The Blitz in Britain
During the Second World War, Civilians were involved as well as
soldiers. As part of the conflict Britain and Germany bombed each
other’s major cities. People in both countries had to cope with the
effects of these air raids. In Britain the bombing of the cities was
known as the Blitz.
Some people write about the Blitz as a time when the British people
shoed great cheerfulness and courage. They say their morale (their
spirit and attitude was good. Other writers believe that much of what
was said and written about the high morale of the British is myth (a
false impression) rather than truth.
This assignment presents you with sources during the Blitz and
afterwards and gives you the opportunity to decide for yourself.
1. Study Source A
What Can You Learn from Source A about the response of the British
people to the effects of the Blitz?
Source A, is an extract from the book “Waiting for the All Clear”
which was a book published in 1990 to celebrate the fiftieth
anniversary of the Blitz. This extract comes from the publisher’s
description of the books contents inside the front cover.
This particular extract from the book is written in a positive tone as
it’s celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Blitz. Words
describing the people such as: “heroes”, “courage”, “unshakeable”,
“determination”, all contribute into the reader learning that British
people at the time did all the work in good humour. However although
this source is written to celebrate the Blitz fiftieth anniversary
therefore it being written in a positive tone, the book doesn’t
actually deny that life for British people was h...
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... the start of the Blitz
at a time when Britain had never experienced a war like this and had
never any previous experience of the Blitz. Therefore, people would be
“hysterical” as is mentioned in source E. Also, both sources only the
effects of the Blitz in the east end of London. This particular area
was severely bombed because of the docks which Germans mainly targeted
at the start of the war because this was where munitions were deported
for the allies (Britain, America and France at the time). Because of
these circumstances, this place may well have been particularly bad
but it’s just a tiny part of Britain. Furthermore, many people after
the Blitz said that there was a sense of community during the Blitz as
everybody realised that in order to win the war they had to keep
together as a unit and care for each other.
Why the Major Cities of Britain were Bombed by the Germans in 1940 and 1941
Ways the British Government Attempted to Hide the Effects of the Blitz from the People of Britain
Before World War II, Britain was strictly divided into classes: the upper class, the middle class, and the lower working class. Once born into a class, it was almost impossible to leave; people were bound to classes for life. The structure was stern and rigid. George Orwell even called England (and by extension Britain) “the most class-ridden country under the sun.” Classes tolerated each other, but the “upper and middle class people were brought up to believe the lower classes dirty and inferior,” creating an environment of stark inequality (The Class System). The small upper class held the majority of the wealth and employed much of the large lower class as servants, paying them menial wages. The middle class, who consisted of doctors, shopkeepers, lawyers, and people in similar professions, remained sandwiched in the center. On September 7, 1940 the blitz began and bombs started to rain down on London. However, the force of the bombs did little to blast away the walls that separated and distinguished the classes.
"World War 2 was a war fought in two distinct phases. The first was the last war of a new generation. The second was emphatically the first of a new era" .
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.
The Reasons Why the Major Cities of Britain Were Bombed by the Germans in 1940-1
...ause it made itself extremely hard to stop through its speed and the utter confusion which often accompanied it.
Though not at first seeing the threat that Adolph Hitler posed when he rose to power in 1933, Churchill gradually became a leading advocate for British rearmament. By 1938, as Germany began controlling its neighbors, Churchill had become a staunch critic of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement toward the Nazis.
Salden, Chris. “Wartime Holidays and the ‘Myth of the Blitz’.” Cultural History 2, no. 2 (May 2005).
The Effect of the Blitz on Everday Life During World War Two The effect of the blitz on everyday life was enormous. From rationing of essential food to evacuation of thousands of city children during the Second World War was extraordinary. Throughout the war women were the ones that did everything to make sure the men could concentrate on winning the war. They did everything from working at night while looking after the children in the day, cooking for the family while coping with rations, coping with the bombs and not knowing if their husbands would come back alive. Also conscription of women began in December 1941.
The Strategic Bombing Campaign of WWII was divided into small separate campaigns that were carried out by the allied forces. Often times targets consisted of factories, headquarters, harbors, camps, and cities. The blows that the allies dealt to the axis payed a psychological and physical role in how the second World War turned out.
BLITZKRIEG (LIGHTNING WAR ) In the first phase of World War II in Europe , Germany sought to avoid a long war. Germany's strategy was to defeat its opponents in a series of short campaigns. Germany quickly overran much of Europe and was victorious for more than two years by relying on a new military tactic called the "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war). Blitzkrieg tactics required the concentration of offensive weapons (such as tanks, planes, and artillery) along a narrow front.
The Blitz Blitz, the German word for 'lightning', was applied by the British press to the tempest of heavy and frequent bombing raids carried out over Britain in 1940 and 1941. This concentrated direct bombing of industrial targets and civilian centres began on 7 September 1940, with heavy raids on London. The scale of the attack rapidly escalated. In that month alone, the German Air Force dropped 5,300 tons of high explosives on the capital in just 24 nights. In their efforts to 'soften up' the British population and to destroy morale before the planned invasion, German planes extended their targets to include the major coastal ports and centres of production and supply.
Wars are good business. They create an immediate demand for a wide variety of materials needed by the government in order to fight the war. They create work opportunities for people that might not ordinarily be considered part of the normal work force. And, while not necessarily good for the soldiers engaged in the fighting, wars are always good for the businesses that provide the materials used in a war. The Second World War was very good for business.
Gascoigne, Bamber. "World War II - The Blitz." History World. (2001): n. page. Web. 29 Sep. 2011. .