When it comes to World War II, the 1940 Battle Of Britain marks perhaps the most consequential battle in the entire war! If Hitler and the Nazis had gained a foothold in England, the Americans could not have used the country to wrestle France away from the Fuehrer. The lionized D-Day on the beaches of Normandy would never have occurred if Britain had fallen to the aerial onslaught that Germany unleashed upon the people of England.
For nearly four months a battle entirely waged in the air held the balance of the free world. As Churchill famously said, "The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin."
All that stood between Hitler and the England was the Royal Air Force.
The Foe
Hitler created the German Air Force, called the Luftwaffe, in February 1935. Quickly they became the wrecking ball he used to decimate Western Europe. Just four years later, the Nazi Air Force became the most powerful aerial unit in Europe. With Hermann Göring in charge, Poland, Holland, Belgium, and France all fell to Germany’s aeronautic power. Despite their impressive track record, Hitler still remained wary of attacking the island nation.
Polish pilots from the 3030 Squadron after returning from the Battle of Britain in October 1940. S A Devon/Imperial War Museums/Getty Images
The Threat of The Luftwaffe
In respect to their defenses and what they deemed “her militarily hopeless situation,” the Nazis attempted to take England via diplomatic channels by offering the Nazi’s version of a “peace treaty.” The Nazis hoped the ominous Luftwaffe would push England to sign.
Even though a few cowardly politicians wished to negotiate, Churchill understood the true malevolence of the Nazis and rejected their offer outright. For his massive invasion code-named Sea Lion to succeed against Britain’s superior navy, Hitler needed to deal with the Royal Air Force (RAF) first.
roughly 600 pilots from a number of countries helped secure victory.
Churchill’s Finest Hour
After torching city after city, the Luftwaffe held a fearsome reputation and a massive numbers advantage over the RAF. The Battle of Britain, the world’s first entirely aerial engagement, pitted the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring, and their Messerschmitt BF-109 against Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding and his RAF made up of Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes.
Understanding the stakes, Churchill gave a stirring speech to the nation, punctuated by the famous line, "Let us, therefore, brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire lasts for a thousand years men will still say, 'This was their finest hour'."
Two Dornier 17 bombers over West Ham, London on September 7, 1940. Royal Air Force Official Photographer/Imperial War Museums/Getty Images
German Arrogance
After so many successful engagements, Göring felt his Luftwaffe would easily sweep away the RAF. Unfortunately for them, they underestimated not only the RAF which was made up of pilots from across the world but England’s Radio Direction Finding system which functioned as an early form of radar.
While the primitive system still required a civilian Observer Corps to visually locate planes, the ring of radar stations along the coastline could still pin down locations and enable the RAF to scramble planes to intercept. The Nazis never fully understood the lengths to which the “chain home” stations allowed the British to remain a step ahead.
The German Air Force had superior numbers.
Fighting Conditions
As expected, the fighting was fierce and seemingly endless. The RAF was made up of 2,350 British pilots and roughly another 600 from Poland, France, New Zealand, Czechoslovakia, Australia, Canada, Belgium, the United States, and even South Africa. These fearless fliers were forced into 15-hour shifts. To stay alert, many downed handfuls of amphetamines in order to repel the German invaders.
The international contingent proved especially deadly for the Fuehrer. The Polish No. 303 squad took down 126 German planes, the most of any fighting unit. And the RAF’s top ace was Josef Frantisek, a Czech, who earned 17 aerial victories single-handedly.
In one act of singular bravery, RAF Sergeant Ray Holmes tracked a German bomber beelining for Buckingham Palace. Out of every conceivable ammunition, Holmes set his Hawker Hurricane sights on the German and rammed it at full speed. The collision sheared off his wing but saved the royal residence. The unbelievable act of courage was amazingly caught on film and Holmes became a national hero. Perhaps even more incredibly, Holmes survived!
The famed No. 242 “Canadian†Squadron, pictured. RCAF Photo
Thwarting The Luftwaffe
After initially targeting coastal defenses, airfields, and radar stations, the Luftwaffe found their adversary much more up to the task than they expected. In September 1940, when the RAF countered by bombing Berlin, Hitler was sent into a fit of rage and ordered “the Blitz.” Under new orders, the German Air Force targeted London, Coventry, Liverpool, and other major cities. They hoped to put a dent in British morale by dealing massive casualties to civilians.
Ironically, these attacks actually helped the RAF by allowing them time to repair airfields and replenish their dwindling ranks of pilots. To reinforce their ranks, the training time for new pilots was cut from 6 months to just two weeks. They became so desperate for pilots that some recruits ended up in aerial dog fights despite just 9 hours of training time. However, when the Luftwaffe sent another wave against major cities, the weary but resilient RAF turned them back by downing more than 60 German planes.
If England fell WWII easily could have ended very differently.
Hitler’s First Failure
After four fearsome months of fighting and mounting casualties for both sides, Hitler called off the attack. It marked the first major defeat for Hitler and a turning point in the war against the Nazis.
Many historians chalk up Britain’s underdog victory to the pride of defending one’s home and their understanding of what would happen if they lost. They also count the use of radar as a big factor in Hitler’s defeat. Hollywood certainly took note and within four years, the historic victory against the tide of evil was on-screen starring Laurence Olivier as Commander Hugh Dowding.
