THETHE BATTLEBATTLE OFOF BRITAIN:BRITAIN: MANKINDMANKIND’’SS FINESTFINEST HOURHOUR

1 WEEKWEEK ONE:ONE: 19181918--19401940

FROMFROM ARMISTICEARMISTICE TOTO THETHE BATTLEBATTLE OFOF FRANCEFRANCE THETHE WARWAR TOTO ENDEND ALLALL WARSWARS FROMFROM VICTORYVICTORY TOTO DEPRESSIONDEPRESSION  DEMOBILIZATION FOLLOWS END OF WAR  STOCK MARKETS COLLAPSE IN 1929  WORLD ECONOMIES IN TATTERS  MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT  GUNS VERSUS BUTTER WIDESPREADWIDESPREAD OPPOSITIONOPPOSITION TOTO ANOTHERANOTHER WARWAR  MASSIVE CASUALTIES  “THE WILL ALWAYS GET THROUGH”  CIVILIANS WIDELY SEEN AS VULNERABLE  MINUTES TO OVERFLY  FEAR OF GLOBAL CATASTROPHE THRTHREEEE MAJORMAJOR EUROPEANEUROPEAN POWERSPOWERS DOMINATEDOMINATE THETHE CONTINENTCONTINENT

– – BRITAIN  OPPOSING SECURITY SCHEMES  DISARMAMENT PACTS POPULAR BRITAINBRITAIN RULESRULES THETHE WAVESWAVES

 300 YEARS OF DOMINANT SEAPOWER  NO INVASION SINCE 1066  PROTECTED BY THE CHANNEL  ARMY DEPLOYED ACROSS THE EMPIRE FRENCHFRENCH BUILDBUILD MAGINOTMAGINOT LINELINE

 FROM TO  KEEP THE HUNS OUT!  VULNERABLE TO FLANKING  PERFECT FOR THE LAST WAR GERMANSGERMANS REARMREARM BYBY STEALTHSTEALTH  STEEL INDUSTRY EXPANDS CAPACITY  PANZER FORMED  SECRETLY ESTABLISHED  NAVY EXPANDS – BUT NOT ENOUGH 19361936--19391939 THETHE SPANISHSPANISH CIVILCIVIL WARWAR  SUPPORTS FRANCO’S FASCISTS  NAZIS DEVELOP AIR-GROUND TACTICS  LUFTWAFFE GAINS COMBAT EXPERIENCE  USE OF TERROR BOMBING OF CIVILIANS GERMANYGERMANY ANNEXESANNEXES TERRITORYTERRITORY  THE DANZIG COORIDOR TO THE BALTIC SEA  THE AUSTRIAN ANSCHLUSS  SUDENTLAND OCCUPATION  CZECHOSLOVOKI A OCCUPIED 19301930’’SS DIPLOMATICDIPLOMATIC MOVESMOVES

 SUCCESSIVE ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT WAR  ALLIES FAIL TO IMPRESS OR STOP HITLER  “PEACE IN TIME” WIDELY APPLAUDED  IN REALITY IT’S BRITAINBRITAIN FINALLYFINALLY SEESSEES THETHE LIGHTLIGHT  CHURCHILL WARNS OF NAZI INTENTIONS  FUNDS HURRICANES/SPITFIRES  GETS INCREASED ATTENTION  TOO LITTLE AND TOO LATE??!! SEPTEMBERSEPTEMBER 1,1, 19391939 GERMANSGERMANS INVADEINVADE POLANDPOLAND  BERLIN CLAIMS SELF- DEFENSE  UNANTICIPATED CONSEQUENCES  BRITAIN AND FRANCE DECLARE WAR  QUICK VICTORY OVER WEAKER OPPONENT  GERMAN ARMY RUNS OUT OF AMMO  COMMAND AND CONTROL WEAKNESSES NOVEMBERNOVEMBER 19391939--MARCHMARCH 19401940 ““THETHE PHONYPHONY WARWAR””  GERMANY PLANS A FRENCH INVASION  SEVERE WINTER DELAYS MOVES  ALLIES HUNKER DOWN AND WAIT  GERMAN PLANS CAPTURED BUT IGNORED APRILAPRIL 1940:1940: NORWAYNORWAY ISIS INVADEDINVADED  NAZIS REPEL OPPOSING BRITISH FORCES  BUT LOSE MANY  PROVIDES NAVY WITH ATLANTIC ACCESS  ADJACENT TO IRON ORE DEPOSITS MAYMAY--JUNEJUNE 19401940 THETHE BATTLEBATTLE OFOF FRANCEFRANCE  GERMAN MULTI- PRONG OFFENSE  RADICAL PUSH THROUGH  LUFTWAFFE SUPPORTS  BERLIN CONTROLS PACE OF BLITZKREIGBLITZKREIG OVERWHELMSOVERWHELMS

 AN ALL OR NOTHING GAMBLE  GERMANY ANXIOUSLY ROLLS THE DICE  IF GERMANY LOSES THEY ARE FINISHED  RAPID ADVANCE CRUSHES HOWHOW DIDDID GERMANSGERMANS PREVAIL?PREVAIL?

 PANZERS EMPHASIZE SPEED  BYPASS FIXED DEFENSES  FLEXIBILITY IN TACTICS  AVOID SET PIECE OF EARLIER WARS ALLIESALLIES HAVEHAVE LARGERLARGER FORCESFORCES

 MORE TANKS – WHICH LACK RADIOS  MORE TROOPS – THAT SLOWLY MOVE  MORE AIRCRAFT – DESTROYED ON GROUND FRENCHFRENCH AREARE ROUTEDROUTED

 OUTGENERALED BY GERMANS  ROADS CLOGGED BY FLEEING  INEFFICIENT ARMOR REFUELING  BICKERING AMONG ALLIED COMMANDERS ALLIESALLIES FLEEFLEE TOTO CHANNELCHANNEL PORTSPORTS

 IMPENDING DESTRUCTION OF BEF  LUFTWAFFE TAKES LEAD ROLE NOT ARMY  PROMISES TO DESTROY ALLIED ARMIES  CHURCHILL ORDERS OPERATION DYNAMO ““HEROESHEROES ALLALL OFOF THEMTHEM””

 NAVY/CIVILIAN SHIPS RACE TO FRANCE  RESCUE OVER 233,000 TROOPS  WITHSTAND REPEATED AIR ATTACKS  BEF LIVES TO FIGHT ON FACTORSFACTORS IMPACTINGIMPACTING DYNAMODYNAMO

 NEAR-PERFECT WEATHER FOR NINE DAYS  FLAT, CALM SEAS  SMOKE, CLOUDS, RAIN HIDE BEACHES  HITLER’S UNEXPLICABLE DECISIONS BERLINBERLIN DITHERSDITHERS ANDAND WAITSWAITS

 PANZERS WOULD HAVE OVERRUN PORTS  A MAJOR STRATEGIC FAILURE  BRITAIN WOULD LIKELY HAVE SURRENDERED  PRECLUDING U.S. 1942-1945 BASING  DETERMINED OUTCOME OF THE WAR THETHE BATTLEBATTLE OFOF FRANCEFRANCE ENDSENDS

 BRITISH LEAVE EQUIPMENT BEHIND  ENGLAND STANDS ALONE AGAINST BERLIN  NAZIS RULE FROM TO SPAIN  GERMANS SURPRISED BY QUICK VICTORY  FRANCE PARTITIONED AND CONQUERED WEEKWEEK TWO:TWO: WARWAR COMESCOMES TOTO BRITAINBRITAIN GERMANYGERMANY HASHAS AA DILEMMADILEMMA NOWNOW WHATWHAT DODO WEWE DO?DO?

ENCOURAGE UK TO QUIT? INVADE ACROSS CHANNEL? BOMB THEM INTO SUBMISSION? STRANGLE ECONOMY WITH U- BOATS? THETHE BRITISHBRITISH REGROUPREGROUP

 LONDON MANAGES WAR INFORMATION  200,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS SAVED  CHURCHILL: THE DEFIANT LION  OUTREACH TO USA DIGGINGDIGGING ININ TOTO DEFENDDEFEND

 ENGLISH CHANNEL IS MINED  LINE ACROSS COUNTRY  ANTI- TRAPS  1 MILLION MOLOTOV COCKTAILS  “TAKE ONE WITH YOU” USUS AMBASSADORAMBASSADOR OFOF DEFEATISMDEFEATISM  JOE KENNEDY PREDICTS SURRENDER  NO US EQUITIES  FLEES TO COUNTRY DURING AIR RAIDS  “MORE YELLOW THAN A DAFFODIL” ROOSEVELTROOSEVELT’’SS DELICATEDELICATE BALANCEBALANCE

 US OVERWHELMINGLY ANTI-WAR  “THEIR PROBLEM, NOT OURS”  AMERICANS INITIALLY UNRESPONSIVE USUS COMESCOMES AROUNDAROUND SLOWLYSLOWLY

 SHIPS 250K RIFLES  5,000 TOMMY GUNS A MONTH  900 75MM FIELD GUNS  1 MILLION ARTILLERY SHELLS  FOOD SHIPMENTS GERMANYGERMANY PRESSESPRESSES THETHE ATTACKATTACK  STRENGTH IN NUMBERS AND EXPERIENCE  DRAW OUT FIGHTERS  ATTACK CHANNEL SHIPPING  PROBING FOR WEAKNESS BRITAINBRITAIN WORKSWORKS ONON SOLUTIONSSOLUTIONS  EMBRACING RADAR DETECTION  ACCELERATE AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION  HUSBAND FIGHTER RESOURCES  THE HOME GUARD AIRAIR RAIDRAID DETECTIONDETECTION VITALVITAL  SYSTEM IN PLACE BY LATE 1930s  PROVIDES EARLY WARNING  ALLOWS RAF TO PREDICT TARGETS ENGLANDENGLAND INTEGRATESINTEGRATES DEFENSESDEFENSES  RADAR INFO SHARED  OBSERVER CORPS REPORTS  SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE  FIGHTERS PROTECT ASSIGNED SECTORS  TRI-SERVICE COOPERATION  BARRAGE BALLOONS ASSETSASSETS AREARE STRETCHEDSTRETCHED

 1500 BARAGE BALLONS  1785 AAA GUNS  FIGHTERS CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE  AIR-RAIDS ARE DESTRUCTIVE BENTLEYBENTLEY PRIORYPRIORY

 FIGHTER COMMAND HEADQUARTERS  THE BIG PICTURE  ASSIGNS FIGHTER SQUADRONS

THE BEAUTY CHORUS GERMANSGERMANS TARGETTARGET RAFRAF

 AIRFIELDS  REPAIR DEPOTS  CRATER RUNWAYS  BOMB HANGERS LONDONLONDON ISIS BOMBEDBOMBED AUGUSTAUGUST 28/2928/29TH,, 19401940

 AGAINST HITLER’S ORDERS  CHURCHILL RETALIATES  GOERING VOWS REVENGE  ANOTHER STRATEGIC FAILURE AA GIFTGIFT TOTO THETHE BRITISHBRITISH

 ALLOWS RAF TO REGROUP  REPAIR BASES  REPLACE AIRCRAFT  REBUILD FACILITIES WARWAR ONON LONDONLONDON –– THETHE BLITZBLITZ AUGUSTAUGUST 19401940--MAYMAY 19411941

 A BIG FAT TARGET  SEAT OF GOVERNMENT  CENTRE OF COMMERCE  IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS  DIFFICULT TO DEFEND CIVILIANSCIVILIANS TAKETAKE THETHE BRUNTBRUNT

 SAVAGE EAST END RAIDS  COCKNEYS KILLED BY THOUSANDS  THE PALACE TAKES A FEW  30,000 NATIONAL DEATHS BY 1941 BALHAMBALHAM TUBETUBE STATIONSTATION

 14  MASSIVE BOMB PENETRATES  EXPLOSION KILLS 66  70+ INJURED  BODY RECOVERY TAKES 2 MONTHS CIVILIANSCIVILIANS DEFYDEFY LUFTWAFFELUFTWAFFE

 DEFENDING COMMON IDEALS  ALL CLASSES COME TOGETHER  500K CHILDREN EVACUATED  “POTS AND PANS FOR SPITFIRES” QUOTESQUOTES OFOF THETHE TIMESTIMES

 LONDON – “WE’RE IN THE FINAL NOW…TO BE PLAYED ON THE HOME GROUND.”  – “FEAR OF INVASION? NO! NOT AT ALL. IT MAY TAKE A WHILE, BUT WE’LL BEAT THEM.”  CHURCHILL – “THEY MAY BURN US TO THE GROUND, WE’LL MOVE THE FLEET TO AND FIGHT ON.” THETHE WEAPONSWEAPONS OFOF WARWAR

 FIGHTERS CLASH OVER ENGLAND  EASY TARGETS  OPPOSING TACTICS  WHO HAS THE ADVANTAGE? SPITFIRES/HURRICANESSPITFIRES/HURRICANES

 60+ SQUADRONS  PILOT EXPERIENCE EQUALS SURVIVAL  SHORTENED TRAINING PROGRAMS  QUICKLY REPAIRED  PILOTS SHOT DOWN ARE RECOVERED MESSERSCHMITTSMESSERSCHMITTS

 ME-109 AN AIRBORNE TERROR  MOUNTS CANNONS & MACHINE GUNS  THE FERRARI OF THE SKIES  PILOTS WHO BAILED OUT CAPTURED MEME--110110 TWINTWIN ENGINEENGINE FIGHTERFIGHTER

 NO MATCH FOR RAF  LACKS MANEUVERABILITY  UNSUITED FOR AIR COMBAT WHATWHAT ABOUTABOUT STUKAS?STUKAS?

 LETHAL  TERRIFYING SCREAM  MANEUVERABLE BUT VULNERABLE  CANNOT OUTRUN FIGHTERS  A WEAPON OF TERROR IN GERMANGERMAN BOMBERSBOMBERS AREARE TOOTOO SLOWSLOW  DORNIERS/HEINKELS LACK SPEED  NEED FIGHTER ESCORT  ATTACKED INBOUND AND OUTBOUND  NO FOUR ENGINE BOMBERS ““CROMWELLCROMWELL”” 77 ,SEPTEMBER, 19401940

 INVASION ALARM SOUNDED  HOME GUARD MOBILIZED  PREPARATIONS TO REPEL LANDINGS  TIDES AND WEATHER IDEAL BATTLEBATTLE OFOF BRITAINBRITAIN DAYDAY 1515 SEPTEMBER,SEPTEMBER, 19401940  LARGE RAIDS AND CLASHES  HIGH GERMAN LOSSES  PILOTS EXHAUSTED  HITLER GIVES UP ON SEA LION COULDCOULD GERMANSGERMANS HAVEHAVE INVADED?INVADED?

 REQUIRES PERFECT WEATHER  NAVY MUST TOW BARGES AT NIGHT  LACK OF AMPHIBIOUS EXPERIENCE  COULD NOT DO IT WHATWHAT WOULDWOULD HAVEHAVE HAPPENED?HAPPENED?  MOBILIZES  MINEFIELDS NARROW APPROACHES  DESTROYERS SINK BARGES  MURDEROUS COASTAL GUNS  NO QUARTER GIVEN WHOWHO REALLYREALLY SAVEDSAVED BRITAIN?BRITAIN?  RAF – THE STUFF OF LEGEND  ROYAL NAVY – RUNS THE CHANNEL  CHURCHILL – RALLIES THE NATION  CIVILIANS – REFUSE TO YIELD  INDUSTRY – OUTPRODUCES GERMANS MAJORMAJOR GERMANGERMAN MISTAKESMISTAKES

– BEF ESCAPES  BOMBING CITIES, NOT RAF  UNDERESTIMATING ENGLAND  OVERESTIMATING SELF  FAILURE TO PRESS ADVANTAGES  HITLER’S RUSSIAN OBSESSION GERMANSGERMANS INVADEINVADE RUSSIARUSSIA JUNEJUNE 19411941  FOCUS ON THE EAST  DRAWS RESOURCES  GERMANS NEVER REVISIT BRITISH INVASION QUESTIONSQUESTIONS ANDAND COMMENTS?COMMENTS?