Throughout the intense bombing of the Blitz you could argue that the idea of Britain being invaded and conquered brought out the ‘grit’ and resolve in the British people that helped to destroy social boundaries, bring people together in a united front and inevitably win World War II. Or you could also argue that, the fear, panic and unrest created by the Blitz managed only to divide a country already separated by class, gender and social barriers, therefore increasing existing tensions and creating new problems; that the government could only control by forcing censorship and propaganda to manipulate the frightened and overwhelmed people of Britain. One thing is clear, that most evidence (including the Sources given) shows proof of an understandably terrified Britain during times of devastation and destruction. Some people do believe that the war divided the people of Britain rather than united them. Evidence of this is indicated in many of the sources and shows society reacting to the war in a negative way. This conflict is captured in Source D, a photograph taken on 15th November 1940 after the air raid on Coventry. During this single night of bombardment Coventry Cathedral was badly damaged, thousands of homes destroyed and an estimated five hundred people died and many more were injured. In the photograph of Source D people are seen angry and miserable on the streets that are covered in debris and rubble from the destruction. Also from this Source, which shows the British public struggling to cope with the realities of war, it can be observed that the photograph was not published until several months later, with a misleading caption – suggesting that the government was worried about low morale and did not want the true realities of war to be made public. In addition, the photograph from Source B showing ‘bodies in sacking’ was also censored by the government; proving that morale had to be controlled as the government was concerned about the impact these images would have on the British public. Sources E and F both show reliable evidence of ‘widespread fear’, ‘panic’ and ‘bitterness’ from the British public. Source F from the diary entry of Harold Nicholson on 17th September 1940 documents that ‘even the King and Queen were booed’; this was a particularly daunting prospect as Britain was very patriotic at this time and therefore this creates a sense of unrest and dissatisfaction from the British people.
After the end of World War II, the United States went through many changes. Most of the changes were for the better, but some had an adverse effect on certain population centers. Many programs, agencies and policies were created to transform American society and government.
Instead of telling readers what to think through words, readers can form their own point of view from a photo. A photograph that showed different interpretations was taken during WWII after the destruction of Iwo Jima in Japan of Americans soldiers raising an American flag in the ruins. Some viewers may perceive this act as patriotic, and others may have thought it was an act of terrorism and revenge. Either opinion could be argued and the photograph is the evidence. Since photographs can be unbiased, they can also hold truthful detail. For example, one photograph from the Vietnam war depicted a Vietnamese police officer shooting a Viet Cong in the streets. There are a lot of emotion in that photograph that words cannot describe all; which included the fear and hostility that was upheld during the time. Newspapers need to print more of these kinds of photographs to educate people the ugliness of war and death. Ephron pointed out, “throughout the Vietnam War, editors were reluctant to print atrocity pictures. . . That 's what that war was about.” War and its deaths are a part of history too, and history needs to be kept true and unbiased. As long as the photos are not altered nor used for propaganda, they can be
Why the Major Cities of Britain were Bombed by the Germans in 1940 and 1941
World War Two triggered a significant change in the attitudes that people had towards one another. With all the death and destruction, one would assume that the lives of the citizens of Bexley would be run by fear during this terrible time, especially as Bexley happened to be an area that received a great deal of bombing. However, this was not the case. A temperament known as the ‘Blitz Spirit’ was widely adopted, encouraging the citizens of Bexley to rally together and face the war with courage and optimism.
Ways the British Government Attempted to Hide the Effects of the Blitz from the People of Britain
There were substantial amount of people who despised the actions undertaken by the British government
At the beginning of the war, the preconceptions of each side show exactly why Britain was destined for failure. On the American team,
In this essay I will explain the battle between Germany and Britain, discuss how important winning this battle was, what Britain had that the Germans did not have, and what could have happened if Britain would have lost. It is known cleverly as “the Battle of Britain”.
Bell, Amy Helen. London Was Ours : Diaries And Memoirs Of The London Blitz. London: I.B. Tauris, 2008. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
There are contested views when one tries to interpret the meaning and reality of what is known as the People’s War. Undeniably, the people of England made it through the Battle of Britain, or the ‘Blitz’, with an air of unrelenting morale. With that being said, the idea of the People’s War as representative of the cohesiveness of the social classes in England, and a strong front all around, is an ideology that some argue to be contestable. To show that the People’s War generates class cohesiveness, this paper will examine both sides of the argument, and determine that the People’s War did not actually unify the whole nation. Throughout the paper, memoirs and testimonies will be used to give a representation of the acceptance of the People’s War. There is a vast amount of information to support this, such as propaganda and speeches made by Prime Minister Winston Churchill. However, the goal of this paper is to determine that the People’s War did not unify everyone in Britain, and it did not hold the theme that ‘everyone was in it together’, as seen majorly through class and gender. There are a few select groups that would disagree with the idea of the People’s War, and claim that they did not fit into this niche that is presented so popularly today.
The British Faced the Blitz with Courage and Unity is a Myth Use the sources, and your own knowledge. To explain whether you agree with this statement. In this question I am asked if I agree or disagree with the statement 'The impression that the British faced the blitz with courage and unity is a myth' by using the sources and my own knowledge. I disagree with this statement to a certain extent because there is many useful sources telling me how well the British people worked together as a nation against Germany.
Ask anyone, and most children choose summer as their favorite time of year. To them, nothing beats time out of school with your family and friends hitting the beaches. But go back about 80 years from now, and the summer became trimmed not with beaches and cheer, but with uncertainty and fear. In Britain, a lonely isle in a caldron of political turmoil, one Englishman, arguably the best leader Britain had ever had, concerned himself not with popsicles and baseball, but with his country’s very existence. War boiled over in Europe in a few weeks, and Winston Churchill gave one of his most famous speeches to try to rouse his greatest ally- the United States. By analyzing and explaining the purpose and audience, subject, and voice of his speech, we will see just how desperate England had become.
In order to fully comprehend the reasons for Churchill’s speech and the vast response of relief from the population, one must understand the events leading up to its giving. On June 4
Winston Churchill was perhaps one of the greatest public speakers in history. Some of the best speeches have come from being in life or death situations, Winston was known best for this. His small sound clips like, “this was their finest hour”, and “this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”, encourage his troops and his people that they will win this war and will overcome the greatest odds. Although Churchill told many speeches, his speech on June 18, 1940 showed the most emotion and courage of any other speech he told. In this speech he explained that the war in France is over and the war in Britain would begin. He said that if we fail then the world sink into an abyss. This emotion that he shows would give Britain hope, courage and most of all determination.
Gascoigne, Bamber. "World War II - The Blitz." History World. (2001): n. page. Web. 29 Sep. 2011. .