World War II_ The Churchill Secrets

In 1939, the aggressive Nazi regime had cast its shadow to the north, south, east and west, toppling countries like dominoes beneath the onslaught of its invincible military machine. By June 1940, Germany had invaded every country on its border and beyond, and as Hitler marched victoriously into Paris, there was only one thorn left in his side. The phony war was now over, and the Battle of Britain was about to begin, but as the plains of the Third Reich began to swarm towards British shores, they would face a nation determined to defend its beaches, towns and cities, no matter what the cost. Adolf Hitler now faced the stubborn resolve of Winston Churchill, and the tides of war were about to change. The story of the soldiers and civilians, men and women, who fought to defend their island and battle against a regime that threatened freedom and democracy in Europe, is the turning point in a war that seemed impossible to win. But the extraordinary bravery of so many in these dark days, when Britain stood alone against Nazi Germany, ultimately saved not only the United Kingdom, but entire continents from the unstoppable force of Hitler and the Third Reich. The Battle of Britain and the Blitz are now recalled with national pride as a time of solidarity, union and courage, when the words of one man inspired millions to stand up to the terror of Hitler. Although always a controversial personality, there's no doubt that as Winston Churchill came to power as Prime Minister in 1940, he was the driving force behind Britain's battle with Nazi Germany, and is now one of the most important figures of our modern age, embodying perfectly the image of British glory and honour. He was well past retirement age in his mid-sixties, by the time he found himself at the helm of British politics with his wartime coalition government. But his journey to the pinnacle of his career in the House of Commons had been a colourful one, filled with adventures, and this intriguing programme will begin by exploring his early life, to discover a little more about the man who played such a vital, larger-than-life role in the Second World War. Born in 1874 to Lord Randolph Spencer Churchill, his beautiful American socialite wife Jenny Jerome, Winston was descended from one of the greatest military commanders in British history, Lord John Churchill, who had crushed the forces of Louis XIV at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Sadly though, the family despaired of Winston, a hyperactive and rebellious boy, who struggled academically despite the expensive harrow education he'd been given, and was a disappointment to his ambitious father. The exasperated schoolmasters commented that he was willfully troublesome, forgetful, and unpunctual, and although he shared a flair for literature and history, he was at the bottom of the class. Churchill later described Harrow as But after only a year at the renowned school, he recalled an event which would mark the turning point in his life, as his father came to inspect his toy soldiers. All the troops were arranged in the correct formation of attack. He spent 20 minutes studying the scene, with a keen eye and captivating smile. At the end he asked me if I would like to go into the army, so I said yes at once. From that moment on, at the age of 14, Churchill prepared for his future in the military. On entering Sandhurst Military Academy, Winston began to shine, and passed his exams with flying colours. His talent for English also served him well, and from the moment he left Sandhurst, whether serving as a soldier with the Royal Hussars, or as a war reporter, wherever there was a conflict, young Churchill could be found. Between 1895 and 1900, Churchill was involved in action from Cuba to the Sudan, India to South Africa, and would always crave adventure. In fact, to his delight, he came under fire for his 21st birthday, while reporting on the Spanish-American conflict. More often than not, Churchill would return home accompanied by dazzling tales of his heroic deeds. During the Boer War in South Africa, he saved a hospital train from the attacking Boers, and when taken prisoner himself, escaped by walking 300 miles to rejoin the army, creating a sensation in Britain. Winston began a lifelong habit of making the news rather than reporting it, and when, at 26 years of age, he stepped into the House of Commons to join the Conservative Party in 1902, he had already made an impressive name for himself. Perhaps inconsistent with his political allegiances, Churchill soon fell beneath the spell of the charismatic Lloyd George and the Liberal Party, and left the Conservatives two years later. It was at this time that Churchill met the lovely Clementine Hosier at a dinner party, who would later become his wife. Legend has it that in 1908, as they strolled in Blenheim Palace grounds, they took refuge from a sudden rainstorm in a small building, where he made his marriage proposal. The couple were married one month later, and would have a long and happy marriage, even if it did have its turbulent moments. This was, in fact, an age of turbulence for many women in Britain, and as the suffragettes marched through the country, demanding the right to vote, Churchill was caught up in the conflict. In Bristol, one of the bold ladies attacked the politician with a dog whip, and although he weathered the storm, the policeman, who had disarmed the suffragette, handed the whip to Mrs Churchill, making for an interesting memento. Despite such close shaves, Winston couldn't resist the slightest hint of excitement, and during the siege of Sydney Street in 1911, while serving as Home Secretary, he made a controversial visit to the scene of the dangerous gunfight in the East End. When the former Prime Minister, Arthur Balfour, caught sight of a photograph of Winston, a lone figure amongst the police and soldiers, he barked, what was the right honourable gentleman doing there? However, when shortly afterwards, Churchill was transferred to the post of First Lord of the Admiralty, as the prospect of war began to threaten Europe, it seemed that a man of action was the right man for the job. But this didn't prove to be the case, as World War I resulted only in political disgrace for the energetic Churchill, when he was blamed for the tragic events at Gallipoli. In late November 1914, Churchill put forward a plan for a naval attack on the Dardanelles, a narrow strait separating Europe and the Gallipoli Peninsula from mainland Asia, where the ancient Trojan Wars were once fought. The objective was to secure a sea route to Russia by capturing Constantinople, but the venture failed miserably. The naval attack was a disaster, and as the Australian and New Zealand volunteers, the Anzacs, gathered ready to invade by foot, valuable time was lost waiting for more British troops to arrive. After six weeks of delay, the Turks had dug trenches, wired the beaches and even built roads, and when the Allies eventually scrambled to shore, thousands were slaughtered. Back in Britain, the blame was firmly placed on Churchill's shoulders, who left the War Cabinet in disgrace while the Liberal government, led by Asquith, collapsed and a coalition with the Conservatives was formed under Lloyd George. It seemed that the ambitious Churchill's glorious career had come to a sudden end, and after resigning, he went to the front in France to fight alongside the soldiers in the trenches. When 1918 finally saw the Great War come to an end, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, back in Britain, Churchill recorded the scene. The bells of London began to clash. I could see that Trafalgar Square was swarming. Flags appeared as if by magic. Almost before the last stroke of the clock had died away, the strict war-straightened regulated streets of London had become a triumphant pandemonium. Yes, the chains which had held the world were broken. As the world celebrated Armistice Day, Churchill was once more in the House of Commons, and by July 1919, as the politicians signed a peace treaty at the Palace of Versailles, it seemed that harmony in Europe was ensured, although Churchill remained unconvinced of lasting peace. By 1922, Winston Churchill had moved to Chartwell in Kent with his wife and four children, which would remain the family home for the rest of his life. As the 20s rolled by, he had a variety of posts, including that of Chancellor of the Exchequer, was in and out of government as dramatic changes took place in post-war Britain. The suffragettes finally made a breakthrough with their demands, and along with shorter hair and considerably shorter dresses, women were now allowed the vote. They were even permitted to attend university, while the first female Member of Parliament, Lady Nancy Astor, now sat in the House of Commons. As the Charleston took the world by storm, and women celebrated their newfound freedom, advances in military aviation captured the imagination of many would-be pilots, as the pioneers took to the skies. As lighter and faster planes were tested and perfected, the battle for air supremacy reached ever-greater heights. Not that anyone would have believed that within two decades, Britain's survival would depend upon their efforts. Despite the rejoicing and years of peace, however, in the eastern corner of Europe, the rickety foundations of the Weimar Republic, which had replaced Germany's disgraced monarchy, creaked and shuddered beneath the growing pressure of a new and aggressive Nazi movement. As the fascist leader Mussolini marched into Rome and burst into Italian politics, Churchill's leadership began to crumble, as ever passionate in his convictions hailed Mussolini as a great leader for opposing the threat of communism, which had plunged Russia into such a state of turmoil. But Churchill was quick to change his mind when Mussolini showed his true colours. Also, he supported Japan's actions in 1931 when they invaded Manchuria and began the war with the Republic of China, saying, Similarly, he saw Franco's grip on Spain, a country in the midst of the turmoil of civil war, as an admirable stand against communism. However, the fact that Churchill was never afraid to change his position when his thinking was later proved incorrect is part of what made him such a remarkable leader, something Great Britain had never been more in need of. Yet there was a much greater threat than that of communism beginning to emerge. In 1933, Adolf Hitler was made Chancellor of Germany and as the ailing German president Hindenburg died just months later, Hitler swiftly stepped into his shoes, instigating the reign of the Third Reich. As the Nazi party set about rebuilding the army Germany had lost after the restrictions laid down in the Treaty of Versailles, the British government seemed oblivious to the ominous menace gaining ground across Europe, finding itself more concerned with problems closer to home. In 1936, the country had mourned the death of King George V and the nation was rapidly plunged into an unexpected crisis when his successor, King Edward VIII, summoned Prime Minister Baldwin to Buckingham Palace and announced his plans to marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson. The American divorcee was an unsuitable candidate for the role of Queen and the government insisted that the king choose either the throne or the woman he loved. Winston Churchill was one of the few who expressed support for the king and his dilemma but by now Churchill's comments held little weight in the Commons and he was literally shouted out of Parliament. On 10th December 1936, Edward VIII abdicated and left for a life in exile to marry Mrs Simpson and was succeeded by his brother, George VI. The episode once more tarnished Churchill's political record and he was genuinely shocked by the hostility he'd met within the House of Commons, remarking that... "...I was myself smitten in public opinion that it was the almost universal view that my political life was ended." The outspoken Churchill had perhaps been too quick again to express himself and as the former king and his new wife travelled around Europe and fraternised with the enemy in Germany, he remained a lone figure on the back benches struggling to highlight the dangers arising from Hitler's new regime. Soon after the king's abdication, the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, retired to be succeeded by Neville Chamberlain who, despite growing unease over Germany's flagrant flouting of the Treaty of Versailles, was keen to promote peace in a country that had already lost so many men to war. Only Churchill could be heard warning of the dangers ahead as the Nazis began to mobilise through Europe and as Hitler's diplomatic promises dissolved as swiftly as the governments he overthrew, Chamberlain soon discovered that the peace he craved would only come at a price. As the Nazis occupied the Rhineland, annexed Austria and stood poised to advance into Czechoslovakia, the British Prime Minister met Hitler in Munich to negotiate a peace treaty but the piece of paper Chamberlain waived triumphantly before the British public would prove useless in preserving peace in Europe. Churchill announced that Britain and France had sacrificed honour in signing away land in Czechoslovakia and they would now have a war on their hands and all too soon he was proved right. By March 1939, Germany had fully occupied Czechoslovakia and there was worse to come as the Nazis stormed into Poland with the full force of their tanks and the German air force screaming overhead. September 3rd 1939, Britain had no choice but to declare war while millions of children were evacuated from the cities to the safety of the countryside to await the predicted Armageddon. The nation desperately needed Winston Churchill and reluctantly Chamberlain appointed him First Lord of the Admiralty amongst great celebration from the Navy who rejoiced Winston is back. As Churchill solemnly accepted the role for the second time in his career, he spoke of the fight now facing the British people. Outside the storms of war may blow and the lands may be lashed with the fury of its gales but in our own hearts this Sunday morning there is peace. Our hands may be active but our consciences are at rest. This is not a question of fighting for Danzig or fighting for Poland, we are fighting to save the whole world from the pestilence of Nazi tyranny. Even so, in the year that followed this period of time would become widely known as the Phoney War while the British watched mainland Europe slowly disintegrate before them. Chamberlain hesitated in sending assistance to Poland and the nation soon fell in the wake of Hitler's merciless onslaught. They watched Stalin defeat the courageous Finns and as the Nazis advanced through Denmark and Norway there was much disappointment among the British with the government's failure to act. Chamberlain continued his desperate attempts to find a peaceful alternative to war but as Hitler offered a thorny olive branch to the island nation the Prime Minister's popularity had diminished considerably. After a year of disastrous attempts to halt the approaching Nazi forces it was obvious this was not the time or the place for a peace-loving politician and there seemed only one man capable of standing firm against Hitler's advances. As Nazi paratroopers landed in Holland and Luxembourg on May 10th 1940 Winston Churchill made his way to Number 10 Downing Street to succeed Chamberlain who'd resigned as Prime Minister of Great Britain. While Europe fought the Nazis, the words he spoke at the House of Commons on that day which were heard by millions nationwide still live on in the memories of all those who lived through the Second World War. I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering. You ask what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. Just three days later Rotterdam was bombed to the ground as the Dutch continued to resist the Nazi invasion. One square mile of the city was completely levelled and nearly a thousand people were killed invoking strong anti-German patriotism among the British. In response to the violent strike, Churchill sent the first bombers into Germany to attack the industrial region of the Ruhr. As the German panzer tanks stormed towards France, British soldiers stood poised along the French border ready to defend Hitler's next target. The might of the Nazi military machine was not easy to halt however and as the Allies were separated by an ingenious battle plan employed by the Nazis which cut the armies into two, thousands of men became trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk in northern France. They were at the mercy of the Wehrmacht who were hot on their heels and as Britain stood on the verge of a tragedy on the scale of Gallipoli, Hitler suddenly made an extraordinary decision and halted the advancing troops. Churchill seized the opportunity to launch an equally extraordinary plan that has gone down in history as Operation Dynamo. Speaking to millions throughout Britain over the radio waves, the Prime Minister called on anyone with a boat, be it large or small, to head for the shores of France to save the whole route, the core and brain of the British Army. The response was breathtaking as merchant marine ships, small fishing boats and pleasure boats formed a hastily assembled fleet of 860 boats. They managed to save over 300,000 men, hailed by Churchill as a miracle of deliverance which was celebrated throughout the country. But the Prime Minister warned in a speech to the House of Commons, we must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations. Many weapons had been left behind, ships had been sunk and although the British Expeditionary Force had been saved, Dunkirk was in effect a military disaster. By this time many countries were suffering terrible atrocities under the Nazi regime. Millions had been killed, tortured and imprisoned and as Hitler's soldiers marched victoriously into Paris, there was little to celebrate. As France fell on June 18, 1940, Churchill turned to the British people and made a chilling speech. What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilisation. Upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institutions and our empire. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad sunlit uplands. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say this was their finest hour. As Hitler glared across the channel at the island nation, still stubbornly refusing to negotiate with Germany, Churchill had not been mistaken. Britain was about to come under siege, the phony war was definitely over and every man, woman and child would have to pull together if Hitler was to be prevented from setting foot on British soil. However, the Nazis didn't realise that, compared to the many nations already vanquished as a result of Hitler's blitzkrieg, Britain had watched the approaching conflict for nearly a year and was very much prepared for war. With France now lost, the British began to take action. Barrage balloons were put up, the factories stepped up production and as more and more men poured into the army, women took their place in the factories, manned the farms and even joined the Women's Voluntary Defence Corps. Local defence volunteers exercised on the beaches and prowled the Thames on the lookout for Nazis and were supplied with any weapons that could be found, which even included guns from military museums and cutlasses and dusty old rifles from Lord Nelson's day. Australians poured into the country as well as soldiers and airmen from Poland and other nations under Nazi occupation. Children who had returned home during the phony war of 1939 were evacuated once more and as women gave up their aluminium pots and pans for the war effort, the battle cries of Prime Minister Churchill filled them with courage for the fight ahead. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous states have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender. As Britain faced the enemy, they did so with the unity with which they'd faced Napoleon and other invaders. If Nazi Germany was to be the first country to invade the island in 900 years, it would do so over Churchill's dead body, quite literally. When the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Viscount Halifax, suggested Churchill moved the government to Canada for the duration of the war, he replied that if the Germans invaded, he would take a rifle, pointing out that he was not a bad shot, and put himself in the pillbox at the end of Downing Street and shoot until he had no more ammunition. And with the benefit of hindsight, we know that he meant it. What's more, Hitler was equally well aware that he had a worthy adversary in Churchill and as he couldn't march his army into Britain because of the English Channel and his ships were hardly a match for the might of the British naval forces, as had been demonstrated when the Germans invaded Norway, he opted for an air offensive to prepare for a full-scale invasion. In July 1940, he issued Directive Number 16, Operation Sea Lion, which announced his plans to bring Britain to its knees within a month. By defeating the RAF, the Luftwaffe would clear the way for landings along the length of the south coast. 100,000 men would then storm into Britain along with Himmler's terror force, the SS, with orders to extinguish all opposition. As London was wrapped in barbed wire only days before the Battle of Britain began on July 4th, Churchill had a difficult decision to make. As France had been lost to Nazi Germany, there was a great risk that the French fleet, the fourth largest naval force in the world, would be used against the British. The highest concentration of naval strength was gathered at the port of Mers-Alcabier in Algeria and Churchill presented the House of Commons with the sad necessity of sinking the ships to prevent the Nazis using them. After failing to find a compromise with the French commander of the fleet, the British were forced to open fire, killing over 1,000 French sailors and to date it would perhaps have been one of the most difficult decisions Churchill had ever had to make. It also served notice to Adolf Hitler that when it came to invading Britain, he most definitely was not going to have it all his own way. On July 10th, 1940, the Battle of Britain began with Goering's Luftwaffe launching ruthless attacks on British shipping. Wave after wave of fighter-escorted bombers headed for the ships and harbours of southern England. But as the RAF flew into action, they soon proved that Goering lacked a true perspective on Britain's air defences, which were probably the most sophisticated in the world. Hurricanes and Spitfires made up much of the British Air Force which although vastly outnumbered by the Luftwaffe rose to the challenge, combating Germany's modern state-of-the-art planes with unsurpassed bravery and courage. Farm boys, doctors, factory workers, bank clerks and shop assistants alongside hundreds of other young men with ordinary jobs, little training and virtually no combat experience, faced the rigorously trained and experienced might of the Luftwaffe and took on the role of David against Hitler's Goliath. The Royal Air Force also had the advantage of revolutionary top-secret technology that later became known as radar which gave controllers early warning of Luftwaffe raids and was highly underrated by the Germans. As the Great Towers scoured the skies along the coast and out to sea, further inland, the British Observer Corps peered heavenward day and night ready to phone Control Command as soon as an aircraft came into view. Both the Observer Corps and radar provided an invaluable part of Britain's defence as the controllers who watched the tables 24 hours a day would send out warnings to the nearest fighter bases as enemy planes came within sight and they in turn would be ready to fly into action. The Luftwaffe soon began to wonder why the Spitfires and Hurricanes were always waiting for them but it seemed that German intelligence had its flaws. Ironically, back in 1939, before war broke out, the airship Graf Zeppelin had been sent to Britain on a spy mission. The British radar operators saw the largest echo they'd ever witnessed appear on their screens as the vast airship flew up and down the east coast packed with listening equipment to detect whether radar transmissions were in operation. After causing a stir in the British control rooms, the German scientists aboard the airship concluded that radar in Britain was primitive and inefficient and promptly floated back to the fatherland. This is far from being the only unexplained notion of German spies as they also believed the Boy Scout movement to be an arm of the British intelligence service. Along with radar, there was another invaluable source of information for the British war effort. After Gallipoli, Churchill was well aware of the importance of military intelligence and hidden away at Bletchley Park complete with Old Manor House in Buckinghamshire were thousands of cryptographers busily working away to decode the German Enigma machine. After the fall of Poland, the Polish cryptographers had shared their Enigma work with the French and British which had led to a major breakthrough and the project, code named Ultra, would have an enormous influence on the Battle of Britain providing early warnings of enemy planes. It didn't take long for Hitler to realise that Britain was not to be defeated as easily as he'd hoped. By the end of July, the Luftwaffe had lost 286 aircraft compared to the RAF's 150. On August 1st, Hitler ordered Goering to overpower the British planes with all the might at his command in the shortest possible time and the head of the Luftwaffe was quick to obey. The destruction and damage to the airfields brought the RAF to the brink of defeat and with the British pilots exhausted, having no choice but to fly day and night, a Nazi victory seemed dangerously close. However, Goering was cautious and noted that an Englishman is like a wounded bull, he is most dangerous when he's injured. After a brief respite between August 19th and 23rd, the attack resumed in combination with secondary night attacks on cities around Britain. Many homes were destroyed, six major airfields were seriously damaged and one sector headquarters with operations room at Biggin Hill was totally wrecked. Yet despite the utter exhaustion of the RAF, the German losses were still higher than those of the British. Goering also made the decision to give up the attack on radar stations because they were a difficult target for the German planes. A change of plan that would cost him dearly. By the beginning of September, German losses were almost double that of the British and the twisted metal of the destroyed Luftwaffe planes that had crashed on England's green and pleasant land were a familiar sight. Albrecht Kesselring, who was commanding the attack on Britain's south coast, believed that the air war had already been won. However, when German planes accidentally dropped their bombs on London on August 24th, it made an impact on the shape of the conflict to come. A German bomber crew in trouble had to rid themselves of their bomb load and accidentally dropped them on the capital despite Hitler's express wishes that the British civilian population should not be attacked. The next day, Churchill retaliated by sending bombers to hit Berlin and although little damage was done to the city itself, the psychological effect on the German population was deeply penetrating in light of Goering's promises that the cities of the fatherland would not and could not be bombed. Hitler was furious and made the grave mistake of letting his anger colour his military strategy when he decided to avenge the attack on Germany by focusing on Britain's cities rather than continue with the mounting attack on fighter command and its airfields. The German bomber offensive began on a Saturday afternoon, September 7th, 1940 with the main objective of destroying British morale. At twenty to four, the coastal radar stations that had been silent all day suddenly began to show a few blips off the French coast which suddenly merged together and grew to a dramatic size. Late in the afternoon, over 300 Luftwaffe bombers cast their shadows over London accompanied by nearly twice as many fighter planes and as the sirens wailed while people ran for cover, the blitz began. Bombs screamed through the sky destroying everything in their path and on the ground, London crumbled beneath the onslaught. Eyewitnesses working in city offices described a thick blanket of black bombers two miles wide following the Thames. There was nothing they could do except return to their work and pray like mad. They talked of a deafening sound while the building shook as dust from the walls and ceilings enveloped their tasks. Meanwhile in the skies, the RAF were faced with an enormous task and again the words of another eyewitness this time a squadron leader paint a vivid picture. The sky became a seething cauldron of aeroplanes swooping and swerving in and out of the vapour trails. A hurricane on fire spun out of control ahead of me. Everyone was shouting at once and the earphones became filled with a meaningless cacophony of jumbled noises. As firefighters battled through the night another 133 bombers guided by the fires returned to wreak further havoc. By the end of the day over 400 Londoners were dead and around one and a half thousand injured. As firefighters worked around the clock people began to emerge from the shelters to view their destroyed city but in true British style as the dust began to settle the Sunday roast was cooked whether it be at home or in a neighbour's oven and morale didn't waver boosted by a classic radio broadcast from Churchill when he declared that Hitler had no understanding of the spirit of the British nation or the tough fibre of Londoners. However the attack was far from over as Nazi invasion crafts now prepared to land on British shores but by focusing on bombing British cities the Luftwaffe had now left the RAF time to gather its strength and prepare for battle. The bombing of London continued for 57 consecutive nights but while it caused devastation in the city it meant that the grinding pressure was taken off the RAF. Recovering from the losses incurred from the bombardment of the previous months the airmen flew into action with a newfound energy and strength. Hitler's criteria for an imminent invasion continued to focus on him eliminating the British Air Force and radar stations but on September 15th the Luftwaffe suffered heavy losses after a devastating air battle with the RAF forewarned by ultra-intelligence. It was becoming clear that Operation Sea Line was going to be more difficult to implement than Hitler had imagined. After the Germans repeatedly postponed the date of the invasion Ultra picked up a signal on the 17th of September which verified that for the time being at least the land invasion had been called off. Although Britain had won the battle in the air Hitler concentrated his efforts to bomb the nation into submission with renewed vigour. With Luftwaffe raids day and night London ceased to be the only target as many other cities including Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast Sheffield, Coventry, Birmingham and Plymouth came under fire. The way the British coped with the onslaught was admirable. In London people still continued to get up in the mornings and go to work in the factories determined to supply the commander of the RAF Sir Hugh Dowding with the planes his fighter pilot so desperately needed. By night people would gather in underground stations to sleep and whole communities began to form the most extraordinarily strong sense of unity. Shops still opened despite being surrounded by the rubble of neighbouring buildings and those fortunate enough to find their houses still standing rallied to help those who'd not been quite so lucky. From London's East End to Buckingham Palace the bombs caused devastation but despite fears for their own safety the King and Queen remained at Buckingham Palace showing solidarity with the British people. They travelled around the country to boost morale and console those who had lost homes and loved ones. Buckingham Palace suffered no less than nine direct hits during the war one bomb even disturbing the Royal Family as they ate breakfast which the Queen described in a letter as happening so quickly that they only had time to look foolishly at each other as the scream hurtled past and exploded with a tremendous crash in the quadrangle. But once the Palace had been bombed the Queen said that she now felt able to look the people of the East End in the eye and rather than shattering the nation's morale attacking the home of the monarchy had quite the opposite effect as the British now felt that their Royal Family shared their suffering and the Kingdom was united in their resilience to oppression. On a global scale however another player was on the move in the Pacific theatre of war as on September 27th 1940 Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin joining Germany and Italy in the fight against the Allied forces. However, Russia already connected with Nazi Germany was not invited to join as Hitler was planning to renege on his non-aggression pact with Stalin just as he had always intended. As 1940 drew to a close Christmas was one that the British would never forget as they gathered in the underground stations and shelters as Hitler's bombs shuddered and shook the city above. On December 30th 22,000 firebombs were dropped on the capital but the magnificent Saint Paul's Cathedral stood defiant through the smoke and flames a beacon of hope and a symbol of the city and the nation that refused to bow to the Nazi onslaught. The spirit of the British people led by Winston Churchill was proving to be unbreakable and as another year at war got underway even Hitler realised that his attempt to destroy the nation's morale had failed. Nevertheless, this served only to fuel the Fuhrer's determination and he increased the German attacks on ports and shipping to keep the British forces at full stretch while he planned his next move. By now still fighting on alone Britain was in desperate need of support and finally the Americans took action although still not committing themselves to enter the war. On March 11th 1941 President Roosevelt signed a Lend-Lease Bill which would provide Great Britain with all the vital supplies they needed to continue fighting against Hitler. While the British had the advantage of a stretch of water between them and the Nazi invasion force mainland Europe could offer little resistance as Hitler's troops stormed through Yugoslavia and marched into Greece. But the English Channel could not stop the Luftwaffe bombers and on May 10th 1941 London faced its most terrifying attack which damaged many important buildings including the British Museum the Houses of Parliament and St James's Palace resulting in the heaviest casualties to date with 3,000 killed or injured. Six days later 111 bombers attacked Birmingham but as the smoke cleared on yet another scene of devastation it marked a point in the history of the war that would see Hitler make what would prove to be a huge tactical error turning his attention to Russia and opening up an Eastern Front. As Hitler put Operation Barbarossa into action he believed that Russia would quickly fall which would, he hoped in turn isolate Winston Churchill and the British even further but yet again he had underestimated the enemy on two counts. Firstly, Russia was a huge expanse of land to occupy and Stalin's Red Army were prepared to fight to the last man to defend their homeland and secondly, Winston Churchill was far too pragmatic to miss the chance of recruiting the Russians to the Allied cause offering Stalin all the technical and economic assistance needed to resist Hitler's advances. Whatever had happened in the past Churchill put to one side and although it would never be an easy alliance between the two leaders it would nevertheless be pivotal in holding Hitler at bay until the Americans joined the Allies at the end of the year. The battle for Britain was far from over but things were beginning to improve for the Allied war effort as Winston Churchill saluted the efforts of the RAF claiming that never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. The events that were about to unfold would stretch far beyond the shores of Great Britain in the continued fight for freedom against tyranny.