[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. Over the next few days weather was poor and the next main effort would not be made until 15 September 1940. OKL did not believe air power alone could be decisive and the Luftwaffe did not adopt an official policy of the deliberate bombing of civilians until 1942. The 'all clear' was sounded at 05.00 on 8 September - 420 people were killed and over 1600 seriously wounded. The first cross-beam alerted the bomb-aimer, who activated a bombing clock when the second cross-beam was reached. Children pull crackers under paper decorations while jubilant adults smile . 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. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. 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. 4546. Loge had cost the Luftwaffe 41 aircraft; 14 bombers, 16 Messerschmitt Bf 109s, seven Messerschmitt Bf 110s and four reconnaissance aircraft. [86], Hugh Dowding, Air Officer Commanding Fighter Command, defeated the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, but preparing day fighter defences left little for night air defence. [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. [109] Special units, such as KGr 100, became the Beleuchtergruppe (Firelighter Group), which used incendiaries and high explosives to mark the target area. Erik Larson (Goodreads Author) (shelved 1 time as london-blitz) avg rating 4.29 99,548 ratings published 2020. 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. [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. To prevent German formations from hitting targets in Britain, Bomber Command would destroy Luftwaffe aircraft on their bases, aircraft in their factories and fuel reserves by attacking oil plants. [50], On the other hand, some historians have recently contended that this revisionism of the "Blitz spirit" narrative may have been an over-correction. [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. 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]. [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. 4 June 1940 18 June 1940 22 June 1940 1 July 1940 . 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. London was then bombed for 57 consecutive nights, and often during daytime too. Seven major and eight heavy attacks were flown, but the weather made it difficult to keep up the pressure. Harold Macmillan wrote in 1956 that he and others around him "thought of air warfare in 1938 rather as people think of nuclear war today". [186] At the time it was seen as a useful propaganda tool for domestic and foreign consumption. [115] In the initial operations against London, it did appear as if rail targets and the bridges over the Thames had been singled out: Victoria Station was hit by four bombs and suffered extensive damage. [146] Eventually, he convinced Hitler of the need to attack British port facilities. Much damage was done. Beginning in September 1940, the Blitz was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by the Luftwaffe against British cities. [5][6] Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall Hermann Gring, commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, ordered the new policy on 6 September 1940. Industry, seats of government and communications could be destroyed, depriving an opponent of the means to make war. [15] It was thought that "the bomber will always get through" and could not be resisted, particularly at night. 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. [44] Disputes among OKL staff revolved more around tactics than strategy. [88] Bomber crews already had some experience with the Lorenz beam, a commercial blind-landing aid for night or bad weather landings. The reverse would apply only if the meacon were closer. Seeschlange would be carried out by Fliegerkorps X (10th Air Corps) which concentrated on mining operations against shipping. 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. 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". Liverpool and its port became an important destination for convoys heading through the Western Approaches from North America, bringing supplies and materials. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 3. [132] On 19 November 1940 the famous RAF night fighter ace John Cunningham shot down a Ju 88 bomber using airborne radar, just as Dowding had predicted. An American witness wrote "By every test and measure I am able to apply, these people are staunch to the bone and won't quit the British are stronger and in a better position than they were at its beginning". When a continuous sound was heard from the second beam the crew knew they were above the target and dropped their bombs. [170] In November and December 1940, the Luftwaffe flew 9,000 sorties against British targets and RAF night fighters claimed only six shot down. [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". [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 air campaign soon got underway against London and other British cities. 348 bombers led by 617 fighters barraged London around 4:00 in the afternoon that day. [179] Though militarily ineffective, the Blitz cost around 41,000 lives, may have injured another 139,000 people and did enormous damage to British infrastructure and housing stock. In December, only 11 major and five heavy attacks were made. "Bombing of London" and "London Blitz" redirect here. However, meteorological conditions over Britain were not favourable for flying and prevented an escalation in air operations. Still, in February 1941, there remained only seven squadrons with 87 pilots, under half the required strength. The attacks were authorized by Germany's chancellor, Adolf Hitler, after the British carried out a nighttime air raid on Berlin. [194], In one 6-month period, 750,000 tons (762,000t) of bombsite rubble from London were transported by railway on 1,700 freight trains to make runways on Bomber Command airfields in East Anglia. Its aircraftDornier Do 17, Junkers Ju 88, and Heinkel He 111swere capable of carrying out strategic missions[41] but were incapable of doing greater damage because of their small bomb-loads. The fake fires could only begin when the bombing started over an adjacent target and its effects were brought under control. The Luftwaffe lost 18 percent of the bombers sent on the operations that day and failed to gain air superiority. [136] The raid against Coventry was particularly devastating, and led to widespread use of the phrase "to coventrate". Damage was inflicted on the port installations, but many bombs fell on the city itself. Ex-Army personnel and his successors as Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, Albert Kesselring (3 June 1936 31 May 1937) and Hans-Jrgen Stumpff (1 June 1937 31 January 1939) are usually blamed for abandoning strategic planning for close air support. 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. [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"). Another innovation was the boiler fire. [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 bombing effort was diluted by attacks against several sets of industries instead of constant pressure on the most vital. [81], British air doctrine, since Hugh Trenchard had commanded the Royal Flying Corps (19151917), stressed offence as the best means of defence,[82] which became known as the cult of the offensive. 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. Wever's vision was not realised, staff studies in those subjects fell by the wayside and the Air Academies focused on tactics, technology and operational planning, rather than on independent strategic air offensives. Democracies, where public opinion was allowed, were thought particularly vulnerable. [11][162] Plymouth in particular, because of its vulnerable position on the south coast and close proximity to German air bases, was subjected to the heaviest attacks. [35][36], It was also possible, if RAF losses became severe, that they could pull out to the north, wait for the German invasion, then redeploy southward again. [73][74][75], The cheerful crowds visiting bomb sites were so large they interfered with rescue work. [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. Cardiff was bombed on three nights; Portsmouth centre was devastated by five raids. Night fighters could claim only four bombers for four losses. 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. Ports were easier to find and made better targets. They emphasised the core strategic interest was attacking ports but they insisted in maintaining pressure or diverting strength, onto industries building aircraft, anti-aircraft guns, and explosives. In March 1941, two raids on Plymouth and London dehoused 148,000 people. A further attack on the Clyde, this time at Greenock, took place on 6 and 7 May. [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. [2], The military effectiveness of bombing varied. Air attacks continued sporadically, then in 1944 an entirely new threat arrived in the form . [127] In November 1940, 6,000 sorties and 23 major attacks (more than 100 tons [102t] of bombs dropped) were flown. The name "Blitz" comes from the word "blitzkrieg" which meant "lightning war". The building of London's Royal Docks introduced a new world of commerce to the capital. [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. The Luftwaffe flew 4,000 sorties that month, including 12 major and three heavy attacks. For eight months the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on London and other strategic cities across Britain. Of the "heavies", some 200 were of the obsolescent 3in (76mm) type; the remainder were the effective 4.5in (110mm) and 3.7in (94mm) guns, with a theoretical "ceiling"' of over 30,000ft (9,100m) but a practical limit of 25,000ft (7,600m) because the predictor in use could not accept greater heights. Douglas set about introducing more squadrons and dispersing the few GL sets to create a carpet effect in the southern counties. The first attack merely damaged the rail network for three days,[102] and the second attack failed altogether. Morale was not mentioned until the ninth wartime directive on 21 September 1940. [169], Improved aircraft designs were in the offing with the Bristol Beaufighter, then under development. British night-fighter operations out over the Channel were proving successful. Bomb-Damage Maps Reveal London's World War II Devastation. It had no time to gather reliable intelligence on Britain's industries. By December, the SC2500 (2,500kg (5,512lb)) "Max" bomb was used. [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. [164], In the north, substantial efforts were made against Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Sunderland, which were large ports on the English east coast. Bungay, Stephen (2000). [76], Civilians of London played an enormous role in protecting their city. [49], In 1937 the Committee on Imperial Defence estimated that an attack of 60 days would result in 600,000 dead and 1.2million wounded. [40], However, the Luftwaffe faced limitations. Many more ports were attacked. Warehouses, rail lines and houses were destroyed and damaged, but the docks were largely untouched. The meacon system involved separate locations for a receiver with a directional aerial and a transmitter. Two heavy (50 long tons (51t) of bombs) attacks were also flown. Bombing civilians would cause a collapse of morale and a loss of production in the remaining factories. The action did not guarantee automatic success. [149], By now, the imminent threat of invasion had all but passed as the Luftwaffe had failed to gain the prerequisite air superiority. A Raid From Above But even in May, 67 percent of the sorties were visual cat's-eye missions. Added to the tension of the mission which exhausted and drained crews, tiredness caught up with and killed many. 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 . "Civilian morale during the Second World War: Responses to air raids re-examined.". 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. [30] The replacement of pilots and aircrew was more difficult. Within four months, 88 percent of evacuated mothers, 86 percent of small children, and 43 percent of schoolchildren had been returned home. [95][96], Initially, the change in strategy caught the RAF off-guard and caused extensive damage and civilian casualties. Most residents found that such divisions continued within the shelters and many arguments and fights occurred over noise, space and other matters. From July until September 1940 the Luftwaffe attacked Fighter Command to gain air superiority as a prelude to invasion. The hope was that, if it could deceive German bombardiers, it would draw more bombers away from the real target. By September 1940, London had already experienced German bombing. Over 2,000 AAA shells were fired, destroying two Ju 88s. [139], Probably the most devastating attack occurred on the evening of 29 December, when German aircraft attacked the City of London itself with incendiary and high explosive bombs, causing a firestorm that has been called the Second Great Fire of London. Before the war, the Chamberlain government stated that night defence from air attack should not take up much of the national effort. An estimated 43,000 people lost their lives. Between September 1940 and May 1941 the German Luftwaffe attacked the city on over 70 separate occasions, with around 1 million homes being destroyed and killing over 20,000 civilians. 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. Only one year earlier, there had only been 6,600 full-time and 13,800 part-time firemen in the entire country. 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. Red lamps were used to simulate blast furnaces and locomotive fireboxes. 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. To support naval operations by attacking naval bases, protecting German naval bases and participating directly in naval battles. [161] Another raid was carried out on 11/12 May 1941. 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. [190], The brief success of the Communists also fed into the hands of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). 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. Its round-the-clock bombing of London was an immediate attempt to force the British government to capitulate, but it was also striking at Britain's vital sea communications to achieve a victory through siege. Before getting into detail, an overview of the area around St. Paul's Cathedral will help set the scene. [129] AA defences improved by better use of radar and searchlights. Around 200 people were killed and another 2,000 injured. [39] The attacks were focused against western ports in March. Mackay2002, pp. [24], A major problem in the managing of the Luftwaffe was Gring. Three cross-beams intersected the beam along which the He 111 was flying. When Gring decided against continuing Wever's original heavy bomber programme in 1937, the Reichsmarschall's own explanation was that Hitler wanted to know only how many bombers there were, not how many engines each had. Between 1940 and 1941, the Germans attacked Britain by bombing London. London, and cities. 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 . [160], On 13 March, the upper Clyde port of Clydebank near Glasgow was bombed (Clydebank Blitz). Bombsite rubble from Birmingham was used to make runways on US Air Force bases in Kent and Essex in southeast England. The lightning attack was infamously called "Black Saturday". [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. If a vigilant bomber crew could spot the fighter first, they had a decent chance of evading it. In January, Swansea was bombed four times, very heavily. In some cases, the concentration of the bombing and resulting conflagration created firestorms of 1,000C. Other reasons, including industry dispersal may have been a factor. [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. 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. On 8 May 1941, 57 ships were destroyed, sunk or damaged, amounting to 80,000 long tons (81,300t). Other units ceased using parachute flares and opted for explosive target markers. Operating over home territory, British aircrew could fly again if they survived being shot down. Hull and Glasgow were attacked but 715 long tons (726t) of bombs were spread out all over Britain. The production of false radio navigation signals by re-transmitting the originals became known as meaconing using masking beacons (meacons). [9] and a large raid on the night of 10-11 May 1941. [159] Operations against London up until May 1941 could also have a severe impact on morale. . [170] On 19 November, John Cunningham of No. [13], The German air offensive failed because the Luftwaffe High Command (Oberkommando der Luftwaffe, OKL) did not develop a methodical strategy for destroying British war industry. 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. [92] The counter-operations were carried out by British Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) units under Wing Commander Edward Addison, No. 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. "[25] Such principles made it much harder to integrate the air force into the overall strategy and produced in Gring a jealous and damaging defence of his "empire" while removing Hitler voluntarily from the systematic direction of the Luftwaffe at either the strategic or operational level. [77] Before the war, civilians were issued with 50million respirators (gas masks) in case bombardment with gas began before evacuation. This involved the bombing of English Channel convoys, ports, and RAF airfields and supporting industries. 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. The amount of firm operational and tactical preparation for a bombing campaign was minimal, largely because of the failure by Hitler as supreme commander to insist upon such a commitment. 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. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. 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. Many civilians who were unwilling or unable to join the military joined the Home Guard, the Air Raid Precautions service (ARP), the Auxiliary Fire Service and many other civilian organisations. Anti-Jewish sentiment was reported, particularly around the East End of London, with anti-Semitic graffiti and anti-Semitic rumours, such as that Jewish people were "hogging" air raid shelters. Home Secretary Sir John Anderson was replaced by Morrison soon afterwards, in the wake of a Cabinet reshuffle as the dying Neville Chamberlain resigned. 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. [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. Other targets would be considered if the primary ones could not be attacked because of weather conditions. [50] The unexpected delay to civilian bombing during the Phoney War meant that the shelter programme finished in June 1940, before the Blitz. July 20, 1982: Two IRA bombs explode in central London less than two hours apart. Both the RAF and Luftwaffe struggled to replace manpower losses, though the Germans had larger reserves of trained aircrew. Reflections made by factory skylights were created by placing lights under angled wooden panels. [56] Not only was there evacuation over land, but also by ship. From 7 September 1940, London was systematically bombed by the Luftwaffe for 56 of the following 57 days and nights. X- and Y-Gert beams were placed over false targets and switched only at the last minute. [100] Another 247 bombers from Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) attacked that night. 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 When this proved impossible, he began to fear that popular feeling would turn against his regime, and he redoubled efforts to mount a similar "terror offensive" against Britain in order to produce a stalemate in which both sides would hesitate to use bombing at all. [145] Use of incendiaries, which were inherently inaccurate, indicated much less care was taken to avoid civilian property close to industrial sites. [122][123] In July 1940, only 1,200 heavy and 549 light guns were deployed in the whole of Britain. 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. 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. [117] Attacks against East End docks were effective and many Thames barges were destroyed. 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. The exhausted population took three weeks to overcome the effects of an attack. Moreover, bombers had four to five crewmen on board, representing a greater loss of manpower. [173] In May 1941, RAF night fighters shot down 38 German bombers. [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. Two aerials at ground stations were rotated so that their beams converged over the target. 5 Jan. Leslie Hore-Belisha, Britain's Minister of War, is dismissed. [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. More than 70,000 buildings . [42], Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the Luftwaffe had an unclear strategy and poor intelligence. Many houses and commercial centres were heavily damaged, the electrical supply was knocked out, and five oil tanks and two magazines exploded. [120], British night air defences were in a poor state. The rate of civilian housing loss was averaging 40,000 people per week dehoused in September 1940. [1] It was the capital not just for the United Kingdom, but for the entire British Empire. 'Blitz' is an abbreviation of the German word 'blitzkrieg', meaning 'lightning war'. 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 Romanov family was the imperial house of the Russian Empire from 1613 until being forced out of power in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. [134], From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted its strategy and attacked other industrial cities. [35], While Gring was optimistic the Luftwaffe could prevail, Hitler was not. However, the use of delayed-action bombs, while initially very effective, gradually had less impact, partly because they failed to detonate. [62], Communal shelters never housed more than one seventh of Greater London residents. 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.
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