- Did the Brits really have a Blitz spirit?

L/O:

Describe the reactions of Londoners to the BlitzIdentify sources which support and contradict the idea of a Blitz SpiritJustify your opinion on the Blitz Spirit

Starter: • Look at the photograph. Can you give it

a caption? • What is the ‘blitz spirit?’

Number smart starter

After the bombings began, life was completely turned upside down for civilians. People began to sleep in the tube stations to be safer. Every day people woke up to see if anything of theirs was hit. If their home was destroyed, the whole family would live in a temporary shelter until they could find some other accommodation. They always tried to keep life normal, but that is hard during a war.

Record 3 figures which would help you understand the severity of the Blitz.

Introductory Tasks

• Working in your groups send one person out at a time to walk around and read- come back to your group and create

• A definition of the Blitz Spirit• A list of at least four reasons why there was a

Blitz Spirit

"Everything was blown to pieces, you could see it all by the red glow reflecting from the fires that were still raging. I looked out the back and saw that where my father's shed had been was just a pile of rubble. Then I saw two bodies, two heads sticking up. I recognised one in particular: it was a Chinese neighbour, Mr Say. He had one eye closed and I realised he was dead. I just convulsed, I was shaking all over. I thought, well, I must be dead because they were, so I struck a match and tried to burn my finger. I kept doing it to see if I was still alive. I could see, but I thought, I cannot be alive. This is the end of the world."

Len Jones recalls emerging from an air raid shelter in east London after the first night of the Blitz (from The Blitz: The British Under Attack)

Class Discussion:• Who has studied the Blitz before? What happened?• Was Croydon bombed?• What was the Black out?• What happened to the children in London?

• Juliet Gardner’s interpretation of the Blitz Spirit

• Angus Calder’s interpretation of the Blitz Spirit

A reason Londoners retained hope in winning the war was because St. Paul’s Cathedral was never destroyed. It was damaged when a bomb smashed through it, but it never showed damage on the outside. One London citizen, Tom Stothard, said, “I think if St. Paul’s had shown damage, the heart would have gone out of Londoners. But there it was, hope.” The reason people saw hope in St. Paul’s is because they saw a spiritual landmark amid great devastation. It was a symbol of survival amid the devastation of the rest of Europe.

St. Paul’s was a symbol of survival

Winston Churchill rallied the people’s spirits and efforts. He inspired the people on to their own heroic efforts and “Their finest hour” by his speeches. Churchill’s expertise at writing speeches brought the British people together for a common cause. Churchill was the embodiment of the British people’s determination to stay alive and not to give up.

“WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDER”

Churchill’s Speeches

Propaganda - The government used its control over all forms of the media to present a picture of life going on as normal despite the constant nightly attacks.

The people themselves by volunteering for work helped keep spirits up during the Blitz

Home Guard

Air Raid Wardens

Weapons Factories

Reserved Occupations Rationing

Evacuation

Women joined armed forces

"There was endurance in the face of an external danger. People were going through it together, putting up with eight months of constant bombardment. People were absolutely exhausted, but on the whole there was very little panic, they went to work, went about their daily lives. There were no - or very few - calls for surrender, the morale didn't implode"

What is the interpretation of Juliet Gardiner about Londoners in WW2?

Juliet Gardiner

What is the interpretation of Angus Calder about Londoners in WW2?

“Behind the jaunty bulldog-Britain façade cultivated by the Government’s propaganda machine, crime rates almost doubled as looting, black marketeering and armed robbery spiralled out of control!”

Angus Calder Find the hidden evidence. Can you make a list of crimes which occurred during the Blitz

Where do you stand?(and can you justify your position…?)

“There was endurance in the face of an

external danger. People

were going through it together.”

“crime rates almost

doubled as looting, black marketeering

and armed robbery

spiralled out of control!”

Juliet Gardiner Angus Calder

Where do you stand?(and can you justify your position…?)

“There was endurance in the face of an

external danger. People

were going through it together.”

“crime rates almost

doubled as looting, black marketeering

and armed robbery

spiralled out of control!”

"Even though looting and incidents of crime shot up

during the war, I still think the British people

did pull together."

Mrs Buxton

Which interpretation is best supported by the evidence and your own knowledge?

• Does the evidence support the idea that there was a Blitz Spirit? – give examples

Can you give your self a level for your work today?

LEVEL 8

I can use my sources as solid evidence to support my conclusion

LEVEL 7

I can use a combination of my own knowledge and the sources to conclude

LEVEL 6

I can say whether I trust a source or not and say why.

LEVEL 5

I can choose a source to help answer a question

LEVEL 4

I can use more than 1 source in my answer

LEVEL 3

I can use a source to answer a question

Learning Objectives: All To be able to DESCRIBE mood of Londoners during the BlitzMOST To be able to EXPLAIN reasons why people behaved in certain ways during the BlitzSOME To be able to JUSTIFY your views on the interpretations offered.

Did you meet your learning objectives?

Julie

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