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World War II Timeline 1939-1940. 1 st September 1939 – Germany invades Poland 22 nd June 1940 – France surrenders to Germany 15 th September 1940 – Massive German air raids on London 15 th August 1940 – Air battles and daylight raids over London
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World War II Timeline 1939-1940 • 1st September 1939 – Germany invades Poland • 22nd June 1940 – France surrenders to Germany • 15th September 1940 – Massive German air raids on London • 15th August 1940 – Air battles and daylight raids over London • 27th September 1939 – Poland surrenders to Germany • 9th April 1940 – Germany invades Denmark and Norway • 10th June 1940 – Norway surrenders to Germany • 7th September 1940 – German Blitz against Britain begins • 23rd August 1940 – First German raid on Central London • 10th May 1940 – Germany invades France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland • 10th July 1940 – Battle of Britain begins • 8th January 1940 – Rationing begins in Britain • 15th May 1940 – Holland surrenders • 13th August 1940 – German bombing offensive against airfields & factories in Britain • 28th May 1940 – Belgium surrenders to Germany
World War II Timeline 1939-1940 • 1st September 1939 – Germany invades Poland • 27th September 1939 – Poland surrenders to Germany • 8th January 1940 – Rationing begins in Britain • 9th April 1940 – Germany invades Denmark and Norway • 10th May 1940 – Germany invades France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland • 15th May 1940 – Holland surrenders • 28th May 1940 – Belgium surrenders to Germany • 10th June 1940 – Norway surrenders to Germany • 22nd June 1940 – France surrenders to Germany • 10th July 1940 – Battle of Britain begins • 13th August 1940 – German bombing offensive against airfields & factories in Britain • 15th August 1940 – Air battles and daylight raids over London • 23rd August 1940 – First German raid on Central London • 7th September 1940 – German Blitz against Britain begins • 15th September 1940 – Massive German air raids on London
The Blitz The Home Front Britain During World War II
What was “The Blitz”? • Bombing Raids • Hitler believed that by targeting civilians he could force the British to surrender and on 7th September 1940 began his daily bombing campaign. London was the main target but other major cities were also bombed. Casualties were high. On the first day of bombing 430 people were killed and 1,600 badly injured. • Within a few weeks the daily bombing raids had become nightly raids. Hitler decided to make the bombing raids at night to increase the 'fear factor' and also to make people weaker by not allowing them to sleep properly. People in London slept in underground stations for protection.
SOURCE A“Hitler expects to terrorise and cow the people of this mighty city… Little does he know the spirit of the British nation, or the tough fibre of the Londoners.”Winston Churchill, radio broadcast 11th September 1940. SOURCE B“All reports from London are agreed that the population is seized by fear. The Londoners have completely lost their self-control.”Nazi-controlled French radio broadcast, 18th September 1940. How reliable is each Source in telling us what the people of London were like during the Blitz?
The Blitz was intense bombing of British cities. It was meant to break the morale of British civilians. At first the raids happened in daylight. But Germany lost so many bombers they had to bomb at night. Radar and air sirens gave people warning of most raids so they had time to get into the shelters. People would shelter in public air raid shelters, shelters in their own home or garden and even in the London Underground. To keep people’s hopes up, Government news films and press releases talked about the bravery and fighting spirit of civilians. Reports were censored if they gave numbers or photographs of the dead. During the war as a whole German bombing killed about 60,000 British civilians. It is worth remembering that even in the worst of the Blitz normal life went on. People still went to work and daily life went on as normal. About The Blitz
