LIFE DURING WARTIME Flashcards
WHAT WAS THE BLITZ ?
The bombing of major British cities by the Luftwaffe between September 1940 and May 1941
WHAT WERE THE AIMS OF BOMBING ?
Break morale
Destroy Civilian lives
Destroy Key Industries
Force the government to surrender
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN BOMBINGS ?
45,000
HOW MANY HOMES WERE DESTROYED ?
3.5M
HOW DID THE BLITZ TARGET LONDON
The primary target of Nazi bombings
They bombed every night for two months
2 September - 2 November 1940
15,000 killed
250,000 made homeless
HOW MANY WERE KILLED IN LONDON BOMBINGS ?
15,000 killed
HOW MANY WERE MADE HOMELESS IN LONDON ?
250,000 homeless
HOW WAS GLASGOW AFFECTED BY THE BLITZ ?
Clydebank shipyards hit in 1941
HOW WAS BELFAST AFFECTED BY THE BLITZ ?
Bombed in APRIL and MAY 1941
HOW WAS SWANSEA AFFECTED BY THE BLITZ ?
Contained vital ports and docks
In the three nights Blitz
19-21 February 1940
56,000 incendiary bombs dropped
230 killed ad 7000 homes destroyed
44 Air raids on Swansea
WHY WAS RATIONING INTRODUCED ?
Introduced to make sure there was sufficient and equal food for everyone throughout the war
HOW MUCH OF BRITAIN’S FOOD WAS IMPORTED ?
Britain relied heavily on foreign imports
In 1938, 55M tonnes of food was imported
Almost 75% of its total consumption
HOW MANY MERCHANT SHIPS WERE SUNK ?
In March 1942
275 British merchant ships sunk by U-boats
WHAT KINDS OF FOODS WERE RATIONED ?
Eggs, butter, meat and sugar
As the war progressed more items were rationed
1941 COAL
1942 ELECTRICITY
WHAT WAS SET UP TO GET MORE RATIONED GOODS ?
A black market
People bought rationed goods at a premium
2 years in prison
WHY DID SOME PEOPLE EXPERIENCE A BETTER DIET ?
Children were fitter and less mothers died in childbirth during the war
Ensured all people received a balanced and sufficient diet
Vitamin welfare scheme set up
NAME THREE BRANCHES OF THE WOMEN’S ARMED FORCES
WRNS - WOMEN’S ROYAL NAVAL SERVICE
WAAF - WOMEN’S AUXILIARY AIR FORCE
ATS - AUXILIARY TERRITORIAL SERVICES
HOW MANY WOMEN WERE IN THE WAAF & WRNS ?
450,000
HOW MANY WERE IN THE ATS ?
212,000
WHAT KIND OF WORK DID WOMEN DO ?
Mechanics
Welders
Pilots
Gunners
Intelligence
Code breakers at Bletchley park
HOW MANY WOMEN VOLUNTEERED IN CIVIL DEFENCE ?
180,000
HOW MANY WOMEN VOLUNTEERED IN THE FIRE SERVICE ?
47,000
HOW MANY WOMEN RAN MESSAGES ?
130,000
WHAT WAS THE WOMEN’S LAND ARMY ?
Started in June 1939
Aim to increase the amount of food shown in Britain
In 1944, 80,000 women in the WLA
1/3 came from London