UK in WW2

Context and the course of events

Britain's Role in Victory

Churchill : Prime minister

Dunkirk

The call of the 18 june

may / june 1940

Churchill & royal family

The Royal Family

The foreign resistance

Activities of Resistance Movements

UK IN WW2

What role did the UK play in the victory of the Allies ?

Issued on 14 August 1941

The Atlantic Charter

Air Battle between RAF and Luftwaffe

The Battle of Britain

Bonus: home front

Overcome life for everyone

Set out American and British goals for the world after the end of World War II

10 juil. 1940 – 31 oct. 1940

Armed Citizens

Home

The Battle of Britain

• Churchill's famous speech acknowledged the bravery of the 2,500 young British officers flying Spitfires, called " The few" (name of pilots fighting in this battle)
• Many pilots were not young + several countries (Canada, Australia, Poland, New-Zealand...)
• Importance of the Hurricane aircraft, more efficient than the Spitfire
• Crucial involvement of the Royal Navy and population
• Symbol of British resistance: Britain fighting alone
• => Brought freedom to the world
• Churchill's efficient leadership
• Turning point in the war: Hitler postponed indefinitely the invasion of Britain due to the Luftwaffe's inability to achieve air superiority.

The Atlantic Charter

Home

• Pivotal document laying down fundamental principles for post-war international cooperation and peace
• Jointly formulated by Winston Churchill (Bristsh Prime minister) and American President Franklin D. Roosevelt during their meeting aboard the USS Augusta and USS Prince of Wales in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, in August 1941.
• Eight key principles
• Other principles included equal access to raw materials, global economic cooperation, freedom from want and fear, freedom of the seas, and disarmament of aggressor nations.
• Served as a significant moral and political statement, shaping the post-war world order and laying the groundwork for the establishment of the United Nations + echoed ideals of democracy, freedom & human rights
• Solidified the "special relationship" between the United States and Britain, laying the foundation for increased cooperation between the two nations throughout the war and beyond.

CHURCHILL AND THE ROYAL FAMILY

Home

• World War II began in 1939, and obviously the people mainly involved in this conflict, are the members of the Royal Family.
• The King, George VI, father of Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth at the moment, is closer than ever to his people.
• Queen Elizabeth I, his wife, is worried for her country's future, just as much as her daughter's future.

• Their younger daughter, Princess Margaret, even if really young, is listening to the citizens' complains.

• Princess Elizabeth, Margaret's older sister, is working for the British Army, as soon as she can.

• The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, is one of the most important people who worked for the Allies' victory.

Hurricane Aircraft

• Designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd.
• Served as the backbone of the RAF's Fighter Command..
• Powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, which gave it a top speed of around 340 mph (547 km/h).
• Armed with 8 303 Browning machine guns mounted in its wings, providing effective firepower against enemy aircraft.
• Its rugged construction and simple design made it relatively easy to manufacture and maintain, contributing to its widespread deployment.

Hurricane Mk I, R4118, similar to what would have been flown during the Battle of Britain

Wikipedia - Hawker Hurricane

Princess Margaret

* She became a sea ranger * She carried out public's engagement even though she was really young

AFTER WORLD WAR II : * She became a Commodore in 1949 * She worked a long time in a Canadian hospital, which is now called Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH)

Princess Margaret in her sea ranger'suniform in 1946

Winston Churchill : his acts during WWII :

* 10th may 1940 => Prime Minister of a coalition * He led the Army * He shaped the Allies' strategy * He shaped our way of seeing England * There were puppet shows to prove his popularity * The Blitz shows Churchill's efficient leadership * He offered Britain's support to Staline * He created better links with United Stated of America * He went to conferences with Franklin Roosevelt to sign the Atlantic Charter (28 November - 01 December 1943)

The Royal Family and Winston Churchill at Buckingham Palace's balcony

AN OVERCOME LIFE FOR EVERYONE

1/PROPGANDA

During World War II, UK deployed a lot of propaganda to ask people to do the hard work through hard times. Through books, films, musics, newspapers...UK asked women to work in field, industry... They uses great Britain figures such as Churchill, the royal Family...to motivate english people.

Propaganda poster inviting women to work in the english factories

2/ RATIONING

During WWII, which was a total war, UK rationed purchases for citizens. Fruits and vegetables weren't rationed, contrary to sugar, tires, gasoline, meat, coffee, butter, canned goods and shoes, for instance. It was used during and immediately after war. In 1939, UK imported 20 million long tons of food, a year. United Kingdom also created Combined Food Bar in June 1942.

Ration book delivered by English Government since the rationing period started

3/ MOBILIZATION

3 million people have been deployed, by UK's government.

1 Activities of Resistance Movements

Resistance in Britain during World War II primarily revolved around the efforts of the British population to resist and endure the onslaught of German bombing campaigns, maintain morale, and support the war effort. Even if Britain did not experience organized resistance movements on the scale seen in Nazi-occupied territories, there were still various forms of resistance and resilience exhibited by the British people during the war.

Propaganda and Morale Building: The government utilized propaganda to maintain morale and encourage unity among the population. This included posters, radio broadcasts (such as the famous speeches of Prime Minister Winston Churchill), and films promoting patriotism, resilience, and defiance in the face of adversity. Civil Defense: The British government organized civil defense measures to protect civilians from air raids. This included the establishment of air raid shelters(the underground), the evacuation of children to the countryside, and the implementation of blackout measures to hinder enemy aircraft navigation.

British Propaganda Posters From World War Two

Link to the website were I found this propaganda poster

CHURCHILL : HIS SPEECHES DURING WWII

* famous speech : 20/08/1940 : "never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." -> He thanked 2500 English officers pilots * 27/04/1941 : "this, indeed, is a grand, heroic period of our history, and the light of glory shines upon all." => Churchill already thinks of the victory * 22/06/1941 : "his invasion of Russia is no more than a prelude to an attempted invasion of the British isles." -> Churchill justifies his support to Staline.

* 3/05/1940 : He paid tribute to the London based polish resistance : "To the Polish, all over the world." * 03/06/1940 : "we shall fight them on the beaches, the landing grounds(...)". * 09/06/1940 : "we shall go on the end, we shall fight in, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing in the air, we shall defend our island (...) we shall never surrender." -> Churchill motivating English soldiers and citizens * 18/06/1940 : "upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. -> W.C about the Battle of Britain

Churchill talking to english people on the BBC

Princess Elizabeth

* 14 years old : 13th October 1940 : broadcasted a message during the "Children's Hour" on the BBC, to encourage them to be brave through those complicated times. * " I am speaking to friends and companions who have shared with my sister and myself many a happy Children's Hour." - BBC 13/10/1940 * 19 years old -> she started training as a mechanic and a driver in the Army *She worked as a subaltern for the Army (below second lieutenant) * She is the first women in the royal family who is a full time member of the armed english forces.

Princess Elizabeth fixing a truck for the Army

Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, broadcasting a message to english children during the BBC's "Children's hour"

Dunkirk in WW2

Context of Dunkirk (1940): German Blitzkrieg rapidly advances through France and Belgium. Allied forces, including British Expeditionary Force, pushed back to Dunkirk. Dunkirk Evacuation (Operation Dynamo): Initial Situation => Around 400,000 Allied troops, mainly British, trapped by advancing German army. Evacuation Plan=> British Admiralty devises Operation Dynamo to rescue stranded soldiers. Civilian boats, naval vessels, and other craft enlisted for evacuation.

Soldiers who were saved

Execution=> Evacuation begins on May 26, 1940, under heavy German air and artillery bombardment. Ships shuttle troops from Dunkirk beaches to larger vessels waiting offshore.Sacrifices => Ships faced mines, torpedoes, and aerial attacks during crossings. Troops endure long waits under enemy fire on exposed beaches. Many vessels sunk, and thousands of soldiers killed or captured.

8 key principles

- No territorial gains were to be sought by the United States or the United Kingdom- Territorial adjustments must be in accord with the wishes of the peoples concerned - All peoples had a right to self-determination - Trade barriers were to be lowered - There was to be global economic cooperation and advancement of social welfare. - Freedom from want and fear - Freedom of the seas - Disarmament of aggressor nations, postwar common disarmament

Wikipédia - Atlantic Charter

The Atlantic Charter

Wikipédia - Atlantic Charter

Britain's Role in Victory

Resilience and Determination:

• Despite setbacks, Britain refuses to surrender, shows resolve to continue fighting.

Leadership and Coordination:

• British naval officers, civilian volunteers coordinate evacuation efforts.
• Effective organization demonstrates British leadership.

International Cooperation:

• Collaboration among British, French, Belgian, and other Allied forces pivotal => Highlights unity and solidarity among Allies.

More over this solidarity worked in both ways

=> Successful evacuation... ... uplifts moral of British people and Allies. ...demonstrates Allies' ability to respond decisively in challenging situations. ... allowed the preservation of Allied forces, more than 330000 soldiers were saved (june 4 1940). ...and symbolizes Britain's resilience and determination.

King George VI

* Stayed in Buckingham Palace with his family during bombings * Visited severely damaged places with the Queen * JUNE 1944 : visited the Army on the Normandy, 10 days only after D-DAY * He was awarded for acts of bravery, by citizens * 9th March 1939 : "If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, then, with God's help, we shall prevail."

The King and his wife visiting East part of London, severely damaged by bombs

ARMED CITIZENS

4/ D.DAY

On the 6th June 1944, the Normandy landings took place. On this day, the Allies reunited all their Air Forces and their Sea Forces. It's today known as "the biggest amphibious military invasion" that ever happened. This is what brought the Allies on the victory path. To make a long story short, the goal was to deliver the occupated french zones.

1/ THE BLITZ + THE COLLECTIVE MEMORY

Between 1940 and 1941, the entire United Kingdom, was bombed by Germany. This event was called "The Blitz" because of the German word for "Lightning war" which is "Blitzkrieg". The entire country was frightened and powerless.

2/ TOTAL WAR

World War II, is a total war because it Is using all the countries' ressources, citizens, power.... Anyone living in England at this moment was involved in the war.

3/ YALTA

Yalta's conference reunited Roosevelt (US), Churchill (UK) and Stalin (Soviet), from the 4th to the 11th February 1945. Also known as the Crimean Conference, it took place to prepare a peaceful postwar period. And also, to think about the way to deliver the Europeans occupated zones and how to, in the future, lead them, French, British, Soviet and American Armies would take the power in the occupated zones.

Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at the Crimean Conference

Historians: Duncan Grinnell-Milne & Stephen Roskill

• Prominent British historians known for their contributions to military history
• D. Grinnell-Milne was a Royal Air Force officer who served during the Battle of Britain
• Grinnell-Milne's writings often focused on the aerial combat of the Battle of Britain, providing detailed analyses of RAF tactics and operations.
• Stephen Roskill was a naval officer during World War II who later pursued a career as a historian and naval strategist.
• Roskill's works extended beyond the Battle of Britain to encompass broader naval history, including detailed accounts of naval operations during both World Wars.

Cover of the main books of the officers

Wikipedia - Duncan Grinnell-Milne

Wikipedia - Stephen Roskill

Winston Churchill

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”. Churchill, August, 20th 1940The media then took expression, "the Few", to qualify the pilots.

Wikipedia - Winston Churchill

Memory

• RAF Pilots were seen as hereos
• They witnessed also British stoicism, phlegm and professionalism

• The Wing, (important visitor centre planned for the Memorial site has opened in 2015 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the battle), designed to keep the memory of the veterans.

• Roskill's works extended beyond the Battle of Britain to encompass broader naval history, including detailed accounts of naval operations during both World Wars.

- Memorial at Capel-Le Ferne dedicated to "The Few" - The Memorial Wall lists the names of all those who took part in the Battle of Britain, while a replica Spitfire and Hurricane stand nearby as a reminder of the iconic machines they flew to victory

Wikipedia - Mémorial of Capel-le-Ferne

Activities of Resistance Movements

British Intelligence and Coordination: British intelligence agencies, notably the Special Operations Executive (SOE), provided training, supplies, and support to resistance groups across occupied Europe. Coordination efforts from British bases such as Bletchley Park and networks like the French Resistance. Radio Broadcasts : BBC radio broadcasts and clandestine transmissions encouraged resistance and disseminated Allied propaganda. => On June 18, 1940, Charles de Gaulle, then a relatively unknown French brigadier general, delivered a historic speech on the BBC from London. Known as the "Appel du 18 Juin" was a rallying cry for the French people to resist the German occupation and continue the fight against Nazi.

Queen Elizabeth I :

* She went on trips with the King : France in 1938, USA and Canada in 1939 * "The children won't go without me. I won't leave the King. And the King will never leave." -> the Queen about being evacuated with her daughters, to North America or Canada during World War II. * She stayed with the King in Buckingham Palace during the bombings and went visiting the parts of the country that were severely damaged.

The Queen and the King in front of Buckingham Palace soon after it was damaged by bombs.

2 Activities of Resistance Movements

Resistance to Enemy Operations: While there were no large-scale resistance movements like those in occupied Europe, there were instances of sabotage and espionage carried out by British citizens against German interests. For example, there were efforts to disrupt German supply lines, destroy infrastructure, and gather intelligence. The Special Operations Executive (SOE): This clandestine organization was established to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe. While its primary operations were conducted abroad, it also operated within Britain, training agents and conducting covert operations