BRITAIN AND WORLD WAR TWO

1. BRITAIN AND WORLD WAR TWO

2. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • 1939 – 40: Phoney War • April 1940: German invasion of Norway – GB fails to prevent German victory; Chamberlain resigns and Churchill becomes PM • Churchill’s speeches help rally the nation; importance of Churchill as PM • May 1940: German Blitzkrieg attack on France

3. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • Blitzkrieg = “lightning war”. Key to German success (p.124) • British Expeditionary Force sent to help France under Lord Gort • When France fell, Gort instructed to abandon support for France and evacuate • Dunkirk evacuation (Operation Dynamo) seen as great success, although British hardware left behind (p.125 -6); BEF had been saved though

4. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • ‘Dunkirk spirit’ helped boost British morale – propaganda victory; military defeat though. • France controlled by Germans – directly in Northern France; puppet regime in south (Vichy) • Hitler plans Operation Sealion – invasion of Britain

5. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • Summer 1940, Germany attacks British airfields, ports and radar stations, preparatory to invasion • RAF defended successfully (Battle of Britain) but were very near to defeat; main problem training of new airmen • Hitler changes tactics to bombing of cities (Blitz) just as defeat seemed likely for GB (p.127) • Need to consider importance of Battle of Britain

6. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • Blitz was designed to break British morale – continued through the winter of 1940 • London and other major cities targets (e.g. Coventry, 10 hour raid, Nov. 1940) • June 1941: Hitler launched attack of USSR (Operation Barbarossa), perhaps believing Britain had been defeated

7. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • Battle of the Atlantic – Germans attack shipping into and out of GB • Use of ‘wolf pack’ convoys by Germany • Various GB techniques used to defeat convoys (p.128) but not until 1943, with U.S. help, did the tide turn in Allies’ favour

8. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • British bombing raids targeted German cities from 1940 • By 1942, GB bombing entire cities in attempt to destroy German industrial production and break morale • Bombing at night resulted in high civilian casualties • Attack on Dresden (Feb. 1945) was subsequently controversial (p.130)

9. BRITAIN’S MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO WW2 • Need to consider effect of British air war against Germany • June 1944: D-Day landings (Operation Overlord) with U.S. General Eisenhower in command • Stalin had wanted earlier start to ‘Second Front’ • Invasion in Normandy took Germans by surprise – they had expected it in Calais (p.131-2) • Despite high numbers of wounded and killed on first day, D-Day landings marked beginning of German defeat

10. BRITAIN AND THE HOME FRONT • Conscription was introduced when war was declared in September 1939 • May 1940: Emergency Powers Act gave govt. complete control over ‘person and property’ • Roles such as Air Raid Wardens and Home Guard recruited (p.134) • Effect on women even greater than in WW1, as they take on wider range of jobs (p.135 - 6)

11. BRITAIN AND THE HOME FRONT • Different women’s organisations formed (p.136) – e.g. Women’s Land Army • January 1940: Rationing introduced; propaganda campaign to encourage healthy eating and growing own food • Govt. took various measures to protect civilians, including evacuation of children (p.138-9); air-raid shelters and establishment of civil defence force (p.140)

12. BRITAIN AND THE HOME FRONT • Ministry of Information established to co-ordinate various propaganda campaigns. • Propaganda warned of spies, encouraged self-sufficiency, tried to boost morale (p.142-3) • Newspapers also censored • Cinema newsreels and radio broadcasts also used in the propaganda effort