Just watched this and I found it very interesting. It did make me wonder what the effects of a similar onslaught would be like today; Would the reaction of todays population of London and other heavily bombed towns and cities be the same? Would any of our current day polititians be able to inspire the populace to 'remain calm and carry on'? Could anyone do what Churchill did for the 'British spirit'? Personally I very much doubt it - I have little enough faith in our current bunch of polititians without the burden of war - and war on the home front is something that requires something special in leadership to withstand.
i watched it, too, and was very concerned by the omissions - partly due to the policy of censoring the news for the sake of public morale. I was particularly interested in the reaction of he citizens of Bristol, because we had a similar problem in Portsmouth. We were told it might 'give comfort to the enemy' if they knew how much damage had been done in Portsmouth, the 'centre of the British Navy'. It left us feeling very much second-class citizens. What do other members feel? Ednamay
The Home Intelligence files might bear looking through - post Dunkirk and the Blitz knowing how the public felt must have been vital to the politicians making the decisions - however from any perspective it was the beginning of 'spin' and useing propaganda on our own people - the Germans would have damage assessment from air-photos. All in all an intersting program that gave some fresh insights into the Home Front. The files are at HO 262 at TNA Kew
Hi Wish I'd watched it now. Will look to see if it is available online. My father, an RAOC Driver with No2 OFP was sent to Liverpool on Fire Watch duties during the Blitz. Gus
The Home Intelligence files might bear looking through - post Dunkirk and the Blitz knowing how the public felt must have been vital to the politicians making the decisions - however from any perspective it was the beginning of 'spin' and useing propaganda on our own people - the Germans would have damage assessment from air-photos. All in all an intersting program that gave some fresh insights into the Home Front. I'm not sure it'll even be as hidden as that; the governmentwas using the polling company Mass Observation....nowadays known as MORI ...to monitor a whole range of public opinion issues - support for the war, how rationing was perceived etc. etc. as early as late 1939. I wasn't aware of this, but found it out recently on reading Laurence Thompson's "1940" the Germans would have damage assessment from air-photos. A few days or weeks late....but they definitely also got copies of British newspapers in Berlin via Stockholm, Lisbon etc. In the chapters of Fleming on Hitler's psi-war ops before actually issuing Directive 16. we can see that they were using the British Press to monitor how the public was reacting to the various propaganda tricks and peace non-offers So they would know how the British were reporting specific raids etc., and be able to match this with their photographic intel.
