Blitz and Warfare through time Flashcards
Give three reasons why London was targeted in the Blitz
-London was the capital city of Great Britain. It was the centre of government and major destruction of government buildings, and the killing of lots of civil servants, would slow down the war effort.
-London was Britain’s most important port. Britain depended on international shipping for food and for military supplies. Destroying the London docks would hinder the British war effort and, if it added to food shortages, might lower civilian morale.
-The Thames and its estuary made a perfect route finder for the bombers as well. Even at night, the Thames helped; because on moonlit nights, the moonlight glinted on the river and was easy to see from the air.
How much were families paid for taking in children during the war?
they were paid 52.5p a week for the first child they took in, and 42.5p for any others
By the 31st of March 1940, what percentage of Londoners were still carrying gas masks?
one percent
What was the name of the shelter that households with gardens were offered?
Anderson shelters
Give 2 features of the South Hallsville School disaster
- The buses that were sent too the School were sent to Camden town instead of Canning town. This meant that there was a delay in the evacuation of the homeless people in at the school.
- When it was time for the people to be moved there was an air raid siren meaning that it was though to be too dangerous to move them. That night part of the school was hit by a bomb.
What was the name of the shop that Mickey Davis constructed his ‘mickey shelter’ under?
Spitalfields Fruit and Wool Exchange
What were some features of the mickey shelter?
-Organised cleaning and beds
-Persuaded a GP to visit and provide free health care
-Persuade M&S to build a canteen for the shelter
-Used profit from the canteen to provide free milk for the children
-Persuaded the local authority to recognise it as a shelter to put in toilets and bunks
Why were incendiaries such a problem during the Blitz?
Incendiary bombs started fires when they were dropped which often got out of control. The fires had to be put out quickly or they would burn down buildings. Members of the public were advised to keep a bucket of water or a sandbag to smother the fire.
In the first six weeks of the Blitz how many people were left homeless?
250,000 - only 7,000 were rehoused
What Hotel did group of angry East Enders march to on the 15th of September?
The Savoy Hotel - The east enders waited for an air raid siren to go off before they raided the 5 star Hotel and demanded to use its luxury underground shelter. It was full of journalists who were there for a Ministry of Information briefing. No English newspaper published the story due to censorship, but the War Cabinet discussed it the next day. After this class tension relaxed as government action began to
help the working-class districts.
Why did the government use propaganda?
-keep up civilian morale
-encouraged people to act in the way the government wanted
-stress the importance of the ‘war effort’ - e.g. ‘digging for victory’ to grow more food
-to warn the dangers of spies
Why was the Balham Tube Disaster (1940) so catastrophic?
A 1.4T bomb hit a mains pipe which caused a flood with a 20m diameter. 66 people died.
Explain two features of the Bethnal Green disaster (3rd March 1943)
- A woman with a baby fell at the bottom of the stairs leading to the station. This created a huge crush in which 173 people died.
- New anti-aircraft rockets were fired for the first time this created a huge panic as people thought they were bombs it caused mass panic.
What was the name given to V2 bombs by the British public?
Flying Gas mains
Why was the Depford V2 attack so catastrophic?
The V2 attack struck Woolworths, the areas largest shop, after it had received 144 tin saucepans. A queue had built up with people keen to lay their hands on such scarce items.
Give two features of the ‘Second Great Fire of London’
- 100,000 incendiary bombs were dropped which caused an area destroyed that was greater than that of the Great Fire of London in 1666.
- After the attack, effective propaganda occurred in which the headline ‘St Paul’s Survives’ was written in the Daily Mail to put a positive spin to the devastation. The Cathedral was saved by 200 volunteer fire watchers.
What was the state of professional football during the Blitz?
Professional football started again in late September 1939, with regional leagues. Crowds were limited to 8,000, in London (and other main targets) or 16,000 elsewhere. Many professionals had joined the services, and played in exhibition matches around the country.
How were V2 rockets different to V1 rockets?
-V2 rockets could travel up to 2386mph whilst the V1 could travel just 400mph
-V2s were guided by guide beams and radio signals whilst V1 rockets were steered by a pre-set magnetic compass.
-Both rockets carried a ton of high explosives.
In 1250 what was the average size of armies?
5000-10000 mean
What was the name of the battle in which Prince Edward lost control of his cavalry?
Battle of Lewes (1264)
State the 4 main ways armies were recruited in 1250 to 1500?
- Feudal troops
- Assize of arms (cavalry)
- Royal household
- Assize of arms (infantry)
Describe assize of arms for cavalry
The king introduced a law that stated ‘all landowners with land worth over £15 (£8000 now days) would be required to provide the king with a mounted knight with a horse, hauberk, iron helmet, a sword and a dagger.
Approximately how many troops did King Henry iii employ during his reign as a part of the Royal household?
Around 500 troops who were on around £5 per year.
What battle did King Henry iii effectively use the assize of arms (infantry) to win a battle?
Battle of the Barons (1264-67) - Henry used an army that was composed of assize of arms troops
(assize of arms - compulsory 40 day war service from wealthy individuals (and eventually all men))
In 1327, why were feudal troops no longer used?
-their quality was unreliable
-they trained very little
-they were part time soldiers and therefore had poor quality weapons
-they only fought for 40 days for free. Any longer and they expected pay
-there were only a small number of troops available at a single point in time
What was unique about Edward iii’s army of 1337?
It was the first army to consist of entirely paid troops
By the late 1300s what was the most commonly used weapon amongst infantry men and why?
Longbows
-At the correct angle they were capable of piercing armour plate
-A trained longbow archer could shoot 10 to 15 arrows a minute
-Longbows were effective up to 200 metres, twice the range of shorter bows
What were chevauchees?
Short raids on horseback by small armies of 2000-3000 intended to terrorise the local population and make it impossible for the French to raise tactics or grow crops.
What was the main factor that allowed the Scots to defeat the English at the Battle of Sterling Bridge in 1297?
The use of the Scottish pikemen as an attacking force
-They formed huge circles of up to 2000 men (schiltrons) with pikes directed at the enemy and charged at the enemy. This led to a decline in the use of mounted knights.
It what situation were cannons most commonly used in the late 1300s/early 1400s?
-They were often used in sieges in the bringing down of walls.
-They were rarely used on the battlefield as they were extremely difficult to tranport.
It what situation were cannons most commonly used in the late 1300s/early 1400s?
-They were often used in sieges in the bringing down of walls.
-They were rarely used on the battlefield as they were extremely difficult to transport.
What King was accidently killed due to a cannon exploding near him?
James ii (August 3rd 1460)
What triggered the peasants revolt of 1381?
A new poll tax was imposed on the population to help pay for the hundred years war. This triggered the peasants revolt in which some peasants, led by Wat Tyler, meet up with the young king Richard ii at Smithfield.
What was requisitioning?
‘A formal order from the authorities for private property or goods to be handed over to military forces for their use’
In 1346, for the Crécy campaign, how many ships did the crown requisition/seize?
700 privately owned ships were seized
Why did England become victorious in the Battle of Agincourt (1415) against France?
-Henry V delivered a motivational speech prior to battle
-King Henry positioned his small group of highly skilled longbowmen of the flanks of the French
-Weather conditions were extremely poor - this caused a bundle of French soldiers
-The French didn’t have a plan or good leadership
What basic command error did William Wallace make in Scotland’s defeat to England in the Battle of Falkirk (1298)?
He failed to protect his flanks
Describe some features of Edward i during the Battle of Falkirk
-Despite detailed plans to supply his troops by sea, they were nearly defeated by hunger.
-Despite having superior forces, undisciplined cavalry could have ruined his attack. Against a stronger enemy, it could have been disastrous.
-His bold decision to attack had forced Wallace to fight in a position where his flanks were undefended.
-Edward’s use of his longbows was the turning point of the battle. It became a key part of English strategy in warfare for the next 150 years.
How long did it take to fire a matchlock musket?
As matchlocks were extremely slow to load, they could only fire once every two minutes
What were four reasons that drove the change from longbows to muskets?
-Developments in technology: Guns got better: by 1550, the matchlock musket fired a 60 gram lead bullet, heavy enough to pierce most armour. Armour had improved. The new high-carbon steel armour developed at the end of the 15th century was almost arrow proof, but musket bullets had more power and could penetrate it.
-New ideas from Europe: Armies found a way of beating the Swiss pike units with the firepower of large numbers of musketeers.
-Cost: The matchlock musket had a standard bore, so bullets could be mass-produced and issued to any soldier in the army. On the other hand, arrows were high-quality crafted objects that were expensive to make.
-Changes in society: Men had less opportunity to practice the longbow. It took years of practice to make a successful bowman.
Between 1500-1650, how much did armies increase in size?
Armies did not get much bigger. The typical army was the same size in the Wars of the Roses (1455) as it was in the ECW (1642)
Between 1642 and 1692 how much did cannons increase by?
In 1642 there were 20 cannons whereas in 1692 England sent 120 cannons to campaign in the Netherlands.
From 1470 onwards, why were the Swiss pikemen an unbeatable force?
-The soldiers wore metal helmets and back and breast armour, with high-carbon steel armour which was almost arrow proof
-They formed a giant hedgehog and were able to move in fast, disciplined fashion
