2. The Battle of Britain: 10 July – 31
October 1940
Key error: switching to bombing of
London from Sept 7th
“The war is to be restricted to destructive attacks against industry and air-force targets
which have weak defensive forces
It is to be stressed that every effort should be made to avoid unnecessary loss of life
amongst the civilian population”
Hitler on bombing Britain 1 August 1940
Accidental bombing of London provokes Churchill to launch raids against industry in
German cities
Accidental bombing of domestic areas by the RAF accelerates ‘terror bombing’ of London
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuIVYKKy-Dk
Churchill had been warned in cabinet of the criticism that Britain ‘was not hitting back
hard enough’
The Blitz
7 Sept 1940 - 21 May1941
1 Million London houses
destroyed
40,000 Civilians killed
Churchill on 88% Approval
rating in May 41
Attlee on WSC visiting bomb sites: he showed ‘his gift of immediate compassion for people
who were suffering’
Churchill living in the heart
of the Blitz sleeping in a flat
above the Cabinet War
rooms
4. Initially Churchill encouraged raids on a range of targets
Focus on coastal defences, military installations and industry
However British attitudes hardened
by continuing Total War attacks on
British cities
Raids not just on London; Coventry,
Bristol, Hull, Birmingham, Sheffield
all targeted
5.
6. Focus on German population therefore a policy of revenge
Bombing used to show Russians that Britain was contributing to the war.
----------------Sources!---------------------
Churchill is persuaded by experts to pursue terror bombing, something he
had been dubious of the rewards of
Also encouraged by the Americans
