The Blitz started on September 7, 1940. This marked the beginning of an intense eight-month bombing campaign by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe against Britain during World War II, primarily targeting London and other key cities.

Key Timeline

The campaign lasted from September 7, 1940, to May 11, 1941. It opened with "Black Saturday," when around 348 German bombers and 617 fighters struck London around 4:00 PM, dropping high-explosive and incendiary bombs that killed 430 people and injured 1,600 others in the initial waves. London endured 57 consecutive nights of raids starting that day, with the Luftwaffe shifting to nighttime attacks by early October for reduced losses.

Background Context

Adolf Hitler authorized the Blitz after a British raid on Berlin, aiming to break civilian morale and force surrender following the Battle of Britain. The term "Blitz" derives from blitzkrieg , German for "lightning war," reflecting the rapid, ferocious aerial assaults. Over 40,000 civilians died across more than 2 million tons of bombs dropped on 16 British cities.

Human Stories

Personal accounts paint vivid pictures of resilience. One 14-year-old girl's diary described hiding amid falling bombs, treating it like "fake blood" from first-aid classes to cope. Britons sought shelter in Underground stations, fostering a "Blitz spirit" of defiance amid the chaos.

TL;DR: The Blitz began September 7, 1940 ("Black Saturday"), ran until May 11, 1941, and tested Britain's resolve with relentless Luftwaffe raids.

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