|
European Tensions |
War |
Mobilization | Poland -
France |
Battle of Britain |
Dieppe |
North Atlantic |
Training the Empire |
The Pacific |
Quebec Conference |
Hong Kong |
Home Front |
Sicily |
Italy | Conscription
| Normandy |
France |
Netherlands |
Germany
The Battle of Britain was one of those
crucial turning
points in history that determine the future fate and
course of history. Germany had invaded Poland, Denmark,
the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, and several others and proven
triumphant every time. The might of the Wehermacht seemed
unlimited and the superiority of the Luftwaffe
irresistible. The great alliance of European nations
that had formed to contain and defeat Nazi Germany was
now gone except for Great Britain.
The British army had escaped from
Dunkirk to England and the Germans finished off France
and then waited. Germany expected Britain to surrender or
negotiate a peace settlement. Churchill did not
accommodate the Germans and gave them their reply to
accommodation/peace overtures - We shall Never
Surrender.
Hitler finally ordered
the planning of the invasion of England under code name
Sealion, but realized that air superiority over the
English Channel would have to be achieved if the Germans
hoped to invade. Preparations were made for the air
battle as a prelude to invasion.
On July 10th, 1940 the attack began. The
Germans had roughly 2500 planes while there were about
1200 plans in Great Britain. That month the Canadian 1st
division, one of the few equipped and ready divisions in
England, was added to the British 7th corps. If a German
invasion came it was unlikely that the Allied army would
be able t stop the Germans. The bombing of England began
with attacks on airfields, military installations,
channel shipping and other obvious strategic targets.
On August 12, 1940 Number 1 squadron RCAF
engaged the German bombers over the south of England.
They shot down 3 German planes and lost one of it's own.
The battle was joined and the Canadians fought
continuously throughout the rest of the battle. On
August 30th, with 303 Squadron RAF, and #1 RCAF met and
fought a German attack in which 12 German planes were
shot down with no loss to the Canadians or the Brits.
This continued until September 27th when the last large
daylight raid by the Germans took place. The Canadians
accounted for another 7 confirmed kills. They mainly
flew Hurricanes which along with the Spitfires formed
the main body of planes flown by the allies. This was
really the end of the battle although German bombing
continued for years afterwards.
This ended the direct
threat to England which would slowly wrestled control of
the skies from German over the next few years. Hitler,
in the meantime, turned his eyes upon the east and
prepared for his massive invasion of the Soviet Union.
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