The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga Of Churchill, Family, And Defiance During The Blitz, Larson - B

                      On May 10, 1940, George VI asked Winston Churchill to form a new government. Three days later, he told the Commons "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat."  He reorganized and invigorated the government for the long fight ahead. The defeat of France left the UK entirely on its own with Churchill thinking constantly of how he could convince America to help. With the Germans on the French coast, the almost exclusive concern in Great Britain was the possible depredations of the Luftwaffe. German air power was believed to be two or three times greater than that of the RAF. The other anxiety was the fate of the French fleet. The UK was quite worried that it would fall into German hands. Thus, they sunk a portion of the fleet that had been at anchor in Algeria. 

                      Hitler was so confident that Britain would either surrender or be defeated that he ordered preparations in Berlin for a victory parade at the end of August. That month saw the unleashing of the Luftwaffe, with its 2300 planes and the beginning of the Battle of Britain. Britain's defense consisted of its effective use of radar, its devoted pilots and two very good planes, the Hurricane and the Spitfire.  On the 15th, Germany sent 2100 planes to attack Britain. Seventy-five of the Luftwaffe aircraft were lost on what became known as Black Thursday. The attacks came in waves all day, and soon came every day. On the 24th, London was bombed for the first time, albeit by accident as Hitler had expressly prohibited the bombing of the capital. The following night, the RAF bombed Berlin. On Saturday Sept. 7, the Luftwaffe sought to deliver a knockout blow to London. A thousand planes attacked in the first wave alone. The all clear did not sound until 5 a.m. Sunday morning. Day in and day out into September, the bombing continued. Through it all, the RAF fought with unprecedented valor and was able to daily challenge the German bombers. The Luftwaffe's failure to control the skies led to Hitler's abandonment of his invasion plans. Even when Hitler turned his thoughts to Russia, the Luftwaffe continued its ongoing raids over England. The year 1940 closed with the bombings ongoing and the UK still very much alone.

                      The new year dawned with FDR conceiving, and then introducing during a fireside chat, his brilliant Lend-Lease program to assist the British. The president's personal envoy, Harry Hopkins, was sent to London and spent a month assessing Churchill and Britain's war effort. Averell Harriman followed to help implement America's assistance. On every front though, the war continued to go badly. The Luftwaffe continued to pound England. Greece was abandoned by British forces. In Africa, Rommel pummeled the army and appeared ready to capture Egypt. Indeed, right up to Barbarossa, the Luftwaffe came and came again wreaking endless destruction. But, all at once it was over as Germany turned her attention east. The United Kingdom had survived and Churchill had provided the leadership the situation had so sorely called for. The Blitz had killed 29,000 Britons and injured many more. Vast expanses of all the major cities, especially London, had been destroyed. Yet, it was the country's finest hour.