WW II -- Battle of Britain 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 Churchill June 18, 1940 Excerpt-Int Excerpt-LoC Full

Operation Seelöwe (Sea Lion) Battle of Britain Background Operation Seelöwe (Sea Lion)

Operation Seelöwe (Sealion) Battle of Britain Background Operation Seelöwe (Sealion)

Invasion barges in Channel ports Operation Seelöwe Invasion barges in Channel ports July 1940

Operation Sealion Germans began planning for invasion in November 1939 Initial criteria for success: * 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.

The air battle must be won if the war is to be won. First Law of Modern War The air battle must be won if the war is to be won. General of the Army Omar Bradley November 1951

USAF Doctrine (modern) Priorities for tactical (theater) airpower: 1. Air Superiority 2. Interdiction 3. Close Air Support

Operation Sealion Hitler’s conditions for 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 Lion German Plan Take control of the air 1940 German Plan 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 Source: Royal Air Force

Battle of Britain Orders of Battle 1940 RAF Luftwaffe Single-seat fighters Twin-seat fighter Bombers Maritime patrol 754 159 560 500 1,107 357 1,300 / 428* 233 * Dive-bombers Source

German Fighters Messerschmitt Bf 110 "Zerstörer"

Most widely produced aircraft in WW II (33,000+ units) German Fighters Messerschmitt Bf 109 Most widely produced aircraft in WW II (33,000+ units)

British Fighter Supermarine Spitfire

British Fighter Hawker Hurricane

Generally felt to be evenly matched Spitfire vs. Bf 109 Generally felt to be evenly matched More rugged Higher maximum dive speed Better handling characteristics Heavy on controls at high speed Better visibility Heavier armament (cannon) Source

German Bombers Heinkle He 111 Dornier Do 17 Junkers Ju 88

(Click image for video) Battle of Britain (Click image for video)

Battle of Britain Orders of Battle 1940 RAF Luftwaffe Single-seat fighters Twin-seat fighter Bombers Maritime patrol 754 159 560 500 1,107 357 1,300 / 428* 233 * Dive-bombers Source

Battle of Britain How to overcome a numerical disadvantage? British Challenge: How to overcome a numerical disadvantage?

Principles of War • Objective • Offensive • Mass • Economy of Force • Maneuver • Unity of Command • Security • Surprise • Simplicity

Principles of War • Mass • Objective • Offensive • Economy of Force • Maneuver • Unity of Command • Security • Surprise • Simplicity

Early Warning System Ground Observers Source: Royal Air Force

Source: Royal Air Force Battle Management Source: Royal Air Force

Chain Home Radar Site - Dover Battle of Britain Chain Home Radar Site - Dover

Battle of Britain Chain Home Radar Towers

Source: Royal Air Force Chain Home RDF Source: Royal Air Force

Alignment of Forces Source

Alignment of Forces Source

Battle of Britain: Phase I Attacks on Channel Ports and Shipping 10 July –12 August Source: Royal Air Force

Junkers Ju 87 Stuka Problem: They were vulnerable to fighters

Battle of Britain: Phase II Attacks on RAF: Fighter Bases, Radar 12 August – 6 September Source: Royal Air Force

The Fog of War Significance: Gave the RAF a critically needed breather August 24, 1940 Luftwaffe bomber crews mistakenly bombed London • Residential area August 25 RAF bombers hit Berlin industrial area in retaliation August 26 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

Battle of Britain: Phase III Daylight Attacks on Cities & Industrial Areas 7 September- 5 October Source: Royal Air Force

Battle of Britain: Phase III London’s East End Burning - September 7, 1940

Attacks on British Cities “The Blitz” September 7, 1940 - May 10, 1941 “The Blitz” St. Paul’s Cathedral, 26 December 1940 London experienced 57 consecutive nights of bombing • September - November 1940 Over 41,000 civilians killed, 137,000 injured throughout Britain Source

Considered the turning point of the battle Climax September 15, 1940 Massive daylight raid on London • Largest to date 56 German aircraft lost versus 28 RAF fighters RAF used every fighter in 11 Group (no reserves) Germans switch to night raids on cities Considered the turning point of the battle

RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Climax September 15, 1940 September 15th is celebrated as Battle of Britain Day RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Battle of Britain: Phase IV Night Attacks on Cities & Industrial Areas 6 October 1940 - 10 May 1941 (unofficially) Source: Royal Air Force

Battle of Britain September 17, 1940 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

Cathedral of Saint Michael Coventry c 1880 Cathedral of Saint Michael

Coventry X-Gerät Navigation Aid Myth: Churchill knew about raid but could not act to defend

Battle of Britain Summary Source

Battle of Britain Orders of Battle 1940 RAF Luftwaffe Single-seat fighters Twin-seat fighter Bombers Maritime patrol 754 159 560 500 1,107 357 1,300 / 428* 233 * Dive-bombers Source

Battle of Britain } Losses 1940 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 Source

Directed by Frank Capra, 1943 Battle of Britain Video Clip Directed by Frank Capra, 1943 4. Battle of Britain Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

“… the whole population … committed to total victory” Total War “… the whole population … committed to total victory” Princess Elizabeth - Age 17

Did the British Win or the Germans Lose? 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

Factors Battle of Britain British use of radar (command & control) • Allowed RAF to concentrate scarce resources where needed • Allowed RAF to hold aircraft on ground until last moment

Factors Battle of Britain British use of radar (command & control) German underestimation of RAF strength • Initial fighter strength • Fighter production capabilities

Factors Battle of Britain British use of radar (command & control) German underestimation of RAF strength British “home field” advantage • Fighting close to home airfields • Closer to the fight, more combat time • RAF pilots shot down had a good chance of returning to the fight

Factors Battle of Britain German loss of focus British use of radar (command & control) German underestimation of RAF strength British “home field” advantage German loss of focus (Change of Objective)

Did the British Win or the Germans Lose? 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

WW II – Germany Turns East Lesson 13 WW II – Germany Turns East

End

Battle of Britain Preliminary June – 10 July 1940 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

National Leadership in World War II 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