[73][74][75], The cheerful crowds visiting bomb sites were so large they interfered with rescue work. From 1943 to the end of the war, he [Harris] and other proponents of the area offensive represented it [the bomber offensive] less as an attack on morale than as an assault on the housing, utilities, communications, and other services that supported the war production effort. [47] Up to nine special transmitters directed their signals at the beams in a manner that subtly widened their paths, making it harder for bomber crews to locate targets; confidence in the device was diminished by the time the Luftwaffe was ready to conduct big raids. [97] Of this total around 400 were killed. [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. An estimated 43,000 people lost their lives. 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. On 15 September, on a date known as Battle of Britain Day, a large-scale raid was launched in daylight, but suffered significant loss for no lasting gain. [62], Communal shelters never housed more than one seventh of Greater London residents. [169], Improved aircraft designs were in the offing with the Bristol Beaufighter, then under development. Ed Murrow reporting on war torn London during the blitz. Bungay, Stephen (2000). To destroy the enemy air force by bombing its bases and aircraft factories and defeat enemy air forces attacking German targets. A tall white house known locally as the 'leaning tower of Rotherhithe' has sold for 1.5million. It was supposed Bomber Command, Coastal Command, and the Royal Navy could not operate under conditions of German air superiority. [138] The strategic effect of the raid was a brief 20 percent dip in aircraft production. It would prove formidable but its development was slow. British night-fighter operations out over the Channel were proving successful. Erich Raedercommander-in-chief of the Kriegsmarinehad long argued the Luftwaffe should support the German submarine force (U-Bootwaffe) in the Battle of the Atlantic by attacking shipping in the Atlantic Ocean and attacking British ports. 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. The fake fires could only begin when the bombing started over an adjacent target and its effects were brought under control. Three cross-beams intersected the beam along which the He 111 was flying. On 9 April 1941, Luftflotte 2 dropped 150 tons (152t) of high explosives and 50,000 incendiaries from 120 bombers in a five-hour attack. 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. At least 3,363 Luftwaffe aircrew were killed, 2,641 missing and 2,117 wounded. [173] Losses were minimal. 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. [22], Hitler paid less attention to the bombing of opponents than air defence, although he promoted the development of a bomber force in the 1930s and understood it was possible to use bombers for strategic purposes. Throughout 1940, dummy airfields were prepared, good enough to stand up to skilled observation. [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). Yet when compared with Luftwaffe daylight operations, there was a sharp decline in German losses to one percent. 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. An interactive map showing the location of bombs dropped on London during World War II has been created. Smaller raids are not included in the tonnages. The first German attack on London actually occurred by accident. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 84. Still, in February 1941, there remained only seven squadrons with 87 pilots, under half the required strength. THIS DAY IN HISTORY September 07 1940 September 07 The Blitz begins as Germany bombs London On September 7, 1940, 300 German bombers raid London, in the first of 57 consecutive nights of. [145] The shift from precision bombing to area attack is indicated in the tactical methods and weapons dropped. 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. Contact Us 0207 608 5516 Call today: 9am - 5.30pm At a London railway station, arriving troops pass by children who are being evacuated to the countryside. The attacks against Birmingham took war industries some three months to recover fully. [64][65] The government distributed Anderson shelters until 1941 and that year began distributing the Morrison shelter, which could be used inside homes. German intelligence suggested Fighter Command was weakening, and an attack on London would force it into a final battle of annihilation while compelling the British Government to surrender. [171] In the bad weather of February 1941, Fighter Command flew 568 sorties to counter the Luftwaffe which flew 1,644 sorties. Other targets would be considered if the primary ones could not be attacked because of weather conditions. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 3. 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. [156], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. The policy of RAF Bomber Command became an attempt to achieve victory through the destruction of civilian will, communications and industry. Unpopular with many of his fellow MP's, Prime Minister Chamberlain agreed to replace him under pressure from . 5 Jan. Leslie Hore-Belisha, Britain's Minister of War, is dismissed. [184][185] This imagery of people in the Blitz was embedded via being in film, radio, newspapers and magazines. 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. [94] A total of 348 bombers and 617 fighters took part in the attack. (PROSE: Ash, TV: The Empty Child) It lasted from 7 September 1940 to 21 May 1941. Explore Docklands at War - Museum of London [148], Hitler's interest in this strategy forced Gring and Jeschonnek to review the air war against Britain in January 1941. 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. Within four months, 88 percent of evacuated mothers, 86 percent of small children, and 43 percent of schoolchildren had been returned home. In those sites, carbon arc lamps were used to simulate flashes at tram overhead wires. [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. [40] The Port of London, in particular, was an important target, bringing in one-third of overseas trade. This is a Timeline of the United Kingdom home front during World War II covering Britain 1939-45.Timeline of the United Kingdom home front during World War II covering Britain 1939-45. While wartime bombings affected London in both world wars, it was the Blitz that truly altered the cityscape forever. Beginning. [34] It has also been argued that it was doubtful the Luftwaffe could have won air superiority before the "weather window" began to deteriorate in October. Over the next few days weather was poor and the next main effort would not be made until 15 September 1940. X-Gert received and analysed the pulses, giving the pilot visual and aural directions. Erik Larson (Goodreads Author) (shelved 1 time as london-blitz) avg rating 4.29 99,548 ratings published 2020. Later in . [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. [175], Between 20 June 1940, when the first German air operations began over Britain, and 31 March 1941, OKL recorded the loss of 2,265 aircraft over the British Isles, a quarter of them fighters and one-third bombers. Both the RAF and Luftwaffe struggled to replace manpower losses, though the Germans had larger reserves of trained aircrew. The London Underground rail system was also affected; high explosive bombs damaged the tunnels rendering some unsafe. On 10/11 March, 240 bombers dropped 193 tons (196t) of high explosives and 46,000 incendiaries. The AFS had 138,000 personnel by July 1939. A further attack on the Clyde, this time at Greenock, took place on 6 and 7 May. [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. Rumours that Jewish support was underpinning the Communist surge were frequent. Bomb-Damage Maps Reveal London's World War II Devastation. [11][12] The greatest effect was to force the British to disperse the production of aircraft and spare parts. 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. [40] The Luftwaffe's decision in the interwar period to concentrate on medium bombers can be attributed to several reasons: Hitler did not intend or foresee a war with Britain in 1939, the OKL believed a medium bomber could carry out strategic missions just as well as a heavy bomber force, and Germany did not possess the resources or technical ability to produce four-engined bombers before the war. [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. [45] This method condemned the offensive over Britain to failure before it began. The OKL had not been informed that Britain was to be considered a potential opponent until early 1938. 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. [134], From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted its strategy and attacked other industrial cities. The hope was that, if it could deceive German bombardiers, it would draw more bombers away from the real target. When the second hand re-aligned with the first, the bombs were released. [48] Based on experience with German strategic bombing during World War I against the United Kingdom, the British government estimated that 50 casualtieswith about one-third killedwould result for every tonne of bombs dropped on London. 1940 30 June: The order is given by Reichsmarschall Hermann Gering, head of the Luftwaffe, to draw the RAF into battle. Mackay2002, pp. Much damage was done. 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. Over 2,000 AAA shells were fired, destroying two Ju 88s. Other reasons, including industry dispersal may have been a factor. [156] Westminster Abbey and the Law Courts were damaged, while the Chamber of the House of Commons was destroyed. 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. In March 1941, two raids on Plymouth and London dehoused 148,000 people. The Blitz Around Britain - World War 2 | Imperial War Museums Who . [21], In 1936, Wever was killed in an air crash and the failure to implement his vision for the new Luftwaffe was largely attributable to his successors. Throughout 193339 none of the 16 Western Air Plans drafted mentioned morale as a target. By December, the SC2500 (2,500kg (5,512lb)) "Max" bomb was used. [115] The bombing disrupted rail traffic through London without destroying any of the crossings. [103] The air battle was later commemorated by Battle of Britain Day. There is much that Londoners can look back on with pride, remarkably little about which they need to feel ashamed. The Battle of Britain: Timeline July 26, 2010 2 mins read The dates of the four phases of the Battle of Britain are contested by some, and have been inserted in brackets only as a guideline. Although not encouraged by official policy, the use of mines and incendiaries, for tactical expediency, came close to indiscriminate bombing. The Blitz and what was known as 'Black Saturday' was the start in Britain of what Poland and Western Europe had already experienced - total war. Using historical paintings, a timeline, and a simple map, children can discover why the re started, how it spread, and the damage it caused. These units were fed from two adjacent tanks containing oil and water. Direction-finding checks also enabled the controller to keep the pilot on course. 348 bombers led by 617 fighters barraged London around 4:00 in the afternoon that day. Before the war, the Chamberlain government stated that night defence from air attack should not take up much of the national effort. but even after the Blitz ended, danger remained. For the London-based American football team, see, Directive 23: Gring and the Kriegsmarine, This was caused by moisture ruining the electrical. 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. Predictions had underestimated civilian adaptability and resourcefulness. WW2: The Blitz Hits | Sky HISTORY TV Channel This heavy bombing by German forces began in September 1940 and lasted for 57 days. London: Aurum Press. The Blitz | Blitz London | Battle of Britain WW2 | RAF Museum [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 lightning attack was infamously called "Black Saturday". This caused more than 2,000 fires; 1,436 people were killed and 1,792 seriously injured, which affected morale badly. The moon was full and the Thames had a very low ebb tide. Blitz Incidents Thursday, 2 January 2014 High Holborn - the morning of 8th October 1940 I had no idea fighter-bombers were used against London as early as 1940, yet on Tuesday 8th October just before 9 am a raid took place that certainly hit targets across the centre of London, including Whitehall, at the very heart of British government. The 'all clear' was sounded at 05.00 on 8 September - 420 people were killed and over 1600 seriously wounded. In the following month, 22 German bombers were lost with 13 confirmed to have been shot down by night fighters. 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. [140] The first group to use these incendiaries was Kampfgruppe 100 which despatched 10 "pathfinder" He 111s. (AUDIO: The Wanderer) Despite being forbidden under the terms of the Treaty of . [120], British night air defences were in a poor state. It hoped to destroy morale by destroying the enemy's factories and public utilities as well as its food stocks (by attacking shipping). [63] Peak use of the Underground as shelter was 177,000 on 27 September 1940 and a November 1940 census of London, found that about 4% of residents used the Tube and other large shelters, 9% in public surface shelters and 27% in private home shelters, implying that the remaining 60% of the city stayed at home. 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. Regional commissioners were given plenipotentiary powers to restore communications and organise the distribution of supplies to keep the war economy moving. [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. Far from displaying the nation's unity in times of war, the scheme backfired, often aggravating class antagonism and bolstering prejudice about the urban poor. [24][182] 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. Tickets were issued for bunks in large shelters, to reduce the amount of time spent queuing. To support naval operations by attacking naval bases, protecting German naval bases and participating directly in naval battles. 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]. This incident was called the 'Blitz'. The Battle of Britain: Timeline | Military History Matters 12 Group RAF). [60], Each day orderly lines of people queued until 4:00pm, when they were allowed to enter the stations. Here are the flats today, courtesy of Street View . [168] The Blenheim had only a small speed advantage to overtake a German bomber in a stern-chase. The air campaign soon got underway against London and other British cities. In one incident on 28/29 April, Peter Stahl of KG 30 was flying on his 50th mission. 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. It expected about 90% of evacuees to stay in private homes, conducted an extensive survey to determine the amount of space available and made detailed preparations for transporting evacuees. 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. The British government grew anxious about the delays and disruption of supplies during the month. By December, this had increased to 92 percent. Each setback caused more civilians to volunteer to become unpaid Local Defence Volunteers. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. Gring's lack of co-operation was detrimental to the one air strategy with potentially decisive strategic effect on Britain. [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". [35], While Gring was optimistic the Luftwaffe could prevail, Hitler was not. 'Blitz' is an abbreviation of the German word 'blitzkrieg', meaning 'lightning war'. Whitechapel, London - History | Victorian Era and Before [32], The decision to change strategy is sometimes claimed as a major mistake by OKL. [83] Until September 1939, the RAF lacked specialist night-fighting aircraft and relied on anti-aircraft units, which were poorly equipped and lacking in numbers. This weight of attack went on for two months, with the Luftwaffe dropping 12,400 long tons (12,600t) of bombs. [186] At the time it was seen as a useful propaganda tool for domestic and foreign consumption. [50] The unexpected delay to civilian bombing during the Phoney War meant that the shelter programme finished in June 1940, before the Blitz. The Blitz | Facts, History, Damage, & Casualties | Britannica Industry, seats of government and communications could be destroyed, depriving an opponent of the means to make war. 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. [157] Air attacks sank 39,126 long tons (39,754t) of shipping, with another 111,601 long tons (113,392t) damaged. [169] The Beaufighter had a maximum speed of 320mph (510km/h), an operational ceiling of 26,000ft (7,900m), a climb rate of 2,500ft (760m) per minute, and its battery of four 20mm (0.79in) Hispano cannon and six .303in Browning machine guns was much more lethal. In Portsmouth Southsea and Gosport waves of 150 bombers destroyed vast swaths of the city with 40,000 incendiaries.