https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821 "The 'Battle of France' is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin" - Winston Churchill en-us 2022-02-25 03:56:44 UTC 2022-02-25 06:32:08 UTC hello@padlet.com ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065838395 (May 10 - June 25, 1940)

Within 6 weeks, German forces forced the French surrender by overwhelming Belgium, the Netherlands, and the finally taking Paris. Blitzkrieg was famously employed by the Germans to quickly encircle enemy forces and, overwhelm them, and cripple their ability to fight using a battle of annihilation (Vernichtungsschlacht). ]]> 2022-02-25 05:13:45 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065838395 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065839641 After a swift and crushing defeat of France, forcing the retreat of British forces in the Dunkirk evacuation, Hitler and other German leaders were confident that Britain would have to fold soon. As such, Hitler delayed making plans for an invasion of Britain even after Churchill expressed a persistence to continue the war. Only on July 2 was the development of Operation Sea Lion developed - a plan for invading Britain that Germany was woefully underprepared for.]]> 2022-02-25 05:14:53 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065839641 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065847440 Due to a long lull in planning, the troops were not given proper training on various tactics and operations necessary to invade Britain. Notably, to send ground troops to Britain, soldiers would have to cross the sea and learn to embark and disembark. The ability for the Germans to do so was severely doubted due to the existence of the still rather dominant Royal Navy which controlled the English Channel and North Sea. All plans for an invasion of Britain would have to first rely on air supremacy and the Luftwaffe.]]> 2022-02-25 05:25:21 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065847440 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065855748 The Luftwaffe contained around 2800 aircraft during the Battle of Britain, while the RAF only contained around 650 at the Battle of Britain's inception.]]> 2022-02-25 05:33:16 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065855748 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065856206 The British had most technologically advanced warning system in the world: Chain Home. On the other hand, the Germans failed to properly utilize their more sophisticated radio systems, causing poor communication and confusion.]]> 2022-02-25 05:33:56 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065856206 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065857336 While the RAF (Royal Air Force) had yet to be tested, Germany's Luftwaffe had already dominated the air against Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.]]> 2022-02-25 05:35:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065857336 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065860495 The RAF still employed older formations with the three-plan V formation that remained slow and inagile. Instead, the Germans learned from the Spanish Civil War to use a pair of planes instead, with one acting center and the other as the wingman.]]> 2022-02-25 05:39:28 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065860495 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065862348 RAF pilots tended to get a maximum of 20 hours of real flight, while German pilots easily clocked in at 80+ hours as a result of specialized military schools. Germans had stricter triaing, requires 6+ months of it and organizing mock battles and simulations.]]> 2022-02-25 05:42:00 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065862348 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065870331 While there were less aircrafts at the RAF's disposal, they were able to very quickly replace the aircrafts that they lost. Deficits in manpower and pilots were quickly patched up by lower training times or non-British pilots, with 20% coming from countries such as New Zealand, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, and the US.]]> 2022-02-25 05:53:02 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065870331 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065873355 The British, surprisingly, had better designed bombers and planes for the occasion. The German bombers (i.e. Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 88) often did not have the ability to carry enough bombs to deal heavy enough damage, dive bombers (i.e. Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka") were vulnerable during the day, and the main aircraft (the Messerschmitt bf 109) was limited by its flying range. On the other hand, Britain's Hawker Hurricane destroyed more opposing aircraft during the Battle of Britain than every other Allied aircraft combined. The Spitfire would later become associated with the RAF during the battle.]]> 2022-02-25 05:56:59 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065873355 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065875097 While not as pronounced of an advantage due to being in the air, the British flew in familiar clouds and held a small moral advantage over the invading Germans.]]> 2022-02-25 05:59:16 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065875097 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876151 The so-called Kanalkampf (Channel Battles) phase begins, where Germans attempt to use air dominance to cripple the capacity for Britain to wage war. Specifically, the Luftwaffe targeted British shipping to stop the flow of supplies. ]]> 2022-02-25 06:00:38 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876151 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876349 Also dubbed Adlertag, this marks the day that the Germans decided to directly contest the RAF with the Luftwaffe in all-out battle. Though there was marked success with damaging British landmarks, there was little damage to the RAF. The Germans would have to continue to fight to establish air dominance.]]> 2022-02-25 06:00:54 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876349 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876482 Among the largest aerial engagements in history at the time, it featured an all-out assault from the Luftwaffe on the RAF. This engagement featured the most aircraft destruction up to that point, with 29 losses in the RAF and 69 losses in the Luftwaffe.]]> 2022-02-25 06:01:05 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876482 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876800 With their battles of annihilation repelled and enraged by a raid on Berlin, the Germans changed their focus and started to target London. This allowed for the possibility for the largest and most decisive engagement yet if the RAF came to the defense of London. They continued bombing other cities in The Blitz using the fires of previous bombings to guide them. However, this change in focus is considered a tactical mistake, allowing Britain some breathing room and lifting pressure off of their air forces.]]> 2022-02-25 06:01:35 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876800 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876963 A decisive defeat for the Germans, their large assault was repelled by the strongest RAF seen since the Battle of Britain's inception (due to time allotted for their development). With Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park ordering the pilots to defend the capital instead of engaging in small skirmishes, the British inflicted the largest losses on the Germans since the Hardest Day. This marked a clear lack of air dominance on the Germans part.]]> 2022-02-25 06:01:50 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065876963 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065892023 German air forces turn towards the Blitz to cripple British supplies, production, and docks. The Battle of Britain ends with the British succeeding.]]> 2022-02-25 06:20:51 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065892023 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065895060 With German air dominance disputed, Hitler no longer had a safe and reliable way to ensure that a naval embarkment of troops along the British coast would succeed. As such, he indefinitely postponed and disposed of the operation in favor of a sea blockade with submarines. Instead, an eastern campaign would do for Hitler.]]> 2022-02-25 06:23:36 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065895060 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065897797 Coming into the Battle of Britain, the general sentiment was that the British would have to enter an armistice or surrender to the Germans. Instead, Germany suffered its first major defeat and the UK continued to hold a stake in the war as well as a vital base of operations, which would lead to future wins for Allies in operations such as D-Day.]]> 2022-02-25 06:26:37 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065897797 ivwong https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065902649 The Germans looked unstoppable before the Battle of Britain, having defeated France and the Low Countries in a matter of weeks. However, they found their first major setback and had to change their campaign strategy from west to east. Furthermore, much of German strategy was heavily invested in the Luftwaffe, which would never fully recover from its losses. Undoubtedly, surging moral took a hit as well.]]> 2022-02-25 06:31:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ivwong/sqt0wd5a6a3yl821/wish/2065902649