Battle of Britain

1. Battle of Britain Summer 1940

2. Background • Known in England (especially London) as the “Blitz” • Germany tries to defeat the Royal Air force and gain air superiority • Once the “RAF” is destroyed Germany will launch a cross channel invasion • Operation Sea Lion

3. Four Phases of the Battle • 10 July – 11 August: Kanalkampf • "the Channel battles" • 12–23 August: Adlerangriff • "Eagle Attack“ - the early assault against the coastal airfields • 24 August – 6 September • the Luftwaffe targets the airfields (the critical phase of the battle) • 7 September onwards • the day attacks switch to British towns and cities.

4. Hermann Göring • Commandant of the Luftwaffe

5. Battle Begins • German air force is called Luftwaffe • During the Blitz, the Luftwaffe is ordered not to attack British cities without direct orders from Hitler • In response to the attacks on Britain, the British launch a bomber raid against industrial complexes near Berlin • Due to poor weather and cloud cover, bombs drop all over the city including in civilian neighborhoods • Hitler rescinds his order and the focus of the battle changes • Eventually Germans begin bombing targets of political significance and resort to terror bombing

6. German Airplanes • He 111 Medium Bomber • Bf 109 Fighter • Ju Junkers 87 “Stuka” Diver Bomber

7. British Defenses • Spitfire • Radio Detection and Ranging

9. England Prevails • Germany loses 1,700 planes, England loses 900 planes • Hitler decides to cancel his invasion of England (Operation Sea Lion) • Radar helps the British hold of the invasion • Winston Churchill rallies England and shortly America would join the war

10. British Shelters

11. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill • “Never have so many owed so much to so few”

12. Significance of the Battle • First defeat of Hitler’s forces • “This was their finest hour” – Churchill • British are able to rebuild their military and become an allied stronghold throughout the war • Had England failed either the Nazi’s or Soviets would have controlled Europe with little America could do about it • Battle shifts American public opinion about the war • Hitler starts moving planes and troops to the East