London and the Second World War, 1939-45

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Why was London a target?

Capital city of GB - major destruction of government buildings meant deaths of civil servants, slowing down the war effort.

Britain's most important port - hinder the British war effort and may hinder citizen's morale if there was a food shortage.

Major industrial centre - destroying factories and infrastructure.

Largest population - 8.6 million in 1939.  Main aim was to kill as many enemy civilians as possible.

Not far away from the coast - opposite the northern coasts of France, Belgium, Netherlands.  Once German occupied, there bomber squadrons were close by.

Thames acted as a signpost - moonlight reflected off the river for the bombers to see.

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Preparations for War, 1939

Jan 1939 Civil Defence - organised by London County Council (LCC) and 28 borough councils - made up of volunteer recruits

  • 1938 - all Londoners had gas masks after Munich Crisis.
  • Air Raid Precautions - ARP, each borough organised ARP wardens
  • Fire, Ambulance and Heavy Rescue Services - also care of homeless
  • 1 September - London children to be evacuated
  • National Service brochure - fees for rural families willing to take evacuees
  • Anderson shelters/space in communal shelter if no garden

Women's Royal Voluntary Services - WRVS

  • ran canteens
  • organised evacuation

Blackout

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Propaganda and Censorship

Civil servants - created propaganda and ensured censorship

Propaganda:

  • maintain morale
  • support war effort
  • act in the way the government wanted
  • dangers of spies
  • win other country's support

The government helped to create the 'Blitz Spirit', where a united British population, from worker to royalty, weathered the storm together and stood defiant.'Blitz Spirit' - the myth that everyone was cheeful during this period.  This is untrue as major class divisions were prevalent - East Enders lack of shelters, no underground/large public buildings.

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Stages of the Blitz

25 August - 19 September 1940

Targeted bombing of military bases, industry, energy supplies and communications

20 September 1940 - 10 May 1941

Shift to attaching morale:  civilians and homes, national treasures, industry, communications

'The Lull' May 1941 - January 1944

Irregular, retaliatory raids, not every night

'The Baby Blitz' January-April 1944

Few raids got thorugh in thses last attackes, but monthly casualties jumped form 58 to 948

V1 and V2 raids June 1944 - March 1945

German attacks switched to pilotless aircraft

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The Blitz

Black Saturday, 7 September 1940

  • First Blitz truly began around 5pm - lasted until 10 May 1941
  • first attack - 12 hours
  • >400 killed, >1600 seriously injured in 1st night
  • focussed on East End - docks, industries, railways
  • after 19th September - raids aimed at maximum civilian death, serious urban damage, disruption of essential services
  • conventional heavy bombing killed 28556, wounded >25500
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Types of bombs, 1940-41

Incendiaries:  dropped mainly by the first wave of bombers - started fires for the next bombers to use as targets, fires caused 90% of damage.  29th December 1940 - 1500 fires in central London

High Explosives:  dropped in later waves.  Delayed action fuses to harm workers (some)

Mines:  most powerful - dropped by parachute so attacks silent and hard to detect.  Only exploded when in contact with metal

Air Raid Damage in Britain during the Second World War HU36220A.jpg

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V1 and V2 rockets, 1944-45

V1 'Flying bomb' - over 9000 launched from France/Netherlands

  • hit London targets in daytime (1st since autumn 1940)
  • didn't trigger air raid warnings - they flew too low
  • caused extensive damage and deaths - difficult to get to air raid shelters in time
  • most casualties caused by flying glass after explosions
  • used same flightpath - Deptford/Croyden hit the most
  • after 2 weeks - 1600 killed, 10000 injured, >200000 houses damaged

V2 Rocket - news censored at first so as not to cause panic (government kept them secret/news said they were gas explosions)

  • first ballistic missile - rocket carrying a warhead
  • so fast, exploded before people heard it coming
  • attacks continued 'til launch sites captured by allies

The V2 attack Deptford, 25 November 1944 - 1st V2 attack widely reported.  A Woolworths in New Cross was struck Saturday lunchtime when many were shopping.  About 160 killed/200 injured

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Impact of V1 and V2s

Civilian morale worsened - absenteeism amongst factory workers higher than in First Blitz

Evacuation began again - July 1944, 559,000 people from London

Again people took shelter in the Underground

Government's popularity fell as people felt unprotected

>300000 houses destroyed

almost 29000 people killed/injured

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Air-raid Precautions

Government policy on shelters changed over time.  Underground stations were opened due to public demand for deep shelters.  Conditions gradually improved and beds were set up.  Although the public felt safer in Underground stations, some were hit by bombs. 

Tube station disasters were censored to stop Germans finding out the effects of their bombing and to protect morale.

- Bank Station 11 January 1941, 56 dead

Communal shelters:

Spitalfields - local optician Mickey Davis formed Mickey's shelter committee to provide cleaning, beds, GP services and a canteen.

Morrison shelter - March 1941

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South Hallsville School Disaster, 1940

10th September 1940

1000 homeless Londoners due to be evacuated the day before staying at the school.

Reporting of incident banned - impact on morale

Casualty reports varied widely.

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Bethnal Green Disaster, 1943

3 March 1943

Heavy allied raid over Germany

1500 people used Bethnal Green Tube shelter as they expected a revenge attack.

New anti-aircraft rockets were fired nearby - caused panic

Everyone rushed in, woman holding baby tripped on stairs.

173 people died in the crush as people kept pushing in

Government kept incident total secret and no publicity was made about the sound of the new rockets either.

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Continuing leisure activities

Cinema - wartime audiences increased by more than 1/2

  • useful for propaganda and unity

Dance halls - stayed open throughout war

Football - 8000 crowd limit in London. 

  • many professionals played in exhibition matches

Theatre - late afternoon performances and government-subsidised lunch concerts proved very popular.

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Government and morale

1st weeks of Blitz intensified class tensions - working-class East Enders suffered most.

Underground/hotels/nightclubs focussed in richer West End - 1000s East Ender's forced their way into the shelters/basements at night.

Tensions eased as German's shifted focus to civilians - not just industry

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Disruption to daily life and work

  • Rationing - food and clothes
  • Population of inner London fell - those who could moved to safer areas
  • Limited transport/destroyed road/rail/blackout - made travelling/getting to work difficult
  • Gas/electricity/water supplies disrupted
  • Homeless - 250000 Londoners in the 1st 6 weeks of Blitz
  • September 1940 - May 1941 >54000 killed/injured
  • Civil defence volunteers dealth with death and horrific injuries on a massive scale
  • UXBs kept people from homes until they were made safe
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How did London cope with the war?

Continued presence of the royal family: stayed in London during Blitz.  Visited bombed communities.  Presented Britain as united, with even the most priveleged suffering 'equality'.

  • King George VI and Queen Elizabeth pictured in rubble of Buckingham Palace

The Cabinet War Rooms: stayed in London - not abandoning 'Londoners'.  Protected Churchill and his government.

  • Government led war from underground - Map Room centre of activity

'Dig for Victory': Ministry of Agriculture encouraged civilians to grow own food - shortages and rationing.  Posters/leaflets ensured people had enough to eat/high morale.

  • Victoria Park Hackney - allotments, Tower of London - vegetable patches

Safeguarding art and buildings: protecting landmarks/national collections important for morale.  St Paul's survival symbol of London resistance - special firewatch and water stores inside.  Sandbagging/stained glass removed.

  • National Gallery paitings to Welsh quarry, British Museum treasures in unused Tube station.
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