It was during the Second World War. [127] Other sources say 449 bombers and a total of 470 long tons (478t) of bombs were dropped. By September 1940, London had already experienced German bombing. [15] It was thought that "the bomber will always get through" and could not be resisted, particularly at night. The RAF and the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) adopted much of this apocalyptic thinking. [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. [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 was a huge bombing campaign of London and other English cities carried about by the German airforce from September 1940 to May 1941. Blitz: A Novel (The Rook Files) Kindle Edition - amazon.com [166] This was not immediately apparent. 1940 30 June: The order is given by Reichsmarschall Hermann Gering, head of the Luftwaffe, to draw the RAF into battle. He fell asleep at the controls of his Ju 88 and woke up to discover the entire crew asleep. Four days later 230 tons (234t) were dropped including 60,000 incendiaries. Two hours later, guided by the fires set by the first assault, a second group of raiders commenced another attack that lasted until 4:30 the following morning. 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. [62], Communal shelters never housed more than one seventh of Greater London residents. Whitechapel, London - History | Victorian Era and Before Direction-finding checks also enabled the controller to keep the pilot on course. [78], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". [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 Blitz - Historic UK 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. Most residents found that such divisions continued within the shelters and many arguments and fights occurred over noise, space and other matters. Intricately Color-Coded Maps Marking Bomb Damage from the London Blitz 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. [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. [32], The decision to change strategy is sometimes claimed as a major mistake by OKL. [180] The 10th directive in October 1940 mentioned morale by name but industrial cities were only to be targeted if weather prevented raids on oil targets.[181]. The Battle of Britain: Timeline | Military History Matters [16], The Luftwaffe took a cautious view of strategic bombing but the OKL did not oppose the strategic bombardment of industries or cities. Loge had cost the Luftwaffe 41 aircraft; 14 bombers, 16 Messerschmitt Bf 109s, seven Messerschmitt Bf 110s and four reconnaissance aircraft. London History: A Look at The London Underground During - Londontopia 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. Rumours that Jews were inflating prices, were responsible for the Black Market, were the first to panic under attack (even the cause of the panic) and secured the best shelters via underhanded methods, were also widespread. Want to Read. He was always reluctant to co-operate with Raeder. [114] It is not clear whether the power station or any specific structure was targeted during the German offensive as the Luftwaffe could not accurately bomb select targets during night operations. [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. When the Luftwaffe struck at British cities for the first time on 7 September 1940, a number of civic and political leaders were worried by Dowding's apparent lack of reaction to the new crisis. Hitler quickly developed scepticism toward strategic bombing, confirmed by the results of the Blitz. How Thousands of Civilians Were Killed by British Shells in the London 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. In the last days of the battle, the bombers became lures in an attempt to draw the RAF into combat with German fighters. (Photo by J. 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. [142] Civilian casualties on London throughout the Blitz amounted to 28,556 killed, and 25,578 wounded. A present day image of the Freedom Press, Whitechapel, London. [73][74][75], The cheerful crowds visiting bomb sites were so large they interfered with rescue work. [149] This strategy had been recognised before the war, but Operation Eagle Attack and the following Battle of Britain had got in the way of striking at Britain's sea communications and diverted German air strength to the campaign against the RAF and its supporting structures. Over the next few days weather was poor and the next main effort would not be made until 15 September 1940. To support naval operations by attacking naval bases, protecting German naval bases and participating directly in naval battles. [192] The total number of evacuees numbered 1.4million, including a high proportion from the poorest inner-city families. News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. 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. Too early and the chances of success receded; too late and the real conflagration at the target would exceed the diversionary fires. However, as with the attacks in the south, the Germans failed to prevent maritime movements or cripple industry in the regions. The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The bombing effort was diluted by attacks against several sets of industries instead of constant pressure on the most vital. "Pathfinders" from 12 Kampfgruppe 100 (Bomb Group 100 or KGr100) led 437 bombers from KG 1, KG 3, KG26, KG 27, KG55 and Lehrgeschwader 1 (1st Training Wing, or LG1) which dropped 350 long tons (356t) of high explosive, 50 long tons (50.8t) of incendiaries, and 127 parachute mines. London Blitz Timeline by Nathaniel Zarate - prezi.com [25], When Hitler tried to intervene more in the running of the air force later in the war, he was faced with a political conflict of his own making between himself and Gring, which was not fully resolved until the war was almost over. [186] At the time it was seen as a useful propaganda tool for domestic and foreign consumption. From 1916 to 1918, German raids had diminished against countermeasures which demonstrated defence against night air raids was possible. [173] On 3/4 May, nine were shot down in one night. Liverpool suffered 180 long tons (183t) of bombs 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). The Royal Chapel, inner quadrangle and Palace gates were hit, and several workmen were injured. [135] In particular, the West Midlands were targeted. [50] Panic during the Munich crisis, such as the migration by 150,000 people to Wales, contributed to fear of social chaos.[54]. 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. Although the weather was poor, heavy raids took place that afternoon on the London suburbs and the airfield at Farnborough. There were also many new civil defence roles that gave a sense of fighting back rather than despair. At a London railway station, arriving troops pass by children who are being evacuated to the countryside. Whitechapel suffered greatly during this period. The Luftwaffe lost 18 percent of the bombers sent on the operations that day and failed to gain air superiority. 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 [98] The fighting in the air was more intense in daylight. [24], A major problem in the managing of the Luftwaffe was Gring. Warehouses, rail lines and houses were destroyed and damaged, but the docks were largely untouched. Hull and Glasgow were attacked but 715 long tons (726t) of bombs were spread out all over Britain. Nevertheless, its official opposition to attacks on civilians became an increasingly moot point when large-scale raids were conducted in November and December 1940. The fake fires could only begin when the bombing started over an adjacent target and its effects were brought under control. London experienced regular attacks and on 10-11 May 1941 was hit by its biggest raid. Bombsite rubble from Birmingham was used to make runways on US Air Force bases in Kent and Essex in southeast England. The maps help to contextualize the staggering statistics from the Blitz: in London alone, there were 57 consecutive nights of bombing. Another poll found an 88% approval rating for Churchill in July. Battle of Britain and the Blitz - Military History - Oxford - obo At the beginning of the war in 1939, London was the largest city in the world, with 8.2 million inhabitants. 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". Battle of Britain timeline - RAF Benevolent Fund [77] Before the war, civilians were issued with 50million respirators (gas masks) in case bombardment with gas began before evacuation. Much damage was done. Still, at Southampton, attacks were so effective morale did give way briefly with civilian authorities leading people en masse out of the city.