london blitz timeline

They believed the Luftwaffe had failed in precision attack and concluded the German example of area attack using incendiaries was the way forward for operations over Germany. Corum 1997, pp. X-Gert received and analysed the pulses, giving the pilot visual and aural directions. Roads and railways were blocked and ships could not leave harbour. Seven major and eight heavy attacks were flown, but the weather made it difficult to keep up the pressure. [21], In 1936, Wever was killed in an air crash and the failure to implement his vision for the new Luftwaffe was largely attributable to his successors. [61] A single direct hit on a shelter in Stoke Newington on October 1940 killed 160 civilians. The Blitz holds a special place in British history for the light which it supposedly sheds on . Bungay, Stephen (2000). The attack started at 16:43 and lasted for 12 hours. but even after the Blitz ended, danger remained. By September 1940, the large-scale German air raids which had been expected twelve months earlier finally arrived. More than 40,000civilians were killed by Luftwaffe bombing during the war, almost half of them in the capital, where more than a million houses were destroyed or damaged. 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. Later in . Most residents found that such divisions continued within the shelters and many arguments and fights occurred over noise, space and other matters. 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. [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. [161] Another raid was carried out on 11/12 May 1941. 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 . [148], Hitler's interest in this strategy forced Gring and Jeschonnek to review the air war against Britain in January 1941. 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. Ultimately, the Russian royal family reached a . [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. 348 bombers led by 617 fighters barraged London around 4:00 in the afternoon that day. [40] The Port of London, in particular, was an important target, bringing in one-third of overseas trade. The Germans adapted the short-range Lorenz system into Knickebein, a 3033MHz system, which used two Lorenz beams with much stronger signals. [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. [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). In this section. [138] The strategic effect of the raid was a brief 20 percent dip in aircraft production. The Luftwaffe lost 18 percent of the bombers sent on the operations that day and failed to gain air superiority. 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. These collections include period interviews with civilians, servicemen, aircrew, politicians and Civil Defence personnel, as well as Blitz actuality recordings, news bulletins and public information broadcasts. To paralyse the enemy armed forces by stopping production in armaments factories. [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. On 17 April 346 tons (352t) of explosives and 46,000 incendiaries were dropped from 250 bombers led by KG 26. Liverpool and its port became an important destination for convoys heading through the Western Approaches from North America, bringing supplies and materials. The Blitz referred to the bombing of most major British cities by the Germans in World War II. The production of false radio navigation signals by re-transmitting the originals became known as meaconing using masking beacons (meacons). Warehouses, rail lines and houses were destroyed and damaged, but the docks were largely untouched. [131], Nevertheless, it was radar that proved to be the critical weapon in the night battles over Britain from this point onward. [45] This method condemned the offensive over Britain to failure before it began. 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. The lack of bombing in the Phoney War contributed significantly to the return of people to the cities, but class conflict was not eased a year later when evacuation operations had to be put into effect again. [108], Kesselring, commanding Luftflotte 2, was ordered to send 50 sorties per night against London and attack eastern harbours in daylight. 12 Group RAF). [56] Not only was there evacuation over land, but also by ship. [90][91], Y-Gert was an automatic beam-tracking system and the most complex of the three devices, which was operated through autopilot. Still, many British citizens, who had been members of the Labour Party, itself inert over the issue, turned to the Communist Party. 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. The primary goal of Bomber Command was to destroy the German industrial base (economic warfare) and in doing so reduce morale. 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. [125], Few fighter aircraft were able to operate at night. The crew would be ordered to drop their bombs either by a code word from the ground controller or at the conclusion of the signal transmissions which would stop. 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. German crews, even if they survived, faced capture. 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. [42], Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the Luftwaffe had an unclear strategy and poor intelligence. This caused more than 2,000 fires; 1,436 people were killed and 1,792 seriously injured, which affected morale badly. 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. Morrison warned that he could not counter the Communist unrest unless provision of shelters were made. 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. Children pull crackers under paper decorations while jubilant adults smile . Using historical paintings, a timeline, and a simple map, children can discover why the re started, how it spread, and the damage it caused. [38][a], It was decided to focus on bombing Britain's industrial cities, in daylight to begin with. An estimated 43,000 people lost their lives. [46], In an operational capacity, limitations in weapons technology and quick British reactions were making it more difficult to achieve strategic effect. 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. Hayward 2007, www.ltmrecordings.com/blitz1notes.html, Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:33, German strategic bombing during World War I, Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany, Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence, Bombing of Wiener Neustadt in World War II, "The Blitz: The Bombing of Britain in WWII", "Families pay tribute to Stoke Newington war dead", Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle for Britain, The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy, Parliament & The Blitz UK Parliament Living Heritage, "London Blitz 1940: the first day's bomb attacks listed in full", Archive recordings from The Blitz, 194041 (audiobook), The Blitz: Sorting the Myth from the Reality, Exploring 20th century London The Blitz, Oral history interview with Barry Fulford, recalling his childhood during the Blitz, Interactive bombing map of Buckinghamshire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Blitz&oldid=1141315217. [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 property stands alone on a section of riverbank on the Thames, in South East London 's . On 10/11 March, 240 bombers dropped 193 tons (196t) of high explosives and 46,000 incendiaries. [135] In particular, the West Midlands were targeted. [119] The Ministry of Home Security reported that although the damage caused was "serious" it was not "crippling" and the quays, basins, railways and equipment remained operational. [43] The Luftwaffe's strategy became increasingly aimless over the winter of 19401941. The next night, a large force hit Coventry. Direction-finding checks also enabled the controller to keep the pilot on course. 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. Committees quickly formed within shelters as informal governments, and organisations such as the British Red Cross and the Salvation Army worked to improve conditions. [160], On 13 March, the upper Clyde port of Clydebank near Glasgow was bombed (Clydebank Blitz). Hitler quickly developed scepticism toward strategic bombing, confirmed by the results of the Blitz. The RAF and the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) adopted much of this apocalyptic thinking. He recognised the right of the public to seize tube stations and authorised plans to improve their condition and expand them by tunnelling. [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. 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. These include Peter Hennessy, Andrew Thorpe, and Philip Ziegler, who while admitting serious exceptions, argue that the population largely behaved well during the Blitz.[193]. [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. Other targets would be considered if the primary ones could not be attacked because of weather conditions. The Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940 (a battle for daylight air superiority between the Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force over the United Kingdom). [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. Far from displaying the nation's unity in times of war, the scheme backfired, often aggravating class antagonism and bolstering prejudice about the urban poor. An interactive map showing the location of bombs dropped on London during World War II has been created. KGr 100 increased its use of incendiaries from 13 to 28 percent. By 19/20 April 1941, it had dropped 3,984 mines, .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}13 of the total dropped. Nine days later, two waves of 125 and 170 bombers dropped heavy bombs, including 160 tons (163t) of high explosive and 32,000 incendiaries. 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. [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 Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of . Over 2,000 AAA shells were fired, destroying two Ju 88s. [79] The Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence (WVS) was established in 1938 by the Home Secretary, Samuel Hoare, who considered it the female branch of the ARP. Support for peace negotiations declined from 29% in February. [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. [citation needed] This image entered the historiography of the Second World War in the 1980s and 1990s,[dubious discuss] especially after the publication of Angus Calder's book The Myth of the Blitz (1991). The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain. [164], In the north, substantial efforts were made against Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Sunderland, which were large ports on the English east coast. By the end of November, 1,100 bombers were available for night raids. [31], The circumstances affected the Germans more than the British. To support naval operations by attacking naval bases, protecting German naval bases and participating directly in naval battles. [30] The replacement of pilots and aircrew was more difficult. On 17 September he postponed Operation Sea Lion (as it turned out, indefinitely) rather than gamble Germany's newly gained military prestige on a risky cross-Channel operation, particularly in the face of a sceptical Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union. [115] The bombing disrupted rail traffic through London without destroying any of the crossings. [136] The Germans were surprised by the success of the attack. Dowding had to rely on night fighters. [23], While the war was being planned, Hitler never insisted upon the Luftwaffe planning a strategic bombing campaign and did not even give ample warning to the air staff that war with Britain or even Russia was a possibility. No follow-up raids were made, as OKL underestimated the British power of recovery (as Bomber Command would do over Germany from 1943 to 1945). [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. [40] Late in the afternoon of 7 September 1940, the Germans began Operation London (Unternehmen Loge, Loge being the codename for London) and Operation Sea Snake (Unternehmen Seeschlange), the air offensives against London and other industrial cities. [106], Loge continued during October. The defences failed to prevent widespread damage but on some occasions did prevent German bombers concentrating on their targets. More might have been achieved had OKL exploited the vulnerability of British sea communications. The policy of RAF Bomber Command became an attempt to achieve victory through the destruction of civilian will, communications and industry. World War 2 Timeline - 1940. by Ben Johnson. [52], Based in part on the experience of German bombing in the First World War, politicians feared mass psychological trauma from aerial attacks and the collapse of civil society.

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