WW2

Question 1

Why was London a target in the Second World War?

Answer 1

Centre of national government,

Port and industrial centre,

Easy access for German bombers.

Question 2

What preparation did london have for war

Answer 2

ARP act and ARP wardens

Evacuation

Gas Masks

Air Raid Shelters – Anderson, Communal, Morrison

Question 3

What was the nature of attacks on London

Answer 3

First Blitz Sept 1940-May 1941 including Black Saturday (7 September 1940)

Docks and industries of the East End

Types of bombs – incendiaries, high explosives, mines

V1 (pilotless plane) and V2 (Ballistic missile) attacks 1944-5 (e.g. Deptford Nov 1944)

Question 4

What was the impacts of the Blitz

Answer 4

Air-raid precautions, including the use of underground stations

‘Mickey’s shelter’ in Spitalfields

The impact of the South Hallsville School, (1940) and Bethnal Green (1943) disasters

Disruption to daily life

Leisure activities continued to keep morale up e.g. dancehalls, theatre, football

Question 5

What was Londons response to the war

Answer 5

Royal family and government ministers stayed in London

Measures taken to safeguard art and important buildings e.g St Pauls watch

Public spaces, including Victoria Park and the Tower of London moat, as part of the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign.

Question 6

Who did the government use propaganda and censorship

Answer 6

The Ministry of Information was responsible for propaganda.

They used posters and newsreels to:
Keep up morale

Make people act in the way they needed them to (Dig for Victory)

Warn about spies (Careless Talk Costs lives)

Stress the importance of the war effort