The Blitz: Civilians (September 1940 - May 1941)
Figure 1.--The evacuations were massive, but not all the children were evacuated. Many mothers could not bare to part with their children. Often the children did not want to go. The Luftwaffe did not achieve its objectives, but they did destroy about 2 million British homes. The Government had to come up with ways of helping the homeless. Here children are linining up for mobile Lifebuoy Emergency hot baths. I'm not sure where this photograph was taken. The background doesn't look just like Lomdon.
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The people of London and other British cities paid a terrible price for defying Hitler. The first Luftwaffe attack on London killed 430 citizens and severely wounded another 1,600 people (September 7). The primry target had been the London docks which became the British target most heavily bombed by the Germans. Worker housing was located close to the docks and thus heavily hit in the attacks. The Luftwaffe struck London for the next 57 concecutive days. Many but not all of the children were evacuated again. Most of the adults had to stick it out. Air raid shelters had not been prepared for the entire population. The Government made materials available at low cost to build Anderson shelters in back gardens (backyards). Others had to find what ever shelter was available. Many left their homes in the evening and and took shelter in warehouse basements. Others sought shelter in the Tube (underground/subway) stations. The Government at first discouraged this. The people slept on makeshift beds amid primitive conditions with no privacy and poor sanitation facilities. The Luftwaffe returbed the following day and another 412 perople were killed (September 8). The Luftwaffe overall conducted 127 important raids on British cities from September 1940 to May 1941. Over half of these raids or 71 raids were on London. The Luftwaffe extended attacks to other British cities: Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Liverpool (the main port where American and Dominion supplies were arriving),
Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield, and Southampton. The Germans suceeded in destroying 60 percent of the homes in London. Overall they destroyed 2.0 million homes, about 0.4 million in London. With so many homeless, ways had to be found to meet their needs. Casualties totaled 60,000 killed and 87,000 badly injured. More than half of the preople killed were Londoners. The population of central London was reduced 25 percent. In the ininital phase of the War, the German killed more women and children than British soldiers and sailors.
Frustated at the Luftwaffe's inability to destroy the RAF and Bomber Command's raid on London, Hitler decided to teach the British a lesson. He ordered Göring to target London. Londpn had been off limits.
The attacking Luftwaffe force included 300 bombers and 600 escorts. The RAF was unprepared for the change in target and most of the attacking force reached London without RAF being engaged by RAF fighters. The first Luftwaffe attack killed 430 Londoners and severely wounded another 1,600 people (September 7). The Luftwaffe returned the following day and another 412 perople were killed (September 8).
East End
The primry target had been the London docks which became the British target most heavily bombed by the Germans. Worker housing was located close to the docks and thus heavily hit in the attacks. This would again be the aiming point when the V-1 and V-2 attacks began later in the War.
57 Straight Days
The Luftwaffe struck London for the next 57 concecutive days. The day times raids proved costly so the Luftwaffe shifted to night raids. It was hard for the RAF to find the bombers at night. Later in the War the Luftwaffe would develop night fighters to target British bombers, byt at this stage of the War, this capability did not exist. It was also hard for the Luftwaffe to find targets. London was, however, so large that it could not be hit.
Evacuations
When London had not been targeted, many Londoners brought the children home. There were as a result, large numbers of children in the city when the Luftwaffe launched the Blitz. Many but not all of the children were evacuated again. Most of the adults had to stick it out.
Shelters
Air raid shelters had not been prepared for the entire population. The Government made materials available at low cost to build Anderson shelters in back gardens (backyards). Others had to find what ever shelter was available. Many left their homes in the evening and and took shelter in warehouse basements. Others sought shelter in the Tube (underground/subway) stations. The Government at first discouraged this. The people slept on makeshift beds amid primitive conditions with no privacy and poor sanitation facilities.
After the attacks on the docks in the East End, the Luftwaffe campaign became largely a matter of destroying London which mean using its limited resources to level a vast city. The initial raids were a terror campaign. But as soon as the British had adjusted to the new German tactic and provided shelters, actual casualties were limited, must smaller than what had been anticipated before the War. Bombing at night, the Luftwaffe could only hit London, not specufic targets within the city. The result was the destruction of large numbers of houses. London was, however, a vast city and the small bomb loads of the Germn bombers limited the damage, especially because they continued carry mostly high-explosive bombs rather than incendiaries. Large numbers of Londoners were bombed out of their homes. Overall the Germans destroyed aboyt 2 million British homes. Many were in London. The British responded with a well organized effort to meet the neededs of those affected. Needs varied. Some had relatives they could deprnd on. Others needed emergency food, clothes, help finding housing, new cupon books, and a range of other services. There were even mobile Lifebuoy Emergency hot baths.Thus the basic needs of those bombed out were met.
Luftwaffe Effort
The Luftwaffe overall conducted 127 important raids on British cities from September 1940 to May 1941. Over half of these raids or 71 raids were on London. The Luftwaffe extended attacks to other British cities: Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Liverpool (the main port where American and Dominion supplies were arriving), Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield, and Southampton.
The Germans suceeded in destroying 60 percent of the homes in London. Overall they destroyed 2.0 million homes, about 0.4 million in London. With so many homeless, ways had to be found to meet their needs. Casualties totaled 60,000 killed and 87,000 badly injured. More than half of the preople killed were Londoners. The population of central London was reduced 25 percent. While the toll was devestating, what the Germans did not do bombing at night was to serious impair British war production. There were several reaons for this. First, at night they were unavle to find and hit specific targets beyonf cities. Second, the Luftwaffe was a tacticak force which used medium bombers with limited ranges and payloads. A much larger bomber force was needed to level British cities. Third, they made limited use of incindaries. British industry was located in cities. This if a city could be destroyed, industrial production could have been effective. The Luftwaffe (and Bomver Command), however, preferred big bang high explosives. If they had given a greater emphasis to incendiaries, they would have done much more damage. Also monbing at night they were unable to hit many military targets. In the ininital phase of the War, the German thus killed more women and children than British soldiers and sailors. Hitler seemed to think that such a toll would force the British to make peace. Some Luftwaffe commanders agreed. The people of London and other British cities paid a terrible price for defying Hitler, but they proved him wrong.
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Created: 5:31 PM 9/30/2005
Last updated: 5:29 AM 9/30/2008