomber crew could spot the fighter first, they had a decent chance of evading it. Warehouses, rail lines and houses were destroyed and damaged, but the docks were largely untouched. [151], Directive 23 was the only concession made by Gring to the Kriegsmarine over the strategic bombing strategy of the Luftwaffe against Britain. [108], Kesselring, commanding Luftflotte 2, was ordered to send 50 sorties per night against London and attack eastern harbours in daylight. [70] Pub visits increased in number (beer was never rationed), and 13,000 attended cricket at Lord's. [159] Operations against London up until May 1941 could also have a severe impact on morale. 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 government did not build them for large populations before the war because of cost, time to build and fears that their safety would cause occupants to refuse to leave to return to work or that anti-war sentiment would develop in large congregations of civilians. [99] Fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with six pilots killed and another seven wounded. [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). First, the difficulty in estimating the impact of bombing upon war production was becoming apparent, and second, the conclusion British morale was unlikely to break led the OKL to adopt the naval option. [116] On 7 November, St Pancras, Kensal and Bricklayers Arms stations were hit and several lines of Southern Rail were cut on 10 November. Ironically, the Blitz was the result of an . [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. By September 1940, the Luftwaffe had lost the Battle of Britain and the German air fleets (Luftflotten) were ordered to attack London, to draw RAF Fighter Command into a battle of annihilation. [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. [58], Deep shelters provided most protection against a direct hit. [163] By the end of the air campaign over Britain, only eight percent of the German effort against British ports was made using mines. 4546. One third of London was destroyed. Included are activities that [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. The defences failed to prevent widespread damage but on some occasions did prevent German bombers concentrating on their targets. [191] In other cities, class divisions became more evident. These were marked out by parachute flares. 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. [173] On 19/20 April 1941, in honour of Hitler's 52nd birthday, 712 bombers hit Plymouth with a record 1,000tons (1,016t) of bombs. On September 7, 1940, 350 German bombers escorted by fighters bombarded London on consecutive successions. [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. Many more ports were attacked. 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. More might have been achieved had OKL exploited the vulnerability of British sea communications. Some 107,400 gross tons (109,100t) of shipping was damaged in the Thames Estuary and 1,600 civilians were casualties. Less than 100 incidents reported by the London Fire Brigade up to 5pm on September 7, 1940. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 84. dodged bombs to make her way across London from her aunts house to dance class. Unpopular with many of his fellow MP's, Prime Minister Chamberlain agreed to replace him under pressure from . The offensive came to be called the Blitz after the German word blitzkrieg ("lightning war"). 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. Air raids caused about 2,300 casualties in London in World War I, and during the Battle of Britain in World War II, the city was bombed relentlessly by the German Luftwaffethe London Blitz . [11][12] The greatest effect was to force the British to disperse the production of aircraft and spare parts. The shortage of bombers caused OKL to improvise. From 1940 to 1941, the most successful night-fighter was the Boulton Paul Defiant; its four squadrons shot down more enemy aircraft than any other type. This weight of attack went on for two months, with the Luftwaffe dropping 12,400 long tons (12,600t) of bombs.