When the Battle Started
 The
battle started on June 10, 1940 but the
real air war didn’t start until August 12,
1940.
 It involved the British (RAF) against the
Germans (Luftwaffe)
 The Luftwaffe attacked radar stations and
airfields
What Happened?
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The focus was on military targets, factories, and
ports
After an allied plane (British) bombed Berlin,
Germany started to focus its air raids on London.
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Nightly attacks were designed to destroy the British will to
resist.
Thousands were killed but Londoners were determined to
resist.
Children were evacuated to the countryside and
spent their nights in bomb shelters and subways.
Why did Britain and
Germany Fight?
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Hitler decided that he would try and take
over Britain after he took over France.
His plan was to take over the world and at
the time Britain was the biggest threat to
Germany
If Hitler could defeat Britain then he would
become the ruler of the world.
THE KEY PLAYERS
ADOLF HITLER

Leader of Germany (Nazi
party)

Responsible for starting WWII &
the deaths of over 30 million
people.

After taking over France turned
his attention on the RAF. (Royal
Air Force)

He wanted Germany to be the
leading country of the world.
WINSTON CHURCHILL
The Prime Minister of Great
Britain
 Lead Britain during the
Second World War
 His political career started in
1900 & ended in 1964

SPITFIRE SUMMER

The battle was fought over the skies
southern England and it became known
as the “spitfire battle”.
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June and July Germans attacked convoys off
the south coast ports of Dover and Plymouth.
Though out numbered at the beginning the
Brits had some advantages like radar.
The most advanced warning system in the
world.
BATTLE INTENSIFIES
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
In August 1940 the terrifying battles
intensified.
The Luftwaffe began launching attacks
more than 1,000 in one day.


the RAF lost 100 fighters.
Germany lost more than 190 planes.
Sustained Attack


RAF sustained heavy losses but the German
losses were greater.
By the end of the month the Germans had lost
600 aircraft.



damage to the radar stations had left Britain very
vulnerable.
air installations had continued then the eventful
outcome could have been so different.
Hitler shifted the focus of his attacks.
CITIES TARGETED

In September 1940 Britain launched air attacks
on some of Germanys industrial areas
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this angered Hitler
On September 7th he ordered the Luftwaffe to
bomb British cities.
The Luftwaffe changed tactics and shifted their
attacks away from Britain's air defense.
PROPAGANDA
 Germany attacked more then 1,000 aircraft on September

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15th.
Heavy fighting and later became commemorated as battle of
Britain day.
The RAF said they shot down 175 aircraft but really it was
only 56 German aircraft.
The inflated numbers were accepted at the time as both
sides fought propaganda battle as well as a military war.
The spit war was coming to its end.
GERMAN TACTICS
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Attacks on British cities caused widespread
damage and loss of life.
Bombers were shot down faster then they
could be manufactured.
Hitler needed summer weather, so as
winter approached the threat of invasion
receded.
THE AIRCRAFTS USED IN
THE BATTLE
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Henkel 111- slow.
Lumbering: easy to shoot down with a
pitifully small bomb load.
Messerschmitt 109: fast, dangerous,
especially its cannon.
They used lots of cannons and machine
guns up in the air.
IN THE END!
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Hitler failed to establish air superiority.
The fleet of invasion barges assembled
in French ports suffered heavy losses in
RAF bomber attacks.
Battle was over and Britain was safe.
Winston Churchill said:

“ never was so much owed
by so many to so few”
RESULTS FOR BRITAIN
AFTER THE BATTLE
The RAF lost 902 aircraft compared to the
Lufwaffe who lost 1598
The British could consider themselves still the
most powerful country in the world
With their development of radar they could
track the Germans
They learned how to crack the German code to
intercept there plans in the future against
them.
Results of the Battle for
Germany
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1598 Luftwaffe were shot down.
They began to try to take over Russia
instead.
The end of the battle on Britain gave the
Luftwaffe enough time to make up sum of
there loses.
Who Won The Battle?

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Hitler decided to withdraw from Britain on
September 17 but he didn’t stop fighting
them until October 31, 1940
As a result Germany was not able to
defeat Britain and had to pull back.
(Germany would now focus on the Soviets,
[invade Russia] which violated the NaziSoviet Pact)