lesson 14 ww ii -- battle of britain lesson objectives understand the implications of strategic air...
TRANSCRIPT
Lesson 14
WW II -- Battle of Britain
Lesson Objectives
• Understand the implications of strategic air warfare in World War II.
• Be able to describe and analyze the German strategy in the Battle of Britain.
• Describe the impact of new technology on the Battle of Britain.
• Describe and analyze the strategic bombing campaign against Germany.
Battle of Britain
"What General Weygand called the Battle of France
is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin."
Winston ChurchillJune 18, 1940
FullExcerpt-LoCExcerpt-Int
Battle of BritainBackground
Operation Seelöwe (Sea Lion)
Battle of BritainBackground
Operation Seelöwe (Sealion)
Operation Seelöwe
Invasion barges in Channel ports
July 1940
Operation Sealion
* The Royal Navy had to be eliminated. * The Royal Air Force (RAF) air strength had to be eliminated. * British coastal defenses had to be destroyed. * British submarine action against landing forces had to be prevented.
Germans began planning for invasion in November 1939
Initial criteria for success:
First Law of Modern War
The air battle must be won if the war is to be won.
General of the Army Omar BradleyNovember 1951
USAF Doctrine(modern)
Priorities for tactical (theater) airpower:
1. Air Superiority
2. Interdiction
3. Close Air Support
Operation Sealion
Defeat of the Royal Navy in the invasion area required control of the air
Hitler’s conditions for Sealion:
The RAF is to be "beaten down in its morale and in fact, that it can no longer display any appreciable aggressive force in opposition to the German crossing".
Warning Order for Seelöwe, 16 July 1940
Operation Sea Lion1940
German Plan
Source: Royal Air Force
Take control of the air
Defeat the RAF
Isolate the invasion area Neutralize Royal Navy, destroy communications & defenses
Invade England
Land Panzers, employ Blitzkrieg tactics
Battle of Britain1940
Orders of Battle
Source
RAF Luftwaffe
Single-seat fighters
Twin-seat fighter
Bombers
Maritime patrol
754
159
560
500
1,107
357
1,300 / 428*
233
* Dive-bombers
German Fighters
Messerschmitt Bf 110 "Zerstörer"
German Fighters
Messerschmitt Bf 109
Most widely produced aircraft in WW II (33,000+ units)
British Fighter
Supermarine Spitfire
British Fighter
Hawker Hurricane
Spitfire vs. Bf 109Generally felt to be evenly matched
More rugged
Better handling characteristics
Better visibility
Higher maximum dive speed
Heavier armament (cannon)
Heavy on controls at high speed
Source
German Bombers
Junkers Ju 88
Dornier Do 17
Heinkle He 111
Battle of Britain1940
Orders of Battle
Source
RAF Luftwaffe
Single-seat fighters
Twin-seat fighter
Bombers
Maritime patrol
754
159
560
500
1,107
357
1,300 / 428*
233
* Dive-bombers
How to overcome a numerical disadvantage?
Battle of Britain
British Challenge:
Principles of War
• Objective
• Offensive
• Mass
• Economy of Force
• Maneuver
• Unity of Command
• Security
• Surprise
• Simplicity
Principles of War
• Objective
• Offensive
• Mass • Economy of Force • Maneuver
• Unity of Command
• Security
• Surprise
• Simplicity
Early Warning System
Source: Royal Air ForceGround Observers
Battle of Britain
Chain Home Radar Site - Dover
Battle of Britain
Chain Home Radar Towers
Battle of Britain: Phase I
Source: Royal Air Force
Attacks on Channel Ports and Shipping
10 July –12 August
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
Junkers Ju 87 “Stuka”
Problem: They were vulnerable to fighters
Battle of Britain: Phase II
Source: Royal Air Force
Attacks on RAF: Fighter Bases, Radar
12 August – 6 September
The Fog of War
August 24, 1940 Luftwaffe bomber crews mistakenly bombed London
• Residential area
RAF bombers hit Berlin industrial area in retaliation
Enraged, Hitler orders massive attacks against London and other British cities
Attacks on cities continue into the fall, switching to night raids after September 15th
Significance: Gave the RAF a critically needed breather
August 25
August 26
Battle of Britain: Phase III
Source: Royal Air Force
Daylight Attacks on Cities & Industrial Areas
7 September- 5 October
Battle of Britain: Phase III
London’s East End Burning - September 7, 1940
Attacks on British CitiesSeptember 7, 1940 - May 10, 1941
“The Blitz”
London experienced 57 consecutive nights of bombing
• September - November 1940
Over 41,000 civilians killed, 137,000 injured throughout Britain
Source
St. Paul’s Cathedral, 26 December 1940
ClimaxSeptember 15, 1940
Massive daylight raid on London
• Largest to date
56 German aircraft lost versus 28 RAF fighters
Germans switch to night raids on cities
Considered the turning point of the battle
RAF used every fighter in 11 Group (no reserves)
ClimaxSeptember 15, 1940
September 15th is celebrated as
Battle of Britain Day
RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Battle of Britain: Phase IV
Source: Royal Air Force
Night Attacks on Cities & Industrial Areas
6 October 1940 - 10 May 1941 (unofficially)
Battle of Britain
Operation Sealion
September 17, 1940 Operation Sealion postponed indefinitely
October 31, 1940 Battle of Britain declared over by Air Ministry
Night bombings of cities continued through winter
Bad Weather Operations
Knickebein (Crocked Leg) Navigation System
Source
Coventry
Industrial city in the midlands
Subjected to a massive air raid (400+) on November 14, 1940
Center city and cathedral wiped out
1,400 killed or injured
Coventry
Cathedral of Saint Michael
c 1880
Coventry
X-Gerät Navigation Aid
Myth: Churchill knew about raid but could not act to defend
Battle of Britain1940
Orders of Battle
Source
RAF Luftwaffe
Single-seat fighters
Twin-seat fighter
Bombers
Maritime patrol
754
159
560
500
1,107
357
1,300 / 428*
233
* Dive-bombers
Battle of Britain1940
Losses
Source
RAF Luftwaffe
Single-seat fighters
Twin-seat fighter
Bombers
Maritime patrol
1,023
376
148
520
1,107
357
1,014
2,600+
}
Pilots Lost
Battle of BritainVideo Clip
Directed by Frank Capra, 1943
Part 1 Part 2 Part 6Part 4 Part 5Part 3
4. Battle of Britain
Total War“… the whole population … committed to total victory”
Princess Elizabeth - Age 17
Battle of Britain
Did the British Win or
the Germans Lose?
Principles of War
• Objective
• Offensive
• Mass
• Economy of Force
• Maneuver
• Unity of Command
• Security
• Surprise
• Simplicity
Principles of War
• Objective • Offensive
• Mass
• Economy of Force
• Maneuver
• Unity of Command
• Security
• Surprise
• Simplicity
Battle of Britain
Factors
British use of radar (command & control)• Allowed RAF to concentrate scarce resources where needed
• Allowed RAF to hold aircraft on ground until last moment
Battle of Britain
Factors
British use of radar (command & control)
German underestimation of RAF strength• Initial fighter strength
• Fighter production capabilities
Battle of Britain
Factors
British use of radar (command & control)
German underestimation of RAF strength
• Fighting close to home airfields
• Closer to the fight, more combat time
British “home field” advantage
• RAF pilots shot down had a good chance of returning to the fight
Battle of Britain
Factors
British use of radar (command & control)
German underestimation of RAF strength
British “home field” advantage
German loss of focus (Change of Objective)
Battle of Britain
Did the British Win or
the Germans Lose?
First Law of Modern War
First of all, you must win the battle of the air. That must come before you start a single land or sea engagement.
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1943
Lesson 13
WW II – Germany Turns East
End
Battle of Britain1940
Preliminary June – 10 July
Phase I: Attacks on Coastal Shipping 10 July –12 August
Phase II: Attacks on Fighter Command (airfields & radar) 12 August – 6 September
Phase III: Attacks on London 7 September- 5 October
Phase IV: Night Attacks on London 6-31 October (officially)
Source: Royal Air Force
Writing Assignment
National Leadership in World War II
Analyze the decisions made by President Franklin Roosevelt in support of Great Britain prior to U.S. entry into World War II with particular emphasis on those decisions which have been controversial as having been contradictory to U.S. law, U.S. treaty obligations and/or international law (minimum of four).
Without discussing the legal justification for each decision, discuss what was done, the background situation, and the intended results of the decision.
Length: 1,000 – 2,000 words
Due: NLT 11:59 PM, Oct. 22, 2012