The Storm Breaks
On 7 September 1940, the Luftwaffe shifted its bombing campaign from RAF airfields to British cities. London was hit first, with 348 bombers attacking the East End docks. For 57 consecutive nights, London was bombed. The Blitz then spread to other cities: Coventry, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, Bristol, and Southampton all suffered devastating raids.
Sheltering
Millions of Londoners took shelter in Underground stations, turning platforms into communal dormitories. Others used Anderson shelters in their gardens or Morrison shelters indoors. Communities organised themselves, with fire-watchers on rooftops, ARP wardens patrolling streets, and rescue squads working through the rubble.
The Human Cost
Over 43,000 civilians were killed during the Blitz, and more than a million London homes were damaged or destroyed. Entire communities were displaced. Children were evacuated to the countryside, separated from their families for years. The psychological toll — the constant fear, the loss of homes and possessions, the separation of families — was immense and long-lasting.
Resilience
Despite the destruction, British civilian morale held. Factories continued production, often moving to dispersed sites. Essential services were maintained. The "Blitz spirit" — a determination to carry on regardless — became a defining narrative of the war, though historians note this spirit was not universal and many people suffered terribly.
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