Finest Hour: Britain Alone, 1940

Question 1

What Happened in May 1940?

Answer 1

• Churchill replaces Chamberlain (coalition Government)
• Churchill’s speech
  “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the british empire and its commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, this was their finest hour”

Question 2

What were some British objectives accomplished during the defense in 1940?

Answer 2

• Strategic Bombing (RAF begins bombing german industry)
• Naval blockade (Less effective because of german-soviet pact)
• French Fleet at Mers el Kebir (july 1940) - prevents german use but angers france
  Defending Against U boats - Royal Navy escorts and countermeasures
  Supportive for Resistance
• Movement- SOE (special operations executive) formed

Question 3

What were Hitlers Challenges with Invasion plans?

Answer 3

• No detailed amphibious plan
• Luftwaffle needed to destroy RAF first
• Kriegsmarine Weak, couldn’t protect invasion efforts
• RAF had superior defensive positions

Question 4

What was Operation Sea Lion?

Answer 4

German planned invasion, the luftwaffe would have to cripple the RAF, but its feasibility became doubtful

Question 5

When did the battle of Britain happen?

Answer 5

July-Oct 1940

Question 6

What happened in Phases one of the Battle of Britain?

Answer 6

• July 10 1940, German raids on British shipping began
• Aug 8, Luftwaffe targets RAF airfields
• Aug 13 “Operation Eagle”

Question 7

What happened in phase two of Battle of Britain?

Answer 7

• Sept 7: Hitler order bombing of London
  RAF bombing of Berlin (Aug 25-28) humiliated Hitler
• German Morale Shaken -) Hitler retaliates
• RAF airfield got a break
• Sept 17: Hitler postpones operation sea lion
  RAF survives -) Britain safe from invasion

Question 8

What was phase three of the Battle of Britain?

Answer 8

• Germans switch to night bombing
• London bombed for 57 nights in a row
• Luftwaffle lost 1,882 aircraft RAF lost 1,265
  Germany fails to destroy the RAF
• RAF retaliates (1940-1945) German cities bombed

Question 9

What was the reality of the victory at the Battle of Britain?

Answer 9

Victory owed to tech, strategy and preparation not just bravery