The Blitz KS3 history — German bombing of British cities 1940 to 1941

From 7 September 1940, the German Luftwaffe began intensive bombing raids on British cities. London was bombed on 57 consecutive nights. By May 1941, when the main campaign ended, approximately 43,000 civilians had been killed and over a million homes in London alone were damaged or destroyed. The Blitz reshaped British cities, society and memory.

Why did Germany begin bombing British cities?

The Blitz grew directly out of the Battle of Britain. Throughout August 1940 the Luftwaffe had been attacking RAF airfields, radar stations and aircraft factories in an attempt to destroy British air power before a planned seaborne invasion of Britain (Operation Sea Lion). On the night of 24/25 August, German bombers accidentally dropped bombs on central London — RAF Bomber Command retaliated with a raid on Berlin. Outraged, Hitler and Göring redirected the main Luftwaffe effort to bombing British cities from 7 September. This shift away from RAF airfields is considered a major German strategic error: it gave Fighter Command time to recover, but it began a sustained campaign of terror bombing against the civilian population that lasted eight months.

Which cities were bombed?

London suffered the most, but the Blitz was a national experience:

The choice of targets reflected German strategic logic: destroying ports, factories and infrastructure while terrorising the civilian population.

How did civilians protect themselves?

The government had anticipated bombing and distributed two types of shelter:

• Anderson shelters: corrugated steel structures bolted together and half-buried in the garden, covered with soil. Cheap and relatively effective, they could withstand all but a direct hit. About 3.5 million were distributed by 1939.
• Morrison shelters: steel table-like structures placed inside the home, introduced in 1941. Designed for people without gardens. Could be slept under and offered protection from falling debris.

In London, thousands of people used Underground stations as unofficial shelters despite early government opposition. The images of Londoners sheltering on tube platforms became some of the most iconic photographs of the war. Air Raid Precautions (ARP) wardens patrolled streets during raids, ensuring the blackout was maintained (no visible lights that could guide German bombers) and directing people to shelters. The blackout was enforced strictly: fines were issued for even a chink of light showing through curtains.

What was the "Blitz spirit" and should historians trust it?

The phrase "Blitz spirit" refers to the idea that British civilians responded to the bombing with collective resilience, cheerfulness and solidarity — neighbours helping neighbours, communities pulling together, morale remaining high. This narrative was promoted by the wartime government and features in many contemporary photographs and accounts. Historians have since examined it more critically.

Evidence in favour of the Blitz spirit includes genuine accounts of community support, the fact that widespread panic or collapse of civilian morale did not occur, and the remarkable continuation of ordinary life — buses ran, factories operated, shops reopened. Evidence that complicates it includes: looting of bombed properties was common and prosecuted regularly; class divisions meant wealthy Londoners had access to private shelters and could leave the city while poorer residents had less choice; some communities showed signs of strain and resentment; and much of the photographic evidence was controlled by the Ministry of Information, which selected images showing calm and determination rather than distress. A good historian weighs both: the solidarity was real, but so were the fear, the grief and the social inequalities that shaped who suffered most.

How did the Blitz end and what was its impact?

The main Blitz effectively ended in May 1941 when Hitler redirected Luftwaffe resources to Operation Barbarossa — the invasion of the Soviet Union, launched on 22 June 1941. A second bombing campaign using V-1 flying bombs and V-2 rockets came in 1944–45, but the Blitz as such refers to the sustained campaign of 1940–41. Its legacy includes: the permanent scarring of British cities (many post-war housing estates and office blocks occupy Blitz clearance sites); significant contributions to the development of civilian emergency services; and a lasting cultural reference point that continues to be invoked whenever Britain faces collective adversity.

Frequently asked questions

Why was London bombed so heavily?

London was the largest city in Britain, its capital, and a major port and transport hub. Bombing London served multiple German objectives: destroying industrial capacity, disrupting government, targeting morale, and accessing the docks through which vital Atlantic supplies arrived. The East End — closest to the docks and home to a dense, working-class population — suffered particularly heavily. The City of London and much of the historic centre were also struck; the survival of St Paul's Cathedral through repeated raids became a powerful symbol.

What happened to children during the Blitz?

Many children had already been evacuated from cities before the Blitz began under Operation Pied Piper (September 1939), which sent about 1.5 million children to rural areas and small towns. Children who remained in cities experienced the raids directly: some found it exciting, others were terrified. Evacuation separated families for months or years, and some evacuees returned home before the Blitz began — then had to be evacuated again. The experience of evacuation, examined alongside the Blitz itself, gives students a fuller picture of how war affected children.

What is the significance of Coventry in Blitz history?

The raid on Coventry on the night of 14–15 November 1940 (Operation Moonlight Sonata) destroyed approximately a third of the city's buildings, killed around 568 people and destroyed the medieval St Michael's Cathedral. The scale of destruction led the Germans to coin the verb "to coventrate" (to obliterate a city), and the ruins of the cathedral became a lasting symbol of civilian suffering. The new Coventry Cathedral, consecrated in 1962 next to the preserved ruins, became a monument to reconciliation: it contains a "Cross of Nails" made from charred roof timbers, copies of which have been sent to communities around the world affected by conflict.

How reliable are photographs as evidence of the Blitz?

Photographs are among the most powerful sources about the Blitz — but they require careful evaluation. The Ministry of Information supervised press photography and could suppress images that showed extreme distress, widespread panic or looting. Photographers often took multiple images and selected those with the most positive narrative. Famous photographs such as St Paul's Cathedral surrounded by smoke, or a milkman delivering bottles across a bombed street, were sometimes carefully composed. This does not mean they are false — the scene existed — but the selection and framing reflects wartime propaganda goals as much as documentary record.

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