Historic Environment- London and the Blitz Flashcards
When was the Blitz?
7 Sept 1940- 11 May 1941
When was the Little Blitz?
21 Jan 1944- May 1944
When were V1 and V2 rocket attacks?
June 1944- 27 March 1945
When did evacuation begin?
1 September 1939
Why was London targeted?
Capital city, important port, industrial centre, high population, geographical position, head of communications, landmarks
Why did being the capital make it a target?
Centre of government who control nation, disrupt leadership, kill government officials, lower morale
Why did being an important port make it a target?
-Food and military supplies imported via boat on Thames.
-Lots of important docks along Thames like St. Katherine’s Docks in Wapping. Food shortages lower morale as rations imposed, fewer supplies weaken war effort and army
Why did being an industrial centre make it a target?
Had lots of factories involved in making munitions for war. Destroying these would greatly damage the war effort.
Why did it having a high population make it a target?
8.6 million in 1939. Killing civilians would lower morale, put pressure on government and damage war effort
Why did its geographical position make it a target?
South East of Britain, closer to mainland Europe and France, which Germany had control of and launched bombs from. Thames was easily recognisable sight for bombers.
How did London prepare for the war?
Evacuation, blackouts, distribution of Anderson shelters and gas masks
How did evacuation help prepare for the war?
-1 Sept 1939, evacuation began. 2m, mostly children, evacuated on trains and double-deckers to more remote locations.
-However, during Phoney War, when air raid threat seemed to decrease, many returned. Jan 1940, 300,000 returned and by March 1,000,000 had returned.
How did distribution of shelters help prepare for the war?
-Anderson shelters built in gardens of corrugated iron sheets with earth piled on top to protect from blast and shrapnel. 1.5 million shelters constructed before war.
-Morrison shelters built in 1941 inside homes, large steel table, wire netting sides, stopped crushing by building.
-Gov. printed leaflets and had information films on how to shelter
How did blackouts help prepare for the war?
-July 1939, gov. sent leaflets explaining need for blackouts, making harder for bombers to find cities in night raids.
-Used dye to soak old curtains and sheets to block emerging lights from windows.
-Volunteer ARP wardens appointed before Sept, sounded sirens, led people to shelters, patrolled streets
How did gas masks help prepare for war?
-Thought that chemical warfare may be used. 1938 gov. issued gas masks to adults, 1939 to children. Leaflets encouraged people to carry but because of Phoney War numbers carrying decreased, only 1/3 carried during height of Blitz
When and what was Black Saturday?
-7 Sept 1940, first and most intense day of Blitz. East End was main target in first night, 57 consecutive nights of raiding followed.
-Focused St Katherine’s Docks, hit by 160 high explosive bombs in first week. Woolwich Arsenal stored artillery and ammunition. Munitions factors, V&A docks damaged.
When and what was the V2 attack on Deptford?
-25 November 1944. Full Woolworths hit, lots trying to buy new pans hard to buy since start of war. Large queue outside as well. Building collapsed, killing 168 people, only 1 in the building survived
When and what was the South Hallsville Disaster?
-10 Sept 1940. Bomb fell on South Hallsville School in East End, killing 77 people sheltering in the school. Details hidden from public because the Government feared the effect on morale
When and what was the Bethnal Green Disaster?
-7 March 1943. Air raid siren sounded in BG, so people rushed into the Tube. Anti aircraft defence battery was fired, which startled people at entrance who crowded down the steps. They fell on top of one another, crushing them. 173 people died from suffocation.
What was a Brandbombe?
-1kg incendiary bomb dropped in large numbers over buildings, breaking through buildings where they started fires. Filled with small explosive to keep ARP wardens away.
What was a Flammenbombe?
-Barrels filled with oil, set with a detonator to go off on impact, splashing burning oil starting fires, often failing to explode.
What was a Sprengbrandbombe C50?
-First used 1942. Bomb case filled with many bombs which were sprayed and started many fires.
What was a V1?
-Pilotless plane carrying explosive warhead, very zoom. Engines made loud buzzing sound but went silent just before hitting ground which struck fear into Londoners.
-Croydon directly under flight path from Netherlands. 140 V1s hit, destroying 1000 houses, damaging 60,000.
What was a V2?
-Similar pilotless plane like V1 but launched from mobile launch sites, making them harder to find and destroy.
-They were launched straight up into upper atmosphere then dropped straight back down on target, making them hard for anti aircraft gunners to hit.
