Publisher's Synopsis
Drawing material from the Imperial War Museum's extensive aural archive, Joshua Levine brings together voices from both sides of the Blitz and the Battle of Britain to give us a unique, complete and compelling picture of this turbulent time.
We hear from the soldiers, airmen, fire-fighters, air-raid wardens and civilians, people in the air and on the ground, on both sides of the battle, giving us a thrilling account of Britain under siege. This is the definitive oral history of a period when Britain came closer to being overwhelmed by the enemy than at any other time in modern history.
The Battle of Britain
As Hitler proceeded with his invasion plans - code-namedOperation Sealion- he knew that the RAF must not be allowed to threaten the invading forces as they crossed the Channel, and it was clear that they would have to be brought to battle and defeated. Still hopeful of a settlement, Hitler believed that a sustained aerial attack, coupled with a naval blockade, might bring Britain to the negotiating table. The Luftwaffe's specific aim was to win superiority by luring Fighter Command into the air and wiping it out. Fighter Command, with its pilots, aircraft and carefully considered systems of control, was waiting.
