Too early and the chances of success receded; too late and the real conflagration at the target would exceed the diversionary fires. Summerfield, Penny and Peniston-Bird, Corina. [93] In general, German bombers were likely to get through to their targets without too much difficulty. Anti-Semitic attitudes became widespread, particularly in London. [160], On 13 March, the upper Clyde port of Clydebank near Glasgow was bombed (Clydebank Blitz). [195] Many sites of bombed buildings, when cleared of rubble, were cultivated to grow vegetables to ease wartime food shortages and were known as victory gardens.[196]. People were forced to sleep in air raid shelters, and many people took shelter in underground stations. In Sunderland on 25 April, Luftflotte 2 sent 60 bombers which dropped 80 tons (81.3t) of high explosive and 9,000 incendiaries. [126] RAF day fighters were converting to night operations and the interim Bristol Blenheim night fighter conversion of the light bomber was being replaced by the powerful Beaufighter, but this was only available in very small numbers. The building of London's Royal Docks introduced a new world of commerce to the capital. Bombing civilians would cause a collapse of morale and a loss of production in the remaining factories. An average of 200 were able to strike per night. [32], The decision to change strategy is sometimes claimed as a major mistake by OKL. There was also minor ethnic antagonism between the small Black, Indian and Jewish communities, but despite this these tensions quietly and quickly subsided. It hoped to destroy morale by destroying the enemy's factories and public utilities as well as its food stocks (by attacking shipping). Added to the tension of the mission which exhausted and drained crews, tiredness caught up with and killed many. This was when warfare deliberately included civilian populations. 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. The Luftwaffe lost 18 percent of the bombers sent on the operations that day and failed to gain air superiority. Want to Read. [144] In January and February 1941, Luftwaffe serviceability rates declined until just 551 of 1,214 bombers were combat-worthy. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. In the last days of the battle, the bombers became lures in an attempt to draw the RAF into combat with German fighters. [24][182] The pilot flew along an approach beam, monitored by a ground controller. Sperrle, commanding Luftflotte 3, was ordered to dispatch 250 sorties per night including 100 against the West Midlands. KGr 100 increased its use of incendiaries from 13 to 28 percent. 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. [1], In early July 1940, the German High Command began planning Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. [179], Some writers claim the Air Staff ignored a critical lesson, that British morale did not break and that attacking German morale was not sufficient to induce a collapse. Within four months, 88 percent of evacuated mothers, 86 percent of small children, and 43 percent of schoolchildren had been returned home. The tactic was expanded into Feuerleitung (Blaze Control) with the creation of Brandbombenfelder (Incendiary Fields) to mark targets. Bombsite rubble from Birmingham was used to make runways on US Air Force bases in Kent and Essex in southeast England. Signals from the station were retransmitted by the bomber's equipment, which allowed the distance the bomber had travelled along the beam to be measured precisely. [129] AA defences improved by better use of radar and searchlights. 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. [188] In the wake of the Coventry Blitz, there was widespread agitation from the Communist Party over the need for bomb-proof shelters. [78], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". In January, Swansea was bombed four times, very heavily. [11][12] The greatest effect was to force the British to disperse the production of aircraft and spare parts. Although bombing attacks unexpectedly did not begin immediately during the Phoney War,[51] civilians were aware of the deadly power of aerial attacks through newsreels of Barcelona, the Bombing of Guernica and the Bombing of Shanghai. The first attack merely damaged the rail network for three days,[102] and the second attack failed altogether. [93], For industrial areas, fires and lighting were simulated. Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 3. With the doors to our museums physically closed, we are offering some exclusive World War II content from our galleries and collections. [146] Eventually, he convinced Hitler of the need to attack British port facilities. [149], From the German point of view, March 1941 saw an improvement. However, the use of delayed-action bombs, while initially very effective, gradually had less impact, partly because they failed to detonate. Their incendiary bombs [95][96], Initially, the change in strategy caught the RAF off-guard and caused extensive damage and civilian casualties. Some people even told government surveyors that they enjoyed air raids if they occurred occasionally, perhaps once a week. Between 7 September 1940 and 21 May 1941 there were major aerial raids (attacks in which m Subjects: British History, Social Studies - History, World History Grades: What he saw as the mythserene national unitybecame "historical truth". This led the British to develop countermeasures, which became known as the Battle of the Beams. [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. [169], Improved aircraft designs were in the offing with the Bristol Beaufighter, then under development. To reduce losses further, strategy changed to prefer night raids, giving the bombers greater protection under cover of darkness. [121] Few anti-aircraft guns had fire-control systems, and the underpowered searchlights were usually ineffective against aircraft at altitudes above 12,000ft (3,700m). Birmingham and Coventry were subject to 450 long tons (457t) of bombs between them in the last 10 days of October. 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. He recognised the right of the public to seize tube stations and authorised plans to improve their condition and expand them by tunnelling. Rumours that Jewish support was underpinning the Communist surge were frequent. 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. [22], Two prominent enthusiasts for ground-support operations (direct or indirect) were Hugo Sperrle the commander of Luftflotte 3 (1 February 1939 23 August 1944) and Hans Jeschonnek (Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff from 1 February 1939 19 August 1943). [90][91], Y-Gert was an automatic beam-tracking system and the most complex of the three devices, which was operated through autopilot. [130], Airborne Interception radar (AI) was unreliable. The policy of RAF Bomber Command became an attempt to achieve victory through the destruction of civilian will, communications and industry. They also noted regional production was severely disrupted when city centres were devastated through the loss of administrative offices, utilities and transport. It was faster, able to catch the bombers and its configuration of four machine guns in a turret could (much like German night fighters in 19431945 with Schrge Musik) engage the German bomber from beneath. [13][14], In the 1920s and 1930s, airpower theorists such as Giulio Douhet and Billy Mitchell claimed that air forces could win wars, obviating the need for land and sea combat. [173] On 3/4 May, nine were shot down in one night. Around 250 tons (9,000 bombs) had been dropped, killing 1,413 people and injuring 3,500 more. 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]. A third poll found 89% support for his leadership in October. The Communist Party made political capital out of these difficulties. 'Blitz' is an abbreviation of the German word 'blitzkrieg', meaning 'lightning war'. [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. [90][91], In June 1940, a German prisoner of war was overheard boasting that the British would never find the Knickebein, even though it was under their noses. The Blitz (the London Blitz) was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7th September 1940 and 10th May 1941 during the World War Two Every night bar one for ten solid weeks,from 7 September to 14 November 1940, London was attacked by an average of 160 bombers. [94], On 9 September the OKL appeared to be backing two strategies. The oil-fed fires were then injected with water from time to time; the flashes produced were similar to those of the German C-250 and C-500 Flammbomben. The Luftwaffe was not pressed into ground support operations because of pressure from the army or because it was led by ex-soldiers, the Luftwaffe favoured a model of joint inter-service operations, rather than independent strategic air campaigns. 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. A further attack on the Clyde, this time at Greenock, took place on 6 and 7 May. 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. This caused more than 2,000 fires; 1,436 people were killed and 1,792 seriously injured, which affected morale badly. Dowding had introduced the concept of airborne radar and encouraged its usage. The programme evacuated 2,664 boys and girls (ages 5 - 15) until its ending in October after the sinking of the SS City of Benares with the loss of 81 children out of 100 on board. X- and Y-Gert beams were placed over false targets and switched only at the last minute. But even in May, 67 percent of the sorties were visual cat's-eye missions. [77] Before the war, civilians were issued with 50million respirators (gas masks) in case bombardment with gas began before evacuation. [149] The indifference displayed by the OKL to Directive 23 was perhaps best demonstrated in operational directives which diluted its effect. The GL carpet was supported by six GCI sets controlling radar-equipped night-fighters. Only a few weeks after the British victory in the Battle of. [b] The British had anticipated the change in strategy and dispersed its production facilities, making them less vulnerable to a concentrated attack. 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. With no sign of the RAF weakening and the Luftflotten suffering many losses, OKL was keen for a change in strategy. 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 [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. [108], Kesselring, commanding Luftflotte 2, was ordered to send 50 sorties per night against London and attack eastern harbours in daylight. 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. Fighter Command lost 17 fighters and six pilots. Eventually, it would become a success. 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. London: Aurum Press. Nevertheless, its official opposition to attacks on civilians became an increasingly moot point when large-scale raids were conducted in November and December 1940. They concluded bombers should strike a single target each night and use more incendiaries because they had a greater impact on production than high explosives. [12], Five nights later, Birmingham was hit by 369 bombers from KG 54, KG26, and KG55. The maps help to contextualize the staggering statistics from the Blitz: in London alone, there were 57 consecutive nights of bombing. 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. [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. Who . Predictions had underestimated civilian adaptability and resourcefulness. [115] The bombing disrupted rail traffic through London without destroying any of the crossings. [161] This raid was significant, as 63 German fighters were sent with the bombers, indicating the growing effectiveness of RAF night fighter defences. [143], Not all of the Luftwaffe effort was made against inland cities. The day's fighting cost Kesselring and Luftflotte 2 (Air Fleet 2) 24 aircraft, including 13 Bf 109s. Authorities expected that the raids would be brief and in daylight, rather than attacks by night, which forced Londoners to sleep in shelters. The attack started at 16:43 and lasted for 12 hours. One third of London was destroyed. [13], The air offensive against the RAF and British industry failed to have the desired effect. Night after night, from September 1940 until May 1941, German bombers attacked British cities, ports and industrial areas. 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. A summary of Harris' strategic intentions was clear. It was decided to recreate normal residential street lighting, and in non-essential areas, lighting to recreate heavy industrial targets. These were marked out by parachute flares. [7][8] Notable attacks included a large daylight attack against London on 15 September, a large raid on December 29 1940 against London resulting in a firestorm known as the Second Great Fire of London. 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. Mackay2002, pp. Battle of Britain timeline. More than 13,000 civilians had been killed, and almost 20,000 injured, in September and October alone,[110] but the death toll was much less than expected. This weight of attack went on for two months, with the Luftwaffe dropping 12,400 long tons (12,600t) of bombs. 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. [141][failed verification] Altogether, 130 German bombers destroyed the historical centre of London. A trial blackout was held on 10 August 1939 and when Germany invaded Poland on 1 September, a blackout began at sunset. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency . 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. [139], Although official German air doctrine did target civilian morale, it did not espouse the attacking of civilians directly. [13] British wartime studies concluded that most cities took 10 to 15 days to recover when hit severely, but some, such as Birmingham, took three months. Moreover, bombers had four to five crewmen on board, representing a greater loss of manpower. [133] By mid-November, nine squadrons were available, but only one was equipped with Beaufighters (No. [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. 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. The lightning attack was infamously called "Black Saturday". The exhausted population took three weeks to overcome the effects of an attack. [128] London's defences were rapidly reorganised by General Pile, the Commander-in-Chief of Anti-Aircraft Command. A significant number of the aircraft not shot down after the resort to night bombing were wrecked during landings or crashed in bad weather. [134], From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted its strategy and attacked other industrial cities. By December, this had increased to 92 percent. [31], The circumstances affected the Germans more than the British. [145] Use of incendiaries, which were inherently inaccurate, indicated much less care was taken to avoid civilian property close to industrial sites. 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". Workers worked longer shifts and over weekends. 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. Between 1940 and 1941, the Germans attacked Britain by bombing London. On 10/11 March, 240 bombers dropped 193 tons (196t) of high explosives and 46,000 incendiaries. Bomb-Damage Maps Reveal London's World War II Devastation. [60], Each day orderly lines of people queued until 4:00pm, when they were allowed to enter the stations. Reports suggested the attacks blocked the movement of coal to the Greater London regions and urgent repairs were required. [117] Attacks against East End docks were effective and many Thames barges were destroyed. Regional commissioners were given plenipotentiary powers to restore communications and organise the distribution of supplies to keep the war economy moving. [97] Of this total around 400 were killed. 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. 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. Seven major and eight heavy attacks were flown, but the weather made it difficult to keep up the pressure. Before getting into detail, an overview of the area around St. Paul's Cathedral will help set the scene. All but one railway station line was blocked for several weeks. Included are activities that Much damage was done. 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. [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. 12 Group RAF). Corum 1997, pp. 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. The rate of civilian housing loss was averaging 40,000 people per week dehoused in September 1940. Its explosive sound describes the Luftwaffe's almost continual aerial bombardment of the British Isles from. The loss of sleep was a particular factor, with many not bothering to attend inconvenient shelters. The bombing effort was diluted by attacks against several sets of industries instead of constant pressure on the most vital. 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. [184][185] This imagery of people in the Blitz was embedded via being in film, radio, newspapers and magazines. Only one bomber was lost, to anti-aircraft fire, despite the RAF flying 125-night sorties.