In the summer and fall of 1940 German and British air forces clashed in the strikes over the United Kingdom, locked
These London schoolchildren are in the midst of an air raid drill ordered by the London Board of Education as a precaution in case an air raid comes too fast to give the youngsters a chance to leave the building for special shelters, on July 20, 1940. They were ordered to go to the middle of the room, away from windows, and hold their hands over the backs of their necks.
in the largest sustained bombing campaign to that date. A significant turning point of World War II, the Battle of Britain ended when Germany's Luftwaffe failed to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force despite months if targeting Britain's air bases military posts and ultimately, its civilian Britain's decisive victory saved the country from a ground invasion and possible occupation by German forces while proving that air power alone could be used to win a major battle. On June 17, 1940 , the defeated French signed an aimistice and quit World War II. Britain now stood alone against the power of Germany's military forces, which had conquered most of Western Europe in less than two months. But Prince Minister Winston Churchill railed his stubborn people and out maneuvered those politicians who wanted to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, But Britain's success in continuing the war would very much depend on the RAF Fighter Command's ability to thwart the Luftwaffe 's efforts to gain superiority. This then would be the first all - air battle in history, Britain's situation was more favorable than most of the world recognized at the time. Britain possessed an effective air defense system, first-rate fighter pilots, and a great military leader in Air Marshall Hugh Dowding. On the other hand, the Germans had major problems; they had no navy left after the costly conquest of Norway, their army was unprepared for any form of amphibious operations.
With France conquered, Hitler could now turn his forces on Germany's sole remaining enemy; Great Britain, which was protected from the formidable. German Army by the waters of the English Channel. On July 16, 1940, Hitler
The biggest shipping center for London's food-supplies, Tilbury, has been the target of numerous German air attacks. Bombs dropping on the port of Tilbury, on October 4, 1940. The first group of bombs will hit the ships lying in the Thames, the second will strike the docks.
issued a directive ordering the preparation and, if necessary, the execution of a plan for the invasion of Great Britain. But an amphibious invasion of Britain would only be possible, given Britain's large navy. If Germany could establish control of the air in the battle zone. To this end, the Luftwaffe chief, Goring. On August 2 issued the " Eagle Day " directive, laying down a plan of an attack in which a few massive blows from the air were to destroy British air power and to open the way for the amphibious invasion, termed Operation Sea Lion. Victory in the air battle for the Luftwaffe would indeed have exposed Great Britain to invasion and occupation. The victory by the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command blocked this possibility and in fact, created the conditions for Great Britain's survival, for the extension of the war, and for the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. The forces engaged in the battle were relatively small. The British disposed some 600 front line fighters to defend the country. The Germans made available about 1300 bombers and dive bombers, and about 900 singled engined, and 300 twin engined fighters. These were based in all around England from Norway to the Cherbourg Peninsula. In Northern coastal France. The preliminaries of the Battle of Britain occupied June and July 1940, the climax August and September and the after math, the " Blitz". There were public shelters in most towns, but many people built Anderson shelters in their gardens so that they had protection if they were unable to get to the public shelter. Anderson shelters were made out of corrugated iron and were very strong. A hole was dug in the garden, then the shelter was placed in the hole and it was covered with earth. An air-raid siren warned people when a raid was about to begin.
A specially commissioned map shows the areas covered by the four Fighter Command units that made up Britain’s primary airborne defense in World War II.
People shelter and sleep on the platform and on the train tracks, in Aldwych Underground Station, London, after sirens sounded to warn of German bombing raids, on October 8, 1940.
The government tried to confuse the German bombers by enforcing a 'blackout'. Street lamps were switched off, car headlights had to be covered and people had to hang black material in their windows at night so that house lights could not be seen. Going out at night could be dangerous during the blackout; cars crashed into each other and pedestrians, people walked into each other, fell off bridges or fell into ponds. After May 1941, the bombing raids became less frequent as Hitler turned his attention to Russia. Nevertheless, the effects of the Blitz were devastating. 60,000 people lost their lives, 87,000 were seriously injured and 2 million homes were destroyed.
A scene of devastation in the Dockland area of London attacked by German bomber on September 17, 1940.
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Hitler plans the invasion of Britain
In the summer and fall of 1940 German and British air forces clashed in the strikes over the United Kingdom, locked
With France conquered, Hitler could now turn his forces on Germany's sole remaining enemy; Great Britain, which was protected from the formidable. German Army by the waters of the English Channel. On July 16, 1940, Hitler
Works Cited
Ayers, Edward. American Anthem. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2007. 397-400. Print.
Ramirez, Susan. Human Legacy. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2008. 442 - 443. Print.
“Battle of Britain.” 2013. The History Channel website. Nov 17 2013, 7:18 http://www.history.com/topics/battle-of-britain.
"World War II". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/648813/World-War-II/53543/The-Battle-of-Britain>.