Battle of Britain

The  battle of Britain  was an air war during the Second World War between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force (RAF). The air war began on 10 July 1940 and was carried out in five phases until he finally ended on 31 October 1940.



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[hide] *1 history  ==For History[ Edit] == ===Situation in the United Kingdom[ Edit] === In 1937 when Thomas Inskip as Minister for coordination of Defence was appointed, he saw in the United Kingdom that the bomber was losing race against Germany . The theory was "always a bomber comes through (i.e. by the air defense)", but this did not need to knock if he has a good weapon against this was made.
 * 1.1 situation in the United Kingdom
 * 1.2 situation in Germany
 * 2 the battle
 * 2.1 part 1: initial phase: Battle of the channel, 10 July-12 August 1940
 * 2.2 part 2: Operation Eagle, August 13 – 18 August 1940
 * 2.3 part 3: Bombing against the airports, 24 August-6 september 1940
 * 2.4 part 4: Battle of London, 7 september-30 september 1940
 * 2.5 part 5: final phase, 1 October-31 October 1940
 * 3 Afterthought
 * 4 external link

The bomber as a separate weapon was successfully used by the Germans in the Spanish civil war, by the Japanese in China and by the Italians in Abyssinia. But the task of the RAF wanted Inskip limit: only prevent the Germans distributed a decisive blow and hold out until help from allies show up or a blockade the enemy would be debilitating.

He had some gains: the new hunters, especially the Spitfire and the development of the radar. The argument that this option would be less expensive than building bombers was the decisive factor when the Cabinet in 1937 gave approval to his proposals.

A second key figure for the British was Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding of the RAF, which in 1936 was appointed Chief of Fighter Command (Chief of the fighter aircraft). He looked at the hunters strategy in a cool way and saw the destruction of the German bombers as his only task.

In addition was the appointment of Lord Beaverbrook as Minister of aircraft production for his country of enormous importance. He had only one task: produce aircraft as soon and as much as possible. Thanks to him had the British air force aircraft at the end of the battle more than before. He managed during that period to produce nearly 500 Hurricanes and Spitfires. Only he could not compensate the loss of experienced pilots. ===Situation in Germany<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Hitler believed the British peace would close as France was defeated. He wrote In his way: Weisung 16 (recommendation) because England, despite his hopeless military position, no signs shows that it wants to close a compromise, I decided to prepare a landing in England and, if necessary, to be carried out. Mussolini's son-in-law, countCiano wrote the following in his diary: Hitler is the gambler who has beaten and his Grand Slam off the table would like to stand up to nothing more to risk.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">France fell after just six weeks fight on 22 June 1940 in the battle of France. After waiting for a month threatened Hitler on 19 July with an attack on the United Kingdom if it does not immediately put down their arms. In the newly appointed Government led by Winston Churchill was by Lord Halifax was Minister for Foreign Affairs; He was more than Churchill inclined to make peace, but was under pressure from his Prime Minister and Parliament's Hitler's proposal to reject ceasefire and so felt Hitler was forced to reinforce his threats. On 21 July, the fundamental decision to invade the United Kingdom (Operation sea lion). See also operation sea lion.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The German high command wanted to apply the same tactics at the crossing of the Meuse River, but the relationship of the resources to be deployed to the size of the task was different. General Alfred Jodl put it this way: in shape equal to crossing a river over a wide front. One would again make use of Stuka's instead of artillerysuperiority in the air, but it was required. Erich Raeder, German Grand Admiral, Commander of the fleet, did not believe in an invasion before the British had surrendered. He had respect for the power of the Royal Navy. Germany did not have landing craft for transferring equipment and men. There were some preparations such as collecting barges and coasters, but this was meant more to Raeders disbelief in the operation to cover up. The Kriegsmarine proposed a plan to close to Dover to save a bridgehead. The route one would with protect naval mines and submarines . They stated that there ten days were needed to put the first attack power to land. This aroused great resistance on at the army command. They wanted at the first attack wave 260,000 man, 30,000 vehicles and 60,000 horses let transfer and made available the resources the Kriegsmarine regarded as insufficient. The Luftwaffe was only for. The luchtmachtoffensief, however, total Operation Eagle had no connection with Operation sea lion.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Hermann Göring, Chief of the air force, fully realized, given the opposition that its air force had encountered when they the evacuation of the British troops at Dunkirk wanted to foil, that this was not a simple task. He wanted two weeks before pulling out.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">To destroy the RAF were 2600 aircraft collected (Luftwaffes Luftflotte I and II) including 1200 bombers and a thousand hunters. They also planned attacks on ports and ships for strangling the British nation, which greatly depended on trade and food imports by sea.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The intention was with large numbers of bombers the British into submission. Help of land and naval forces would not be necessary. There was not thought to dropping airborne landings on strategically important targets although the British though were expecting.

<p lang="en" len="45" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The most commonly used types of bombers were:

<p lang="en" len="38" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The most commonly used types hunters were:
 * Dornier Do 17Z
 * Dornier Do 215 (variant of the Dornier Do 17Z)
 * Dornier Do 217
 * Heinkel He 111
 * Junkers Ju 88
 * Stuka (popular name for the Junkers Ju 87)

==The Battle<span class="mw-editsection" len="330" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == A Spitfire, a Dornier Do 17 to<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The battle of Britain began on July 10, 1940 and lasted until 30 October 1940. The campaign showed a lot of improvisation from German side and could be divided into five phases: ===Part 1: initial phase: Battle of the channel, 10 July-12 August 1940<span class="mw-editsection" len="388" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The battle of the Canal (German: ' Kanalkampf ') consisted mostly of fighting between fighters from both sides. Also attacks by German Stuka bombers on convoys in the Channel occurred. These battles for the German air force were a good way to test the strength of the RAF and their pilots to do the necessary combat experience. The fighting above the channel were mostly in favor of the Germans, since their bombers were escorted by large groups of hunters, that the RAF numeric outflanked. The need to accompany all convoys in the Channel caused a great burden for the RAF and eventually these convoys then also canceled. ===Part 2: Operation Eagle, August 13 – 18 August 1940<span class="mw-editsection" len="379" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === A bomb with inscription "extra havanna for Churchill"<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 13 August 1940, Operation Eagle (German: Adlertag). German bombers made 485 flights and hunters made 1000 flights in attacks on the port cities and on Plymouth andSouthampton airports in Hampshire and Kent. The Luftwaffe lost 45 aircraft, the RAF 13. Two days later one did an attempt to disable the bases of the fighter aircraft through an attack force that consisted of 1266 hunters and 520 bombers. They reiterated that on the 16th and the 18th. The RAF responded with strength and took out 162 aircraft down. ===Part 3: Bombing against the airports, 24 August-6 september 1940<span class="mw-editsection" len="398" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Germans remained the rest of the month and in early september with their attacks on the airports continue to Göring suddenly, after a series of attacks by the RAF on Berlin, decided that London had to be the main objective of the German attack. In this way he hoped to break the morale of the British people. During this phase the RAF lost 290 aircraft and of the Luftwaffe were 380 aircraft destroyed. ===Part 4: Battle of London, 7 september-30 september 1940<span class="mw-editsection" len="378" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 7 september left 372 bombers, escorted by 642 fighter aircraft to attacking the city. This attack was a great success, especially since the port area was heavily damaged. The British had their aircraft over a large number of airports spread to protect it. When the Luftwaffe a few days later launched a new attack on London that took them 28 devices.
 * Messerschmitt Bf 110
 * Messerschmitt Bf 109

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Later it was suggested that the attack on Berlin a move by Winston Churchill was to alert the Germans to shift to London and Londoners to sacrifice to Fighter Command to do survive. In any case the modified German tactics the RAF provided a much needed breather that allowed her to make her airports fully operational again.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In the meantime, the German air force come to realize that, if they wanted to reduce her own losses to bombers, Fighter Command had to be turned off. The bombers were unable to repel attacks of hunters. Another option was the bombers via long-distance hunters, such as the two-engined Messerschmitt Bf 110, to top their goal to guide you. It soon became clear that these were not equal to Spitfires and Hurricanes and one had to reach back on the Messerschmitt Bf 109 that with an autonomy of 740 km (because he had an extra fuel tank) from Calais the bombers could give cover to London. In practice, this came down to about 20 minutes useful combat time over England. For the Germans it meant this Hunter-coverage of twenty minutes a serious handicap, because afterwards was the bomber crew to fend for themselves. Dowding, played there his squadrons are adept at pulling back on airports that layers of the cover by the Bf-109.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 15 september the Luftwaffe launched a major attack on London. She lost 60 aircraft. ===Part 5: final phase, 1 October-31 October 1940<span class="mw-editsection" len="368" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p lang="en" len="64" style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">There were actions carried out on a smaller scale by the Germans. ==Afterthought<span class="mw-editsection" len="337" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ Edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" len="1" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == A Spitfire strafe a Heinkel He-111bomber<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">With the deployment of 3080 young men of 14 different nationalities the battle was won. More than one in five lost life and less than half would survive the war. Winston Churchill said about these kites: "never in the history of warfare have so many had so much due to so few" (English: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few").

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">A major reason why the German losses were significantly higher than the British to aircraft was that the British had a new weapon, that the Germans had not yet: radar. As a result, they were pretty well informed in good time of the flight routes of the German aircraft, while the Germans had no idea where British aircraft is stopped. The British had cracked the Enigmacode and could so encrypted German radio messages read. Furthermore, the geographical advantage; because the British fought much closer to their bases they had more active time in the air. Because they are above site could flew Allied fliers that had to make an emergency landing back on the fight later participate, while above England shot down German crews, of course, were made prisoners of war.

<p lang="en" len="169" style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The outcome of the battle of Britain made sure that Britain remained an important factor as belligerent power, especially in eyes of the United States.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In Germany was the cancellation of the invasion in England dismissed as a case of less importance. The attention of Hitler and Hermann Göring moved to the planned invasion of Russia. The Germans considered the British, even though they were not overcome, no longer able to inflict much damage them. As long as there were only for the British, it was; from then it was all British hope to turn the tide on America established. In fact, Germany there itself ensured that the British got two powerful allies: by attacking the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 and by the Declaration of war to America four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 december 1941.