The Battle of Britain Notes And Classwork

Timeline: Jul 10, 1940 – Oct 31, 1940

Notes From Textbook:

- Hitler wanted to use the Blitzkrieg tactics, so that means he needed to weaken the Royal Air
Force before he could enter Britain.
- In August 1940, the Luftwaffe started attacking London England
- Every single night.
- Thousands were killed, houses and property were destroyed BUT the British refused to give up.
- The people of Londan Stayed positive, and remained hopeful.
- Greatly outnumbered Royal Air Force shot almost 3000 Nazi planes in two months.
- Prime Minister Churchill — said, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few”
- Canadian fighter pilots contributed, and nearly ¼ of the few were Canadian.
- In general it was an allied effort.
- Canadians flying for the RAF or the RCAF's No.1 (Canadian) Squadron
- Losses were high, and 16 of the first 25 Canadian pilots sent died.
- Canada helped in the sky, but also at sea since Canadian ships helped to ensure that vital supplies
crossed the Atlantic.
- They tracked and sank German submarines that were gathered in “wolf packs.”

Slide Show Notes:

- Operation “Sea Lion” is Germany’s invasion plan
- Germany launches massive air assault on Britain and its R.A.F.
- Britain however is defended by superior fighter aircraft (the Spitfire) and new radar technology
used to detect the approach of enemy planes
- This allowed for more preparation
- It allowed for the civilians to be better told, and seek shelter rather then fleeing because
that would make the Blitzkrieg tactics work since that’s what the Germans wanted (panic)
- Germany has FAR MORE planes than BRITAIN & ALLIES combined but Britain enlisted the
help of the allies (New Zealand, Canada, & more)
- Instead of Britain attacking the RAF, they started attacking the civilians on ground.
- Canadians account for 10% of the pilots that stave off the Nazi invasion threat
- When they started to do this, Blitzkrieg started.
- With their attention on London this allowed the RAF to restrategize & rearm
- America, the great “arsenal of democracy,” keeps Britain supplied
- CANADA IS PARTICIPATING AND FACTORIES ARE MAKING THE HAWKER
HURRICANES
- only Britain’s Channel Islands fall at the end
- Hitler’s plan fails, and dream to invade Britain fails.
- the German air force fails to establish air supremacy and Hitler must abandon his dream
of invasion
- In the turn of events, Britain gained control of the lands, and then started bombing Germany.
- With France occupied (and America neutral), Canada is Britain’s leading ally during this time
Video Notes:
- To fight the war in the air, Canada needed planes
- In 1939, Canada didn’t have many airplanes
- It took a year to create the Hawker Hurricanes, which was the type of airplane Canada made.
- This initiative was lead by female aerospace engineer Elsie Mcgill in Fort William ON
(Thunder Bay now)
- Producing 4/week
- In 1940, there was only one RCAF squad in Britain-
- Leader was Ernest Mcnab and was the best (from saskatchewan)
- Sept 15 1940 the German Air Forces were everywhere.
- Thousands of Luftwaffe were in the sky
- Winston Churchill (and other civilians as well) were in bunkers below the streets of London.
- Britain didn’t have many reserves for something like this.
- Bombs fell and Londeners were under the bunkers waiting for the outcome
- By the end of October the Battle of Britain was done.
- 900 Allied fighter pilots were destroyed
- over 2,300 German fighter pilots were destroyed
- After this the RCAF became a vital part of the war in the air
- Bombed U-boat factories
- Escorted Supply ships in the Atlantic Ocean
- Fought in multiple different continents
- Overall had a big part in winning the war

“After the evacuation of British and French soldiers from Dunkirk and the French surrender on 22 June
1940, Hitler mainly focused his energies on the possibility of invading the Soviet Union. He believed that
the British, defeated on the continent and without European allies, would quickly come to terms.”