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. 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. Between 1940 and 1945, over 52,000 civilians were killed in Britain during bombing raids by German aircraft. [93], The first deliberate air raids on London were mainly aimed at the Port of London, causing severe damage. Other reasons, including industry dispersal may have been a factor. For the London-based American football team, see, Directive 23: Gring and the Kriegsmarine, This was caused by moisture ruining the electrical. [138] The strategic effect of the raid was a brief 20 percent dip in aircraft production. At least 3,363 Luftwaffe aircrew were killed, 2,641 missing and 2,117 wounded. Nevertheless, its official opposition to attacks on civilians became an increasingly moot point when large-scale raids were conducted in November and December 1940. (AUDIO: The Wanderer) Despite being forbidden under the terms of the Treaty of . At this time, the Underground lines were mostly owned and run by separate companies, all of which were merged together with . Smaller raids are not included in the tonnages. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 4. However, meteorological conditions over Britain were not favourable for flying and prevented an escalation in air operations. A tall white house known locally as the 'leaning tower of Rotherhithe' has sold for 1.5million. [94], On 15 September the Luftwaffe made two large daylight attacks on London along the Thames Estuary, targeting the docks and rail communications in the city. 11 Group RAF and No. Around 200 people were killed and another 2,000 injured. 80 Wing RAF. The Luftwaffe attacked the main Atlantic seaport of Liverpool in the Liverpool Blitz. [130], Airborne Interception radar (AI) was unreliable. Hull and Glasgow were attacked but 715 long tons (726t) of bombs were spread out all over Britain. 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. Dowding agreed air defence would require some offensive action and that fighters could not defend Britain alone. Nearly 350 German bombers (escorted by over 600 fighters) dropped explosives on East London, targeting the docks in particular. 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. The London Blitz Timeline Nathaniel Zarate Sep 7 1940 September 7, 1940 On Saturday September 7th 1940, Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force to bomb London. The 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. For eight months the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on London and other strategic cities across Britain. He was always reluctant to co-operate with Raeder. Around 66,000 houses were destroyed and 77,000 people made homeless ("bombed out"[158]), with 1,900 people killed and 1,450 seriously hurt on one night. The first cross-beam alerted the bomb-aimer, who activated a bombing clock when the second cross-beam was reached. With no sign of the RAF weakening and the Luftflotten suffering many losses, OKL was keen for a change in strategy. 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. A significant number of the aircraft not shot down after the resort to night bombing were wrecked during landings or crashed in bad weather. Bomb-Damage Maps Reveal London's World War II Devastation. [37], Regardless of the ability of the Luftwaffe to win air superiority, Hitler was frustrated it was not happening quickly enough. [43] The Luftwaffe's strategy became increasingly aimless over the winter of 19401941. IWM C 5424 1. [67] By the end of 1940 improvements had been made in the Underground and in many other large shelters. Battle noises were muffled and sleep was easier in the deepest stations, but many people were killed from direct hits on stations. 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. Tickets were issued for bunks in large shelters, to reduce the amount of time spent queuing. 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. The Luftwaffe gradually decreased daylight operations in favour of night attacks to evade attacks by the RAF, and the Blitz became a night bombing campaign after October 1940. [149] The indifference displayed by the OKL to Directive 23 was perhaps best demonstrated in operational directives which diluted its effect. Moreover, the OKL could not settle on an appropriate strategy. Civilians left for more remote areas of the country. [73][74][75], The cheerful crowds visiting bomb sites were so large they interfered with rescue work. 4546. A trial blackout was held on 10 August 1939 and when Germany invaded Poland on 1 September, a blackout began at sunset. Using historical paintings, a timeline, and a simple map, children can discover why the re started, how it spread, and the damage it caused. [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. To prevent the movement of large enemy ground forces to the decisive areas, by destroying railways and roads, particularly bridges and tunnels, which are indispensable for the movement and supply of forces. 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. [72] The psychoanalysts were correct, and the special network of psychiatric clinics opened to receive mental casualties of the attacks closed due to lack of need. The populace of the port of Hull became "trekkers", people who made a mass exodus from cities before, during and after attacks. To paralyse the enemy armed forces by stopping production in armaments factories. [161] This raid was significant, as 63 German fighters were sent with the bombers, indicating the growing effectiveness of RAF night fighter defences. Of greater potential was the GL (Gunlaying) radar and searchlights with fighter direction from RAF fighter control rooms to begin a GCI system (Ground Control-led Interception) under Group-level control (No. 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. In mid-September 1940, about 150,000 people a night slept in the Underground, although by winter and spring the numbers declined to 100,000 or less. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. 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. 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. Hitler believed the Luftwaffe was "the most effective strategic weapon", and in reply to repeated requests from the Kriegsmarine for control over naval aircraft insisted, "We should never have been able to hold our own in this war if we had not had an undivided Luftwaffe. 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. Who . "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. Its hope was to destroy its targets and draw the RAF into defending them, allowing the Luftwaffe to destroy their fighters in large numbers, thereby achieving air superiority. It believed it could greatly affect the balance of power on the battlefield by disrupting production and damaging civilian morale. The most intense series of these raids took place from September 1940 to May 1941 in a period that has become known as the Blitz. [60] In March 1943, 173 men, women and children were crushed to death at Bethnal Green tube station in a crowd surge after a woman fell down the steps as she entered the station. [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". 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. While wartime bombings affected London in both world wars, it was the Blitz that truly altered the cityscape forever. 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. 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. [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. Added to the fact an interception relied on visual sighting, a kill was most unlikely even in the conditions of a moonlit sky. Direction-finding checks also enabled the controller to keep the pilot on course. [69] Contrary to pre-war fears of anti-Semitic violence in the East End, one observer found that the "Cockney and the Jew [worked] together, against the Indian". One-third of London's streets were impassable. But their operations were to no avail; the worsening weather and unsustainable attrition in daylight gave the OKL an excuse to switch to night attacks on 7 October. The cities and the capital were bombed until the following morning, leaving more than 430 dead and over 1600 people badly injured. 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. 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. [15] It was thought that "the bomber will always get through" and could not be resisted, particularly at night. [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. In recent years a large number of wartime recordings relating to the Blitz have been made available on audiobooks such as The Blitz, The Home Front and British War Broadcasting. [170] In November and December 1940, the Luftwaffe flew 9,000 sorties against British targets and RAF night fighters claimed only six shot down. Some people even told government surveyors that they enjoyed air raids if they occurred occasionally, perhaps once a week. The Luftwaffe lost 18 percent of the bombers sent on the operations that day and failed to gain air superiority. [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. 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. [92] The counter-operations were carried out by British Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) units under Wing Commander Edward Addison, No. Another poll found an 88% approval rating for Churchill in July. There is much that Londoners can look back on with pride, remarkably little about which they need to feel ashamed. But the Blitz started in earnest on the afternoon of 7 September when the German Luftwaffe filled the skies in the first major daytime raid on London. He told OKL in 1939 that ruthless employment of the Luftwaffe against the heart of the British will to resist would follow when the moment was right. In March 1941, two raids on Plymouth and London dehoused 148,000 people. Over a period of nine months, over 43,500 civilians were killed in the raids, which focused on major cities and industrial centres. Dowding had introduced the concept of airborne radar and encouraged its usage. Just three and twelve were claimed by the RAF and AA defences respectively. The first attack merely damaged the rail network for three days,[102] and the second attack failed altogether. The day's fighting cost Kesselring and Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2) 24 aircraft, including 13 Bf 109s. Two aerials at ground stations were rotated so that their beams converged over the target. The AFS had 138,000 personnel by July 1939. However, as with the attacks in the south, the Germans failed to prevent maritime movements or cripple industry in the regions. Their incendiary bombs [141][failed verification] Altogether, 130 German bombers destroyed the historical centre of London. In those sites, carbon arc lamps were used to simulate flashes at tram overhead wires. Sperrle, commanding Luftflotte 3, was ordered to dispatch 250 sorties per night including 100 against the West Midlands. Nine days later, two waves of 125 and 170 bombers dropped heavy bombs, including 160 tons (163t) of high explosive and 32,000 incendiaries. People left shelters when told instead of refusing to leave, although many housewives reportedly enjoyed the break from housework. This became official policy on 7 October. Beginning. 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. [174] By the end of May, Kesselring's Luftflotte 2 had been withdrawn, leaving Hugo Sperrle's Luftflotte 3 as a token force to maintain the illusion of strategic bombing. [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]. [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. In January 1941, Fighter Command flew 486 sorties against 1,965 made by the Germans. Morale was not mentioned until the ninth wartime directive on 21 September 1940. The next night, a large force hit Coventry. On the night of 13/14 November, 77 He 111s of Kampfgeschwader 26 (26th Bomber Wing, or KG 26) bombed London while 63 from KG 55 hit Birmingham. [156], The Luftwaffe could still inflict much damage and after the German conquest of Western Europe, the air and submarine offensive against British sea communications became much more dangerous than the German offensive during the First World War. Important events of 1940, including the beginning of the London Blitz (pictured above) and the Battle of Britain. [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. [80] The WVS organised the evacuation of children, established centres for those displaced by bombing and operated canteens, salvage and recycling schemes. Over a quarter of London's population had left the city by November 1940. [139], Although official German air doctrine did target civilian morale, it did not espouse the attacking of civilians directly. [144] In January and February 1941, Luftwaffe serviceability rates declined until just 551 of 1,214 bombers were combat-worthy. Curiously, while 43 percent of the contacts in May 1941 were by visual sightings, they accounted for 61 percent of the combats. [13] In April 1941, when the targets were British ports, rifle production fell by 25 percent, filled-shell production by 4.6 percent and in small-arms production 4.5 percent. The attack started at 16:43 and lasted for 12 hours. The first German attack on London actually occurred by accident. [38][a], It was decided to focus on bombing Britain's industrial cities, in daylight to begin with. The system worked on 6677MHz, a higher frequency than Knickebein. 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. Although there had been many bombing raids on London since mid 1940, the first raid where the survival of St. Paul's Cathedral was at risk and where the Watch were tested in the extreme was on Sunday 29th December 1940. On 15 October, the bombers returned and about 900 fires were started by the mix of 376 tons (382t) of high explosive and 10 tons of incendiaries dropped. It was during the Second World War. Beginning in September 1940, the Blitz was an aerial bombing campaign conducted by the Luftwaffe against British cities. A third poll found 89% support for his leadership in October. [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. Reception committees were completely unprepared for the condition of some of the children. Get 20% off purchases above 10.Apply discount code SAVE20 at checkout.. Company Search. [28], The Luftwaffe's poor intelligence meant that their aircraft were not always able to locate their targets, and thus attacks on factories and airfields failed to achieve the desired results. [133] By mid-November, nine squadrons were available, but only one was equipped with Beaufighters (No. When a continuous sound was heard from the second beam the crew knew they were above the target and dropped their bombs. [95][96], Initially, the change in strategy caught the RAF off-guard and caused extensive damage and civilian casualties. Dozens of men, women and children celebrate a Christmas party at a London Underground station during the Blitz in 1940. 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. [55] The relocation of the government and the civil service was also planned but would only have occurred if necessary so as not to damage civilian morale. His hope wasfor reasons of political prestige within Germany itselfthat the German population would be protected from the Allied bombings. 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". 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. [30] The replacement of pilots and aircrew was more difficult. [113] In the case of Battersea power station, an unused extension was hit and destroyed during November but the station was not put out of action during the night attacks. [60], Each day orderly lines of people queued until 4:00pm, when they were allowed to enter the stations. It is argued that persisting with attacks on RAF airfields might have won air superiority for the Luftwaffe. [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. News reports of the Spanish Civil War, such as the bombing of Barcelona, supported the 50-casualties-per-tonne estimate. [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. The attacks against Birmingham took war industries some three months to recover fully. Corum 1997, pp. The Royal Chapel, inner quadrangle and Palace gates were hit, and several workmen were injured. 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. The word "blitz" comes from the German term. At a London railway station, arriving troops pass by children who are being evacuated to the countryside. [148], Hitler's interest in this strategy forced Gring and Jeschonnek to review the air war against Britain in January 1941. [99] Fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with six pilots killed and another seven wounded. 4 June 1940 18 June 1940 22 June 1940 1 July 1940 . Notable interviews include Thomas Alderson, the first recipient of the George Cross, John Cormack, who survived eight days trapped beneath rubble on Clydeside, and Herbert Morrison's famous "Britain shall not burn" appeal for more fireguards in December 1940. [97] Of this total around 400 were killed. Mackay2002, pp. Whitechapel suffered greatly during this period. [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. [84], The attitude of the Air Ministry was in contrast to the experiences of the First World War when German bombers caused physical and psychological damage out of all proportion to their numbers. Over the next few days weather was poor and the next main effort would not be made until 15 September 1940. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency . German legal scholars of the 1930s carefully worked out guidelines for what type of bombing was permissible under international law. [187] Historians' critical response to this construction focused on what were seen as over-emphasised claims of patriotic nationalism and national unity. The Blitz came to London on September Saturday 7 th 1940 and lasted for many days. The blitz 1940-1941: an interactive timeline This interactive timeline tracks the German air force's bombing campaign as it devastated towns and cities across Britain during the second world. X-Gert received and analysed the pulses, giving the pilot visual and aural directions. 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. [42], Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the Luftwaffe had an unclear strategy and poor intelligence. The Battle of Britain and the Blitz were two central moments in the British war effort during World War II. 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". [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. [160], On 13 March, the upper Clyde port of Clydebank near Glasgow was bombed (Clydebank Blitz). More than 70,000 buildings . It was evoked by both the right and left political factions in Britain in 1982, during the Falklands War when it was portrayed in a nostalgic narrative in which the Second World War represented patriotism actively and successfully acting as a defender of democracy.