The Battle of Britain

Background After Dunkirk, 1940

Germany turned her attention to Britain who was the only country in Europe left resisting Germany

Both countries had suffered large losses, particularly Britain Britain given a chance to prepare

‘Phoney War’ Worked to improve air force (had seen aerial bombings of

Guernica) Britain’s loss seemed inevitable

GB: 640 fighters Germany: 2600 bombers and fighters

Aims and Objectives

Needed to eradicate the opposition so that she could concentrate on Russia

Germany didn’t want to fight on two fronts

Wanted to gain air superiority Operation Sea Lion

Beginning of the War

July 1940 (to last autumn and summer) Targeting convoy, shipping, military and industrial

centres Southampton, Newcastle, Manchester, Cardiff,

Swansea, Aberdeen, Belfast, etc. Most of the Southern Coast was bombed

Picture of Southampton after bombing

The Situation Changed

24th August 1940 ‘Accidental’ bombing of London

Bombers were only supposed to bomb the docks 1000 civilians killed

Seemed like a personal attack Change in attitude. Were now seeking vengeance. “We will launch an absolutely devastating exterminating

attack by very heavy bombers upon the Nazi homeland” –Winston Churchill

Bombing of Berlin Sent fighter pilots to Berlin one day after London attack Principle targets were armament centres and Tempelhof Airport Ferocious German anti-aircraft fire meant that the RAF had to fly

to high which ensured that bombs missed their targets Only slight damage to the city, no deaths “The concentration of anti-aircraft fire was the greatest I’ve ever

witnessed. It provided a magnificent, a terrible sight. And it was strangely ineffective. Not a plane was brought down.”- William Shirer (American journalist)

Further raids on Berlin caused light damage

Hitler’s Reaction

Hitler was incensed “When the British air force drops two or three or four

thousand kilograms of bombs, then we will in one night drop 150, 230, 300 or 400 thousand kilograms- we will raze their cities to the ground.”- Adolf Hitler

Bombing of Coastal Convoys

Germans expected a surrender ‘Kanalkampf’ of the Battle of the Channel Started to target ships bringing supplies to Britain

Britain just re-routed the ships

Little damage was done

‘Eagle Attack’

Change in tactics Began to target radar stations 15th August, 1940

Luftwaffe wanted to completely destroy RAF ‘Black Thursday’ (where the attempted to achieve this

aim)

Significant German losses Lost 76 aircraft to the RAF’s 35

Goering changes tactics

RAF suffering unsustainable losses 112 RAF pilots and 256 planes lost Night raids made it impossible to recover from

losses

THEN Goering changes tactics

Bombings on London Hitler's orders after Berlin bombings Wanted to save face after ‘Black Thursday’

The Luftwaffe bomb London

Hitler had vowed to destroy London and the spirit of the British people

Britain was on High Alert September 7th, 900 German aircraft crossed the channel

unexpectedly Dog Fights over Thames Estuary Bombing continued for 77 days “The Blitz”

15th September Luftwaffe launched two large raids on London Fighter Command had time to prepare Launched double attack Battle began German planes were not as good as RAF planes and could only

stay over England for 10-20 minutes before having to return home

Attempted to intercept Luftwaffe over the Channel (some were destroyed, others scattered)

Luftwaffe defeated Hitler had turned his attention to the Soviet Union Operation Sea Lion was postponed and then abandoned Battle of Britain was over

Results

The Battle of Britain was the longest and largest unrelenting bombing campaign attempted by any government.

It was a failure for both the Germans and the British, but it raised the confidence of the Allied forces

The Luftwaffe’s numbers were not powerful enough to beat the British.British forces were being replaced faster than the Germans. The RAF kept its strength as the Luftwaffe declined.

Significance It was the first time the Nazis were stopped. The Luftwaffe never recovered from the loss of

experienced pilots and aircraft.Even though the British won, the civilian losses were high.

23,002 died and 32,138 were wounded. 1,547 allied aircraft were lost during the battle. Winston Churchill states “Never in the field of

human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

September 15 is celebrated in England as the “Battle of Britain Day.”