BATTLE FOR BRITAINBATTLE FOR BRITAIN

Mallory and Caroline

GERMAN DOMINATIONGERMAN DOMINATION

“ “ The whole fury and might The whole fury and might of the enemy may very of the enemy may very soon be turned on us now” soon be turned on us now” –Winston Churchhill 1940–Winston Churchhill 1940

By 1939, the Nazis had By 1939, the Nazis had occupied most of Europe, occupied most of Europe, including France… Britain including France… Britain was nextwas next

Britain now stood alone, but was Britain now stood alone, but was prepared to fight and save the prepared to fight and save the

world from a new dark ageworld from a new dark age

Germany Attacks BritainGermany Attacks Britain

July 10July 10thth 1940 1940 Hitler wants to control all of EuropeHitler wants to control all of Europe Germany was fresh from victory in FranceGermany was fresh from victory in France Battle by air Battle by air Luftwaffe vs. Royal Air ForceLuftwaffe vs. Royal Air Force Germans had 2,000 planesGermans had 2,000 planes England had only 675 planesEngland had only 675 planes

Operation Sea LionOperation Sea Lion

After Germany’s Luftwaffe quickly overcame After Germany’s Luftwaffe quickly overcame the Royal Air Force they would then move the Royal Air Force they would then move their military to Britain to defeat them by their military to Britain to defeat them by land. land.

If Luftwaffe did not defeat RAF Sealion If Luftwaffe did not defeat RAF Sealion would be postponedwould be postponed

Germany Attacks BritainGermany Attacks Britain

Germany moves their air force to BritainGermany moves their air force to Britain 5 stages of operation5 stages of operation

– Channel BattleChannel Battle– Operation EagleOperation Eagle– Airfield BombingAirfield Bombing– Battle of LondonBattle of London– Night BombingNight Bombing

Fighting Continues Fighting Continues

A stray German fighter A stray German fighter plane accidentally hit plane accidentally hit LondonLondon

Britain retaliated and Britain retaliated and attacked Berlinattacked Berlin

Hitler, with his ego bruised Hitler, with his ego bruised ordered the London blitzordered the London blitz– Continued attacks on British Continued attacks on British

citiescities– September 7,1940September 7,1940

Messerschmitt 109

Hurricane Mk 1

Luftwaffe Planes

Retreat!Retreat!

September 15, 1940September 15, 1940 2 waves of German attacks were overcome2 waves of German attacks were overcome Fighting continues through OctoberFighting continues through October Hitler orders postponement of the invasion Hitler orders postponement of the invasion

of Britain of Britain – Volume of Germanys lossesVolume of Germanys losses– Britain managed their campaign betterBritain managed their campaign better

““Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” –Winston Churchillmany to so few” –Winston Churchill

Britain’s AdvantagesBritain’s Advantages

Superior planes and Superior planes and factories for planesfactories for planes

Underestimated Underestimated – Thought it would be over by Thought it would be over by

Sept.Sept. Easy victory because of sizeEasy victory because of size

– Peace treatyPeace treaty More AlliesMore Allies

– Support of Polish Air Force Support of Polish Air Force PreparationPreparation Over Britain Over Britain

– No POWNo POW– Best radar systemBest radar system

RAF Spitfire I

German AdvantagesGerman Advantages

ConfidenceConfidence– MomentumMomentum– MoraleMorale

Bigger Air ForceBigger Air Force More skilled pilotsMore skilled pilots

Britain’s DisadvantagesBritain’s Disadvantages

Smaller Air ForceSmaller Air Force Less experienced, less equippedLess experienced, less equipped If Germans made it to Britain by land, they If Germans made it to Britain by land, they

were doomedwere doomed Civilians in their country were most affected Civilians in their country were most affected

Germany’s DisadvantagesGermany’s Disadvantages

Couldn’t replace downed airplanesCouldn’t replace downed airplanes Luftwaffe was meant as a support system, Luftwaffe was meant as a support system,

not an attack systemnot an attack system No ground radarNo ground radar No knowledge of RAF defenses No knowledge of RAF defenses Britain had better production of aircraftBritain had better production of aircraft

– Messerschmitt lacked fuel enduranceMesserschmitt lacked fuel endurance

RADAR…the weapon that RADAR…the weapon that won the warwon the war

RADARRADAR

Chain Home Chain Home Airborne radarAirborne radar

– Detected enemy planesDetected enemy planes Ground Radar Ground Radar

detecteddetected– Ballistic missilesBallistic missiles– Mortar bombsMortar bombs– PlanesPlanes

Detect enemy war craftDetect enemy war craft– Any weather conditionsAny weather conditions

Code BreakingCode Breaking

Betchley ParkBetchley Park CryptologyCryptology Polish knowledgePolish knowledge Enigma – German encoding systemEnigma – German encoding system Mathematicians at Betchley Park crack the Mathematicians at Betchley Park crack the

Enigma codeEnigma code Leads to British knowing of German raids, Leads to British knowing of German raids,

and that Operation Sea Lion was cancelledand that Operation Sea Lion was cancelled

German TacticsGerman Tactics

RaidsRaids Sent small fleets in as bait, followed by large Sent small fleets in as bait, followed by large

bomber planesbomber planes Strategic bombingStrategic bombing Operation Sea lionOperation Sea lion

– 5 stages5 stages

RAF TacticsRAF Tactics

Send out individual squadrons to pick apart Send out individual squadrons to pick apart Luftwaffe formations Luftwaffe formations

““V” formationV” formation– Front plane watches for enemiesFront plane watches for enemies– Side planes watch for each otherSide planes watch for each other– 2 Planes above and below2 Planes above and below

Effects of WarEffects of War

Nazis are stopped for the first timeNazis are stopped for the first time Morale boost for AlliesMorale boost for Allies Showed that both air warfare and strategic Showed that both air warfare and strategic

bombing were importantbombing were important RAF maintained strengthRAF maintained strength Luftwaffe declinedLuftwaffe declined

Effects of WarEffects of War

Britains losses: 23,002 deadBritains losses: 23,002 dead Germany’s losses: 2,698 aircrafts lostGermany’s losses: 2,698 aircrafts lost

BibliographyBibliography

http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/st/~larson/tactics.htmhttp://history.sandiego.edu/gen/st/~larson/tactics.htm http://www.naval-history.net/WW2CampaignsABomb.htmhttp://www.naval-history.net/WW2CampaignsABomb.htm http://www.answers.com/topic/ultra-operationhttp://www.answers.com/topic/ultra-operation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain http://info-poland.buffalo.edu/britain/airbatte.htmlhttp://info-poland.buffalo.edu/britain/airbatte.html http://media.ucsc.edu/classes/thompson/history30c/http://media.ucsc.edu/classes/thompson/history30c/

15_britain.html15_britain.html http://www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/Aviationhttp://www.century-of-flight.freeola.com/Aviation

%20history/WW2/radar%20in%20world%20war%20history/WW2/radar%20in%20world%20war%20two.htm %20two.htm

http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Air_Power/http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Air_Power/Battle_of_Britain/AP22.htmBattle_of_Britain/AP22.htm