Book contents
- The Cambridge History of The Second World War
- The Cambridge History of the Second World War
- The Cambridge History of The Second World War
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Figures
- Maps
- Tables
- Contributors to Volume I
- General introduction
- Introduction to Volume I
- Part I Grand Strategies
- Part II Campaigns
- Introduction to Part II
- 9 Campaigns in China, 1937–1945
- 10 The war in the West, 1939–1940
- 11 The war in the West, 1939–1940
- 12 Operations on the Eastern Front, 1941–1945
- 13 The Mediterranean and North Africa, 1940–1944
- 14 The war in the West, 1943–1945
- 15 The war in the Pacific, 1941–1945
- 16 The Atlantic war, 1939–1945
- 17 Anglo-American strategic bombing, 1940–1945
- Part III Fighting Forces
- Bibliographical essays
- Index
- Plate Section (PDF Only)
11 - The war in the West, 1939–1940
The Battle of Britain?
from Part II - Campaigns
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2015
Book contents
- The Cambridge History of The Second World War
- The Cambridge History of the Second World War
- The Cambridge History of The Second World War
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Figures
- Maps
- Tables
- Contributors to Volume I
- General introduction
- Introduction to Volume I
- Part I Grand Strategies
- Part II Campaigns
- Introduction to Part II
- 9 Campaigns in China, 1937–1945
- 10 The war in the West, 1939–1940
- 11 The war in the West, 1939–1940
- 12 Operations on the Eastern Front, 1941–1945
- 13 The Mediterranean and North Africa, 1940–1944
- 14 The war in the West, 1943–1945
- 15 The war in the Pacific, 1941–1945
- 16 The Atlantic war, 1939–1945
- 17 Anglo-American strategic bombing, 1940–1945
- Part III Fighting Forces
- Bibliographical essays
- Index
- Plate Section (PDF Only)
Summary
The summer of 1940 is hallowed in the memory of the English-speaking peoples. The BEF returned, alive but beaten, leaving its kit behind. On 30 June, when victory over France was sure, Adolf Hitler received a proposal about how to beat Britain, from his chief advisor in the OKW, General Jodl. Although Jodl combined the efforts of the three Wehrmacht services, his emphasis was on shattering Britain's air force and economy. The Luftwaffe was excellent at ground support and air superiority. Its fighter aircraft matched British ones, its pilots initially were better, and their tactics remained so. The Luftwaffe was most effective between 24 August and 5 September 1940, when it attacked forward RAF airbases and their C3I systems. Even then, it caused too little damage to approach victory, and could not sustain its losses. Hitler had greater ambitions than Britain could tolerate: his terms must wreck British independence and integrity, and leave it completely at his mercy.
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- The Cambridge History of the Second World War , pp. 315 - 330Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2015