Section A: London and the Second World War, 1939 - 45

Question 1

Main reasons London was targeted and where they were most important

Answer 1

To damage the countries economy:
The East end because of the docks 
To damage the countries morale:
The suburbs (maybe the east end)
To damage the government:
Westminster
To damage Britains military:
Westminster/east end

EMGM

Also, capital, so most populated, very industrial and had the government inside

Question 2

Why was the East End hit:

Answer 2

Economy-
Docks where food, materials and weaponry brought in
Moral:
Mixed, poorer housing and food
Government:
Important area for public support
Military:
Warships and weaponry at docks

Question 3

Why was Westminster hit

Answer 3

Economy:
Important decisions made on trade
Morale: Buckingham palace, and the main government headquarters
Government: main facilities - centre of war effort, Downing street
Military: war effort/ office there

Question 4

Why was the ‘City of London’ hit

Answer 4

Economy:
Financial centre - banking 
Rail and telephone lines 
Morale:
Telephone lines, rail and financial destruction would ruin the morale
Government: 
Rail and telephone lines very important
Financial centre important for war effort
Military:
Money for war effort
Telephone and rail lines

Question 5

Why were the suburbs hit

Answer 5

Economy: 
Huge workforce, most rich/richer
Morale:
Huge civilian population
Government:
Very big public support area
Money for war effort
Military:
Big workforce 
Potential soldiers
Bring in money for war effort

Question 6

The four protection techniques used in the Blitz

Answer 6

Evacuation
Shelters
Gas masks
Blackout

Question 7

Factors of the evacuations

Answer 7

Successes: 1.3 million on trains
600,000 on buses
Mainly kids, pregnant mothers, blind and disabled

Failures:
Some cruelly treated
Only 300,000 were left away in the phoney war
(The majority returned)

Question 8

What were the main shelters used

Answer 8

Anderson, Morrison shelters and the undergound

Question 9

Factors of shelters

Answer 9

Andersons:
were cheap
(1.5 million given out (almost all for free))

Morrison:
Allowed people to stay home
Stopped people getting crushed
Commonly used

Failures:
Nothing stopped a direct impact
Most ended up flocking to the undergrounds

Question 10

Factors of gas masks

Answer 10

Successes:
Sizes for all
Issued to all

Failures:
Not needed
Most gave up carrying them - only 1/3 carried them at the hight of the blitz

Question 11

Factors of the Blackout

Answer 11

The ARP jobs:Observation posts, sirens, fire spotters, first aiders, and guiders
Made bombings harder

All lights off
Black blinds
No car lights or traffic lights

Question 12

What does the ARP stand for?

Answer 12

ARP: Air Raid Precautions

Question 13

Factors of firefighting

Answer 13

Fire spotters became compulsory at important buildings

Huge volunteer fire fighting force (auxiliaries)
327 men and woman auxiliaries died fire fighting