Wow, Bravo for bringing to light something that is NEVER discussed. Romanticizing WWII is truly a dishonor to those who made the ultimate sacrifice as well as those who had to "move on" after the war with so many invisible scars, going back to "normal" as if what they just went through wasn't the most horrific thing to ever happen to them. This needs to be talked about more. Let's dispel this romantic idea that suffering and sacrificing during war time is somehow the "ideal." It is not. 👏
I'm a kiwi. My father was a 75 squadron bomber command pilot. He was 21-22 at the time. We, as a family, also carry some scars of WW2, even though I wasn't born until 1968, because the only way Dad could cope with what he'd had to do, was to drink. He still worked - three jobs sometimes - but when home, he drank. Needless to say, the fallout from that wasn't pretty. So, yeah, while there is nostalgia tied to how people coped, they were often in pieces for the rest of their lives. An uncle suffered from shell-shock for years, diving to the floor if a car backfired. He'd served in Egypt. As the saying goes, War never determines who was right, only who is left.
My Mother brought me up on stories of the blitz in Salford, Manchester. The blackout, the shelters, gaps between houses, she didn’t sugarcoat any of it. They sat on the cellar steps one December night and her Mum cut the Christmas cake - they didn’t think they would survive to eat it at Christmas! Mum was conscripted into the ATS and told me she was so much better fed than her family at home. I think there was a resilient blitz spirit, but dogged determination more than anything else. (I am in my 70s).
Your video woke a memory of something from my childhood in the 1970's. I had a friend whose mother was from Germany. We used to play in the crawlspace at her house. It was outfitted quite comfortably, had lights, food, carpet, a radio and we would play games in what we thought of as a play fort. It wasn't until years later we realized it was her mom's way of being prepared. Her mom had been a little girl and lived through the Allied bombings in Germany. There's no doubt that living through a war will have long-term effects on people.
"Blitz Spirit" gives me images of Churchill visiting a part of the East end after a raid and saying "We can take it" to a bunch of housewives digging through the rubble of what used to be their homes looking for their belongings. At seeing and hearing Churchill's patronising comment they all started to throw bricks at him and told him "where he could take it" and "We're the ones taking it" he then got back quickly in his car and drove off.
There's a phrase that comes to mind every time I research WWII and PTSD in my quest to understand my grandparents's PTSD: We survived but not in one piece.
@@l.annahlstromdickson7497 My father sometimes had nightmares, he had recurring malaria until l was about ten. But he was always jolly and kind. My parents put that part of their life in a box, and turned the key. It helped them get on with life and enjoy it. I've always tried to follow their example.
You can't blame any government in wartime for attempting to raise the morale of the nation by using propaganda and for attempting to demoralise the spirit of the enemy, both armed forces and civilians. Great video.
Yeah. I think it's a good idea, but still help people afterward to get the right help. We still didn't know a whole lot about mental health then and it wasn't "manly" to say you needed help.
I was a child in the blitz and evacuated later to Grimsby. I can tell you that the people of the England at that time were totally different from those of the present day. Time and distance have the same effect, so you are correct, it is impossible to compare modern UK with Britain at the time. " The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there" LP Hartley
My first boyfriend was British (I'm American) born in 1945. He was 5'5". His younger brother born in 1952, after most, though not all of the rationing was over, was 5'11". Both his parents were comparatively tall for the time. Rationing kept his mother healthy enough for him to be born, but not so healthy that there weren't consequences for him.
My grandad was awarded a medal which was due to be given at our cathedral, as I was his main care and support I began to discuss plans for travel etc but was stopped abruptly with grandad saying he wasn't going and that if they called again "tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine, it was all a bloody lie." that was all he said and it was never mentioned again.
I heard a lovely story on the radio the other week about a piano. The caller said his grandmother survived a bombing in London, after the raid was over she sat down and played “There’ll always be an England” On another note, I’ve read that people were killing the family pets because they couldn’t stretch the rations to feed them, a horrible but factual part of this period in history.
Both my parents survived the blitz, my dad lost his entire extended family in one night. PTSD wasn’t a thing back then, however, the episodes of rage, anger & violence my sister & I were subjected to over the years, makes sense now.
It's so incredibly sad that our parents and grandparents lived in a time when mental health was not only a taboo subject, but also, the real help they so desperately needed simply wasn't available.
Yes and when a person is bombarded with daily propaganda ( and a lot of it was necessary to keep the country from giving up and surrendering) then that same person feels that they should just “buck up” and carry on. Because after all, “our lads have it so much harder on the war front,”
Another thing that shouldn't be forgotten is the rise of crime and the black market during this period. Bombed houses represented easy pickings for the light fingered.
Thanks Hannah - you are an educator - it’s good to look at things from a different perspective. My father fought in WW2 but like many who served, he didn’t want to talk about his experiences as they were too harrowing. We owe that generation so very much. Your videos get better and better.
Actually, it had more to do with projecting a spirit of determination - which was necessary if Britain hoped to encourage the U.S. to enter the war. America held England at arm’s length during the first years of WWII (to our enduring shame). Part of the reason it did so was not just that it didn’t want to suffer its own losses - but because there was a general impression that the war could not be won, as the Nazi line was deemed practically impenetrable. And when one considers the toll on human life on D-Day, we can appreciate how soberingly correct such estimations were. The U.S. didn’t want to dip its toe in European affairs - only to watch Britain collapse under German pressure shortly thereafter. Psychologically, people are far less apt to join a losing side than a winning one (which is why projected election results aren’t announced until after polls close). Anyway, this is why maintaining the illusion of British confidence was considered vital.
My parents were in their teens and early 20s during WW2. I think the biggest difference between their generation and later ones, is just the level of daily discomfort that they took for granted. Something that lasted well into the 1970s, for many.
As an American who enjoys learning about your history, I totally get what you're saying. Those that haven't been exposed to the real stories and diaries of people who lived through the war only get a romanticized view of such a tragic time in history. I will say this though, the British public never gave up and deserve the utmost respect.
Thanks for doing this. I've read Home Front diaries from that era which present a very different picture to the whole Britain Can Take It vibe. People were understandably angry. And the whole your efforts will give us victory one was withdrawn because it was so unpopular. It was seen as YOU do all the work and make the sacrifices, and WE the elite will have all the victory. And the whole idea that everyone was a better human being then is absurd. There were serial-killers at large in the blackout, rapists and con-men.
The impression I was given from my grandfather, in a reserved occupation was you worked long hours and then had other jobs to do, his was a guard of the mine he worked at because people broke in and stole the coal that was needed for trains in this case. Not much we're all in this together spirit when you can't heat your house in winter because of coal rationing. Many of the miners would give away coal they had "acquired" to widow's and old folks too so the worse off didn't go without. I can't remember my grandfather calling the war the best time of his life.
This one made me think about Another TH-camr, J. Draper, who made a similar video just a few months ago. It's fascinating how much the attitudes and propaganda of that era mirror our own today. Awesome video. I can't wait to see more like it! 😊
Hi. Just found your channel because of the little bytham connection. Five minutes into this one and subbed. I live in a thirties semi with jellymould lampshades and Edwardian dining chairs ( my grannies) i drive a 1961 land rover as my daily and own old motorbikes and deco jugs. But im under no illusions and hate British exceptionalism. Its never done us any favours. Now back to the blitz and looting
Excellent video and I agree we can over romanticise any period. I’m a big fan of the clothes etc from this time period and I’m in the process of slowly renovating my home. I appreciate your work. It’s Veterans Day in the US. 🇺🇸 have a blessed day.
Hannah thank for doing this . I to am still upset that the press wove WW2 and covid together obviously two different things. What was going on and what those people had to endure every single day is beyond my 12:58 ❤️imagination. Thank you again for doing this .
I come from Hull and my mum would tell me alot of stories of the war. How her family lost 3 homes through bombing. How she was evacuated, the rationing. The loss of her father, who was killed in action. Hull was significantly bombed. Peoples lives were lost, places of work bombed. As my mum used to say to me. " There was no glory, or winners in war, everyone lost". I know the war had a profound effect on her and throughout her life.
I was once told by a history teacher that the Keep Calm poster was only meant to be displayed in the event we were invaded by Germany and it's allies. As this never happened the posters weren't required and most of them were trashed after the war.
Thank you so much for highlighting the difference between what people want to believe and reality. I've read every mass observation diary I can get my hands on, and they paint a very different picture of how people felt during this period than the highly romanticized version we're fed by TV programs and historical fiction. I recommend The Secret History of the Blitz by Joshua Levine for people interested in reading more about this topic.
I love your site, and I feel there might be a connection between depression and modern day life. I love your old style kitchen, I sometimes feel those grey and dark grey commodities fridge, stove etc, although easily maintained are dull and too boring on the eye. The eye looks at dull charcoal, instead of a bright fridge and stove like you have. Your site is wonderful, endurance wouldn't describe what our ancestors went through, and they kept going, and so will we. Thank you.
I didn't learn about WW2 at school. The War was only 20 years before I was at school. I'm really interested in Social History, so educated myself on the subject. Due to this, I've become informed through facts. What's important to remember is that it really was a very different World back then. A couple of examples of that would be where a doctor didn't always tell a patient how serious their diagnosis was, or the number of people we hear about who were adopted but had no idea until they were adults. When the bare truth was held back from the public, it was seen more as (wrongly IMHO) shielding them from the grim horrors of what was actually taking place; avoiding alarm when there wasn't really a choice. about "keeping calm and carrying on". Another thing to consider is National security. Even if the British people realised it was propaganda that "We can take it", our enemies somewhat believed it. Another well put together video, thank you!
Scary Like a conversation late at night after the tv stations closed down. 50 years ago. And you're correct, millions were terrified. Cigarettes in 1940 were priced at 2020 pandemic levels. I remember being charged £2 for a paper face mask to wear on the bus. You can buy a 100 now for £5.
I’ve just found your channel and I love your content. I’m fascinated about the home front and WW2 in general (I have a special place in my heart for the RAF), as an Australian who lived in the UK for a few years I feel that the British home front is very dear to me after living where it happened. I enjoyed learning a lot in this one! I wonder if one reason the journalists etc glorified the ‘Blitz Spirit’ is in the hopes that it might make people feel better, possibly empowered about what was happening to them. Now, it’s another question if that would actually have had the desired effect… but maybe that was a reason. Thank you for producing such quality videos!
You’re really going from strength to strength with your videos! This is a sobering account of the so-called “keep calm and carry on” ideology. By all means, to strive to be the best we can be on an individual level and as a collective is absolutely great, but covering up the truth of people’s suffering to the point where it alters future generations perspectives of how to deal with certain traumas is just so detached.
Keep spreading the truth and let us not forget and pass on true history and what really happened to us in the past. Now more than ever, governments and people are trying to erase, remove, hide, blur, and lie about the past and what happened back then. Its up to us to keep the past and the truth alive. Well done love
The national myth building began in 1940 and continues to this day. It was particularly strong when I was a kid in the 1960s/70s, where there was a whole industry built on WW2 movies, tv shows, books, comics and toys. We were basicaly taught that Britain had won the war, with a "little" help from the Commonwealth and United States. Our allies from Russia and China rarely (if ever) got a mention, as they were our cold war enemies and subsequently a thoroughly bad lot.
This has nothing to do with your recent video but you inspire me to buy more vintage or antique furniture. I just purchased from a thrift store a waterfall wardrobe. Never seen one that when I pull out the 2nd to top drawer it turns into a desk! These craftsmen were genius! Got it for 225.00 and on line sells for 1200.00.
What the heck are you talking about? Who do you think are the “so few” that “so many” sacrificed for? Are you actually so silly as to believe that had Britain not taken up arms against Germany that Germany would have just “let England be?”
I watched a documentary about the War that went into detail about the morale of the British during the War, and how the government pushed the people to have the fabled Blitz Spirit. My grandparents never really spoke about the war. They only told me three things: 1 They lived in London early in the War, and didn’t use the underground. My nan said it was dirty and smelly, and overcrowded. However, one night when the air raid sirens went off my grandad said they should go to the underground. When they came up the next day their block of flats had taken a direct hit. They were able to leave London and went to live with my great grandmother in Sussex. 2 You never know when food may become scarce. 3 The Canadian soldiers that camped in their village gave sweets and tinned fruit to the children and the soldiers were so very young.
As you know Sweden didn't take part in the war, but we also have a lie about something called 'The Preparedness Spirit'. Sweden was NOT prepared to take part in the war (the military was in bad shape in 1939) and people didn't like rationing, blockades etc, but the propaganda at the time and many years later claimed that this was the case.
I would like to give you an example to support your outlook!. My Dad from Liverpool, was in The Royal Marines fighting in North Africa and Italy Sometimes instead of traveling all the way back to Liverpool "on leave" he would go back to North London with his friend to his family in White Hart Lane (yes they did support Tottenham) He told me of a time on leave with his friend in North London's bombed out areas when people were in the rubble finding bodies and recovering what the could ... Churchill turned up in an open top limousine along with a film crew and started to shout "We Can Take It" ... the people turned against him verbally and told him where to Go !!! it was filmed but NEVER SHOWN !!!.
Hi, I was born in London just after the war ended and I can remember the many bomb sites all around where we lived. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been listening to bombs exploding all around and wondering when you would be getting hit.
I really appreciated this video. Here in America we don't have quite the same nostalgia for WW2 but I will say the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and sometimes even Gen X have this impression that everything in the past was great and they either feel sorry for younger folks (which helps nothing) or they think we're wimps because we value sensitivity and emotional awareness more. They can be quite callous. I think it's so important to have a balanced view of the past and not paint everything like "modern times/people are terrible".
Part of how Capitalism works is by pitting the generations against eachother so that we never actually blame those with great power and wealth. They keep us all fighting so that we never look up. Scapegoats have to be identified for all the mistakes of the ruling classes. It's all part of 'divide and conquer' which has been going on for centuries.
My mother was a, young girl in, WW2, heard the sirens go and, took shelter under the, dinner table. Positioned in the, door frame. Heard bombs going off, and counted, like we do with lightning. Hesrd they, booms getting closer. Braced herself heard a, crash upstairs, came out when the, booms faded. Everybody did. To look at the, German planes. They were tougher people then. Saw parachute on the, roof. Bomb squad turn up. Bomb had gone through the roof and got caught up in the rafters. "If that bomb had gone off. I wouldn't be here talking to you now" Neither would we. I said.
I have to say that I don't like this clickbait title. I was speaking last week to a 95 yr old lady who was 10 at the time of the Coventry blitz that lasted 10 hours whilst she hid in a friend's pantry. There was utter devastation. Of course she wasn't happy about it! But in her words 'when I look back, they were some of the happiest times in my life'. She said people DID help each other and adults tried to keep chipper for the sake of the children. My mum and dad grew up in the war and they said the same. My dad lost his dad (my grandad) in the London blitz and dad's house was bombed while he was having a bath at the age of 14 (had to come outside with a towel wrapped round him). But he said his mum kept the household going and great friends were made. Speak to the elderly who were there. I think that when things are SO painfully bad and worrying, a survival community spirit comes out and people have no choice but to make the best of things. Films of the era were deliberately escapist and upbeat. People would go to the flicks every week to cheer themselves and they would sing songs in pubs etc with wartorn devastation all around them. Today so many people are on anti-depressants and are worried and poor and yet the films and tv are depressing, the adverts are depressing and the politicians are awful! They say suicide is really high today yet we have no blitz! Community spirit and making do has gone out of the window and our countryside and living skills have been lost. Kids don't seem to have hope or magic as much in their lives. Children's books in schools and modern school curriculums are depressing in my view. Not to mention the modern 'architecture' and surroundings.
I agree my grandmother has said pretty much the same thing as that 95 year old you spoke to. my grandmother is 94 she's told me lots of stories from her childhood about the war and how things were and how my great great parents were she's said it was the most happiest time of her life although she was terrified and was sent away to the country for a period with her two sisters she speaks fondly of those times and the community spirit and neighbours and how everyone did in fact just get on with it they all helped eachother .I've got plenty of stories from my nan I love listening to her and make a point of constantly asking her about the war bless her she loves telling me about that time .
My aunt, at the age of 12 took over the running of a household of 13 when her mum died in the war, she had 5 children younger than her, the older ones were either called up or working to bring in money to feed them all --food prices rose alarmingly. So this little girl was expected to grieve her mum, become mum, deal with rations and do laundry for 12 others.
I am still in possession of letters from my Grandmother who came from England and was living in Alberta Canada and her Sister in law during this awful time. They are very descriptive and were considering sending their children to my Grandparents. There was fear in those letters. My Grandfather even reenlisted in the Army. We can't or shouldn't forget what they went through.
I must admit that I have rewatched Lucy Worsley's documentary on it many times. In a weird way it was wrong, but in another way it kept the spirit up and meant that us, the English people kept going. We felt that there was something to live for and we knew that it will all be over then. Thankfully I wasn't born then but still I feel a part of that during recent events such as the pandemic.
The point of the video is that spirits were *not* ‘kept up’ during the war - and the so-called Blitz Spirit was a complete illusion which many people resented.
I always figured people were pretty much punch drunk after a few weeks and just kept going because stopping would have meant death. Just one foot in front of the other. Life over the past decade has been pretty much a case of rolling with the punches. Get up, dust myself off and get on with it. I'm 62 and have seen some shit. Nothing prepared me for the 2000s. Nothing. I just reel in reaction most days, head spinning. I'm going to have a nervous breakdown one of these days. I've earned it and by Hannah I'm going to have it.
I always feel for the women who lost people in world war 1 perhaps a lover or a father and then had to face their husbands and sons going off in world war 2. They must have wanted to break when war was declared yet againx
Makes you think there is more time between now and 9/11 then between the end and start of the World Wars. Many men who were wounded in the First World War were still being treated for their wounds when the Second World War began.
Thank you for telling how it really was, I knew the milkman photo was fake and that the poster was never used. I was born in March 1945 so have been brought up on 2nd world war, my parents and grandparents to them it was a reality, but they never really spoke about the hardships they suffered, I know my father's grandmother was killed when a landmine dropped near her home, and his aunt survived that bombing, the house I lived in was lifted up when another landmine was dropped at the top of the road, all the door frames and window frames were all moved, the bedroom ceiling fell in, but they just got on and cleared up went to work, if you didn't work you didn't get any money NO SOCIAL SERVICES like today no hand outs, what they did talk about was the good times they had, I never heard them complain about rationing, and I can remember that I was 9 when it finally finished. I never felt I had gone without anything, and all the family photos' taken during that war everyone was smiling and looked well dressed and smart. I live in Birmingham and when it was bombed and it did have a lot of bombing the news would say a town in the midlands, because at that time it was a big industrial city with a Gun Quarter a very large car industry and manufactured so many things, the factories were turned over to produce guns aeroplane and military vehicles. I think London was pushed to the front of the media, just because it was London the capital city of England a town the Americans would recognize, as we were desperate for them to help us.
It wasn’t a lie at all, it might have been overplayed, not might was overplayed. Did criminals/ evil people take advantage of blackouts etc yes they totally did. Were people worried, upset, anxious, angry and devastated often due to the blitz and loved ones being away fighting or been killed, absolutely they were. Remember most people lived in poverty and slums which most people can’t imagine now. I remember my grandparents house off a street that had factories around it, no bathrooms or heating and a loo in the backyard, only in the late 1970s were they moved into an old age pensioners bungalow and the old ‘slums’ demolished. Most people just about managed to feed and clothe children, you didn’t eat a lot of fruit or veg, eggs or meat like today, most people ate if lucky small amounts of cheaper cut of meats but mostly had offal. For most it was plain and small amounts of food even before wartime. Lots of children wore sand shoes because parents couldn’t afford actual shoes were my father lived. In my town the blitz was just behind London for the damage it caused and a report only released a few years ago was kept during wartime on the effect war had on people, quite a few were so frightened of being killed in the bombings that they committed suicide. I’m late fifties and apart from a couple of funny stories my grandparents and people of their generation never ever talked about the war, of all they went through the horror they put a lid on it to keep the nightmares at bay. Normal everyday people got on and helped each other as they always did, community spirit was common unlike today. People were people at the end of the day with all the emotions we have today. Unfortunately there a lot of high profile historians even at universities that have no shame in lying about our history and change facts for their agendas, one of their favourites is blasting our country at war.
Well said, when people call us privileged, l have to laugh. Half of the children that went to school with my father, had no shoes and socks. Two thirds of my friends lived in slums. Were people nicer, kinder, more moral then. Yes, they were. They had nothing, but they all helped each other.
Londoners in the East End were locked out of tube stations because the authorities didn't think they would leave them to go to work. 1/2 a million pets were destroyed in the first week because they thought it would be so bad they wouldn't be able to feed them.
After every missile attack, I drink coffee and eat something sweet. It helps me relax. Don't skimp on a hot drink and sweets in such cases. In these moments and times, you have a choice: either stay calm and carry on despite the anxieties and difficulties and slowly rebuild yourself and what was destroyed or break down and dive deep down and let the enemy defeat you.
The Keep Calm posters were not issued because the previous two were pretty much ridiculed by the public. Lucy Worsley has a BBC programme about the so called blitz spirit, definitely worth watching
They reckon suicide, looting and thieving in the back outs were rife, same as divorce went up when men came back from war but I also think it's good to romanticise a bit because people did support each other and we overcome so much x ps love your videos x ps I agree about the pandemic. They kept cinemas and dance halls open during the war because people needed to see each other and let off steam to keep going. We were isolated during the pandemic x
This was an interesting video. No one talked about the toxic aspect of the war all the stuff you inhaled, and all the things that were around you that were toxic the chemicals, the air.
I have heard the stories of a neighbours older relative who Was a little girl during WW2 in germany. She was supposed to go out and run erands with her Sister. When She came back her House was bombed down with a Napalm bomb. Her aunt was still standing there burned to a crip. Standing! War is horrifying, and the true resilliance was the pure will to survive. When the war was in full Action the glory of it was Tony pretty fast. Thats why I really admire the movie "Nothing new in the West", the original as Well as the recently reboot. Especially in the reboot the exitement of the young soldiers for the war contrast so Well the later exhaustion and Terror. And the utter pointlessness of All the bloodshed. I think thats a very good way to imagine how the General public experience the war on both sides. The morale might have been strong in the beginning, but relality kicked in After the first bombs Fell. At least for the ones they Fell on.
So they lied to us? Why am I not shocked. Indeed, people would have been looking forward to the time when it was all over BTW, I love your 1940's home & outfit. I'm going to join your 31.5K subscribers and have a look at more of your posts
My Mum and her Family in Plymouth Devon Uk used to leave The city at Night ‘ and go to a little Shed her Grand dad had built out on Dartmoor , for the family to escape the night Bombing of Plymouth 😮❤ during the Battle of Britain mum would stand out side watching the planes going over and the Dog Fights poor Gran her mum used to get so worried watching her daughter 😂 mum worked in the Restaurant of the Department store pophams all the American film stars of the day would come there from the Liners to Eat she met many big stars Gary Grant ect
Keep Calm And Carry On posters were to be used in case of German occupation, which is why it was never actually used at the time. It makes sense also that propaganda, especially at that time, would want to paint a picture of calm and defiance. An effective tool used by all parties involved.
Alot of people might not know this, whilst big city's were bombed Swansea and Neath were as well. Also, my home town but it just destroyed a field and some windows luckily. Apparently, the German plane was too heavy so they released the bomb and it hit a playing field. No one was using at the time luckily.
The highlighting of what Hull area suffered is heartbreaking. So to the areas of Hartlepool further up the north east coast. The North always gets a rough deal. Interesting the propaganda that was used back then. And nothing has changed today in 2025. And 2020 was on steriods.
I will counter though, that in the middle of the war, the British government couldn't just put up it"s hands and say,"oh well, Germany one!" That is the whole point of the propaganda.
PLUS ALL THE WOMEN WHO DID JOBS THAT WERE ALIEN TO THEM, MOST MENS WORK, THAT KEPT THE SPIRIT AS WELL AND HELPED THE CAUSE OF HOW VALUABLE WOMEN WERE AND STILL ARE
One question that's never been asked nor answered: Why wasn't Thatcher called u p either into the forces or for war work? All women aged 17-51 were liable for conscription under the National Service Act (No.2) 1939, but she never served. Not one day. And she was born in 1926, so she should have been drafted in 1943. Especially as the draft was extended at the time due to the big run-up to D-Day.
Being “liable for conscription” beginning at age 17 does not equate to a mandatory assignment as of one’s 17th birthday. Are you suggesting that every 17 & 18 year old girl had wartime duties? Anyway, perhaps it had something to do with the fact that her family were grocers - one of those “social necessities” which may have exempted her from serving.
My Mother was 'bombed' out of her family home during an air raid on the Victoria docks in the east end of London. She had to be dug out of the Anderson shelter, her neighbors all dying from a direct hit. She always reminded me of her seeing a Policeman looting silver cutlery from the rubble. Let's not forget that it was the British government that ordered and carried out the bombing of civilian targets in Germany first, before they responded in kind.
No. Not so. "Germany dropped bombs on London first, with British retaliation on Berlin the next day. On the night of August 24, 1940, Luftwaffe bombers dropped their bombs on the center of London destroying several homes and killing civilians. Amid the public outrage that followed, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, ordered Berlin to be bombed the next evening. The fact that the German bombing of London may have been accidental was not known at the time. Germany had earlier in the year been bombing civilians in other countries, so it was expected from them." "One thing is certain, however: the Germans were deliberately targeting civilians in Poland, Norway, and the Netherlands[1] before Britain got involved. Something they practiced in 1937 in Guernica[2]during the Spanish civil war. They began the bombing of civilians, just not in Britain."
They did endure and defied. They qued for rations, cooperated by squashing into the tube stations, and took on new jobs and separations. All classes served, the rich gave over their properties and even the royal family had the food and clothing rations.
I would like to see how people these days cope with exactly the same situation! With the selfish, entitled attitude that they have today then I doubt anything would carry on, they would just be crying about why their internet would not work.
Wow, Bravo for bringing to light something that is NEVER discussed. Romanticizing WWII is truly a dishonor to those who made the ultimate sacrifice as well as those who had to "move on" after the war with so many invisible scars, going back to "normal" as if what they just went through wasn't the most horrific thing to ever happen to them. This needs to be talked about more. Let's dispel this romantic idea that suffering and sacrificing during war time is somehow the "ideal." It is not. 👏
Couldn't agree more.
I'm a kiwi. My father was a 75 squadron bomber command pilot. He was 21-22 at the time. We, as a family, also carry some scars of WW2, even though I wasn't born until 1968, because the only way Dad could cope with what he'd had to do, was to drink. He still worked - three jobs sometimes - but when home, he drank. Needless to say, the fallout from that wasn't pretty. So, yeah, while there is nostalgia tied to how people coped, they were often in pieces for the rest of their lives. An uncle suffered from shell-shock for years, diving to the floor if a car backfired. He'd served in Egypt. As the saying goes, War never determines who was right, only who is left.
My Mother brought me up on stories of the blitz in Salford, Manchester. The blackout, the shelters, gaps between houses, she didn’t sugarcoat any of it. They sat on the cellar steps one December night and her Mum cut the Christmas cake - they didn’t think they would survive to eat it at Christmas! Mum was conscripted into the ATS and told me she was so much better fed than her family at home. I think there was a resilient blitz spirit, but dogged determination more than anything else. (I am in my 70s).
Your video woke a memory of something from my childhood in the 1970's. I had a friend whose mother was from Germany. We used to play in the crawlspace at her house. It was outfitted quite comfortably, had lights, food, carpet, a radio and we would play games in what we thought of as a play fort. It wasn't until years later we realized it was her mom's way of being prepared. Her mom had been a little girl and lived through the Allied bombings in Germany. There's no doubt that living through a war will have long-term effects on people.
"Blitz Spirit" gives me images of Churchill visiting a part of the East end after a raid and saying "We can take it" to a bunch of housewives digging through the rubble of what used to be their homes looking for their belongings. At seeing and hearing Churchill's patronising comment they all started to throw bricks at him and told him "where he could take it" and "We're the ones taking it" he then got back quickly in his car and drove off.
There's a phrase that comes to mind every time I research WWII and PTSD in my quest to understand my grandparents's PTSD: We survived but not in one piece.
@@l.annahlstromdickson7497 My father sometimes had nightmares, he had recurring malaria until l was about ten. But he was always jolly and kind. My parents put that part of their life in a box, and turned the key. It helped them get on with life and enjoy it. I've always tried to follow their example.
You can't blame any government in wartime for attempting to raise the morale of the nation by using propaganda and for attempting to demoralise the spirit of the enemy, both armed forces and civilians.
Great video.
Yeah. I think it's a good idea, but still help people afterward to get the right help. We still didn't know a whole lot about mental health then and it wasn't "manly" to say you needed help.
I was a child in the blitz and evacuated later to Grimsby. I can tell you that the people of the England at that time were totally different from those of the present day. Time and distance have the same effect, so you are correct, it is impossible to compare modern UK with Britain at the time. " The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there" LP Hartley
"The first victim of war is always the truth."
My first boyfriend was British (I'm American) born in 1945. He was 5'5". His younger brother born in 1952, after most, though not all of the rationing was over, was 5'11". Both his parents were comparatively tall for the time. Rationing kept his mother healthy enough for him to be born, but not so healthy that there weren't consequences for him.
My grandad was awarded a medal which was due to be given at our cathedral, as I was his main care and support I began to discuss plans for travel etc but was stopped abruptly with grandad saying he wasn't going and that if they called again "tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine, it was all a bloody lie." that was all he said and it was never mentioned again.
A medal for what?
I heard a lovely story on the radio the other week about a piano. The caller said his grandmother survived a bombing in London, after the raid was over she sat down and played “There’ll always be an England”
On another note, I’ve read that people were killing the family pets because they couldn’t stretch the rations to feed them, a horrible but factual part of this period in history.
Both my parents survived the blitz, my dad lost his entire extended family in one night. PTSD wasn’t a thing back then, however, the episodes of rage, anger & violence my sister & I were subjected to over the years, makes sense now.
It's so incredibly sad that our parents and grandparents lived in a time when mental health was not only a taboo subject, but also, the real help they so desperately needed simply wasn't available.
Yes and when a person is bombarded with daily propaganda ( and a lot of it was necessary to keep the country from giving up and surrendering) then that same person feels that they should just “buck up” and carry on. Because after all, “our lads have it so much harder on the war front,”
@@littlehomeinthevalley It wasn't simply that it was "taboo." It was that people didn't understand what the problem was.
@@terrylopez5452 Well, they DID have it so much harder. They were living in mud trenches and having people drop bombs on them or shooting at them!!!
Well, it was a thing. It just wasn't recognised.
Another thing that shouldn't be forgotten is the rise of crime and the black market during this period. Bombed houses represented easy pickings for the light fingered.
Thanks Hannah - you are an educator - it’s good to look at things from a different perspective. My father fought in WW2 but like many who served, he didn’t want to talk about his experiences as they were too harrowing. We owe that generation so very much. Your videos get better and better.
Hi, I think why the papers played the losses down was to not show the Germans the extent of the damage they caused giving them some kind of victory.
As if the Nazis were thick and didn't know the damage 😂
@@grahamstewart615 This is what I researched.
@@kellystarot1980respect
@@kellystarot1980 Makes sense. It's psychological warfare and it helps enormously.
Actually, it had more to do with projecting a spirit of determination - which was necessary if Britain hoped to encourage the U.S. to enter the war.
America held England at arm’s length during the first years of WWII (to our enduring shame). Part of the reason it did so was not just that it didn’t want to suffer its own losses - but because there was a general impression that the war could not be won, as the Nazi line was deemed practically impenetrable. And when one considers the toll on human life on D-Day, we can appreciate how soberingly correct such estimations were.
The U.S. didn’t want to dip its toe in European affairs - only to watch Britain collapse under German pressure shortly thereafter.
Psychologically, people are far less apt to join a losing side than a winning one (which is why projected election results aren’t announced until after polls close).
Anyway, this is why maintaining the illusion of British confidence was considered vital.
My parents were in their teens and early 20s during WW2. I think the biggest difference between their generation and later ones, is just the level of daily discomfort that they took for granted. Something that lasted well into the 1970s, for many.
Absolutely well said! You raise excellent points about the duplicitous use of propaganda during that time, and THAT other more recent time!
As an American who enjoys learning about your history, I totally get what you're saying. Those that haven't been exposed to the real stories and diaries of people who lived through the war only get a romanticized view of such a tragic time in history. I will say this though, the British public never gave up and deserve the utmost respect.
Thanks for doing this. I've read Home Front diaries from that era which present a very different picture to the whole Britain Can Take It vibe. People were understandably angry. And the whole your efforts will give us victory one was withdrawn because it was so unpopular. It was seen as YOU do all the work and make the sacrifices, and WE the elite will have all the victory. And the whole idea that everyone was a better human being then is absurd. There were serial-killers at large in the blackout, rapists and con-men.
The impression I was given from my grandfather, in a reserved occupation was you worked long hours and then had other jobs to do, his was a guard of the mine he worked at because people broke in and stole the coal that was needed for trains in this case. Not much we're all in this together spirit when you can't heat your house in winter because of coal rationing. Many of the miners would give away coal they had "acquired" to widow's and old folks too so the worse off didn't go without. I can't remember my grandfather calling the war the best time of his life.
This one made me think about Another TH-camr, J. Draper, who made a similar video just a few months ago. It's fascinating how much the attitudes and propaganda of that era mirror our own today. Awesome video. I can't wait to see more like it! 😊
Hi. Just found your channel because of the little bytham connection. Five minutes into this one and subbed. I live in a thirties semi with jellymould lampshades and Edwardian dining chairs ( my grannies) i drive a 1961 land rover as my daily and own old motorbikes and deco jugs. But im under no illusions and hate British exceptionalism. Its never done us any favours. Now back to the blitz and looting
Excellent video and I agree we can over romanticise any period. I’m a big fan of the clothes etc from this time period and I’m in the process of slowly renovating my home. I appreciate your work. It’s Veterans Day in the US. 🇺🇸 have a blessed day.
Armistice day here.
@ thought so … poppies
That is one huge cup.😊
Hannah thank for doing this . I to am still upset that the press wove WW2 and covid together obviously two different things. What was going on and what those people had to endure every single day is beyond my 12:58 ❤️imagination. Thank you again for doing this .
I come from Hull and my mum would tell me alot of stories of the war. How her family lost 3 homes through bombing. How she was evacuated, the rationing. The loss of her father, who was killed in action. Hull was significantly bombed. Peoples lives were lost, places of work bombed. As my mum used to say to me. " There was no glory, or winners in war, everyone lost". I know the war had a profound effect on her and throughout her life.
I was once told by a history teacher that the Keep Calm poster was only meant to be displayed in the event we were invaded by Germany and it's allies. As this never happened the posters weren't required and most of them were trashed after the war.
Bravery is not because of the absence of fear, but in the face of fear.
Wow, some things NEVER change!! Thanks for the video. I really enjoy your videos!!
Thank you so much for highlighting the difference between what people want to believe and reality. I've read every mass observation diary I can get my hands on, and they paint a very different picture of how people felt during this period than the highly romanticized version we're fed by TV programs and historical fiction. I recommend The Secret History of the Blitz by Joshua Levine for people interested in reading more about this topic.
I love your site, and I feel there might be a connection between depression and modern day life. I love your old style kitchen, I sometimes feel those grey and dark grey commodities fridge, stove etc, although easily maintained are dull and too boring on the eye. The eye looks at dull charcoal, instead of a bright fridge and stove like you have. Your site is wonderful, endurance wouldn't describe what our ancestors went through, and they kept going, and so will we. Thank you.
I didn't learn about WW2 at school. The War was only 20 years before I was at school. I'm really interested in Social History, so educated myself on the subject. Due to this, I've become informed through facts. What's important to remember is that it really was a very different World back then. A couple of examples of that would be where a doctor didn't always tell a patient how serious their diagnosis was, or the number of people we hear about who were adopted but had no idea until they were adults. When the bare truth was held back from the public, it was seen more as (wrongly IMHO) shielding them from the grim horrors of what was actually taking place; avoiding alarm when there wasn't really a choice. about "keeping calm and carrying on". Another thing to consider is National security. Even if the British people realised it was propaganda that "We can take it", our enemies somewhat believed it. Another well put together video, thank you!
Always good when one becomes “informed through facts….”🤔
A lot of honesty coming out in these comments by many of us who met eye witnesses.
Our elders.
Respect
Scary
Like a conversation late at night after the tv stations closed down.
50 years ago.
And you're correct, millions were terrified.
Cigarettes in 1940 were priced at 2020 pandemic levels.
I remember being charged £2 for a paper face mask to wear on the bus.
You can buy a 100 now for £5.
Your videos are always so very interesting.. thank you!
Fabulous work and debunking of rose coloured constructions of reality!
It must have been such a traumatic time for so many people who were just trying to survive. Definitely something to think about.
I can't think of evacuations without thinking of Goodnight Mr Tom 😭
I’ve just found your channel and I love your content. I’m fascinated about the home front and WW2 in general (I have a special place in my heart for the RAF), as an Australian who lived in the UK for a few years I feel that the British home front is very dear to me after living where it happened.
I enjoyed learning a lot in this one! I wonder if one reason the journalists etc glorified the ‘Blitz Spirit’ is in the hopes that it might make people feel better, possibly empowered about what was happening to them. Now, it’s another question if that would actually have had the desired effect… but maybe that was a reason.
Thank you for producing such quality videos!
You’re really going from strength to strength with your videos!
This is a sobering account of the so-called “keep calm and carry on” ideology.
By all means, to strive to be the best we can be on an individual level and as a collective is absolutely great, but covering up the truth of people’s suffering to the point where it alters future generations perspectives of how to deal with certain traumas is just so detached.
Keep spreading the truth and let us not forget and pass on true history and what really happened to us in the past. Now more than ever, governments and people are trying to erase, remove, hide, blur, and lie about the past and what happened back then. Its up to us to keep the past and the truth alive. Well done love
The national myth building began in 1940 and continues to this day. It was particularly strong when I was a kid in the 1960s/70s, where there was a whole industry built on WW2 movies, tv shows, books, comics and toys. We were basicaly taught that Britain had won the war, with a "little" help from the Commonwealth and United States. Our allies from Russia and China rarely (if ever) got a mention, as they were our cold war enemies and subsequently a thoroughly bad lot.
Have a look into the Holodomor
This has nothing to do with your recent video but you inspire me to buy more vintage or antique furniture. I just purchased from a thrift store a waterfall wardrobe. Never seen one that when I pull out the 2nd to top drawer it turns into a desk! These craftsmen were genius! Got it for 225.00 and on line sells for 1200.00.
I love all your videos, you have a wonderful way of presenting ❤
Never in the field of human conflict was so much sacrificed by so many for so few.This should have the words Churchill used.
💯
True, but his we shall never surrender speech was magnificent
What the heck are you talking about?
Who do you think are the “so few” that “so many” sacrificed for?
Are you actually so silly as to believe that had Britain not taken up arms against Germany that Germany would have just “let England be?”
Thank you for this
I watched a documentary about the War that went into detail about the morale of the British during the War, and how the government pushed the people to have the fabled Blitz Spirit.
My grandparents never really spoke about the war. They only told me three things:
1 They lived in London early in the War, and didn’t use the underground. My nan said it was dirty and smelly, and overcrowded. However, one night when the air raid sirens went off my grandad said they should go to the underground. When they came up the next day their block of flats had taken a direct hit. They were able to leave London and went to live with my great grandmother in Sussex.
2 You never know when food may become scarce.
3 The Canadian soldiers that camped in their village gave sweets and tinned fruit to the children and the soldiers were so very young.
As you know Sweden didn't take part in the war, but we also have a lie about something called 'The Preparedness Spirit'. Sweden was NOT prepared to take part in the war (the military was in bad shape in 1939) and people didn't like rationing, blockades etc, but the propaganda at the time and many years later claimed that this was the case.
We should have followed your lead and not taken part, no blitz, no rationing, no over four hundred thousand dead no large scale immigration, if only.
Amazing video x
Absolutely love this video I also love the channel Thankyou so much for posting this I learnt a lot ❤
I would like to give you an example to support your outlook!.
My Dad from Liverpool, was in The Royal Marines fighting in North Africa and Italy
Sometimes instead of traveling all the way back to Liverpool "on leave" he would go back to North London with his friend to his family in White Hart Lane (yes they did support Tottenham)
He told me of a time on leave with his friend in North London's bombed out areas when people were in the rubble finding bodies and recovering what the could ... Churchill turned up in an open top limousine along with a film crew and started to shout "We Can Take It" ... the people turned against him verbally and told him where to Go !!! it was filmed but NEVER SHOWN !!!.
I’d never heard of “bomb chasing” and looting. This video has been eye opening to say the least.
Hi, I was born in London just after the war ended and I can remember the many bomb sites all around where we lived. I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been listening to bombs exploding all around and wondering when you would be getting hit.
I really appreciated this video. Here in America we don't have quite the same nostalgia for WW2 but I will say the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and sometimes even Gen X have this impression that everything in the past was great and they either feel sorry for younger folks (which helps nothing) or they think we're wimps because we value sensitivity and emotional awareness more. They can be quite callous. I think it's so important to have a balanced view of the past and not paint everything like "modern times/people are terrible".
Part of how Capitalism works is by pitting the generations against eachother so that we never actually blame those with great power and wealth. They keep us all fighting so that we never look up. Scapegoats have to be identified for all the mistakes of the ruling classes. It's all part of 'divide and conquer' which has been going on for centuries.
My mother was a, young girl in, WW2, heard the sirens go and, took shelter under the, dinner table. Positioned in the, door frame. Heard bombs going off, and counted, like we do with lightning. Hesrd they, booms getting closer. Braced herself heard a, crash upstairs, came out when the, booms faded. Everybody did. To look at the, German planes. They were tougher people then. Saw parachute on the, roof. Bomb squad turn up. Bomb had gone through the roof and got caught up in the rafters. "If that bomb had gone off. I wouldn't be here talking to you now" Neither would we. I said.
I have to say that I don't like this clickbait title. I was speaking last week to a 95 yr old lady who was 10 at the time of the Coventry blitz that lasted 10 hours whilst she hid in a friend's pantry. There was utter devastation. Of course she wasn't happy about it! But in her words 'when I look back, they were some of the happiest times in my life'. She said people DID help each other and adults tried to keep chipper for the sake of the children. My mum and dad grew up in the war and they said the same. My dad lost his dad (my grandad) in the London blitz and dad's house was bombed while he was having a bath at the age of 14 (had to come outside with a towel wrapped round him). But he said his mum kept the household going and great friends were made. Speak to the elderly who were there. I think that when things are SO painfully bad and worrying, a survival community spirit comes out and people have no choice but to make the best of things. Films of the era were deliberately escapist and upbeat. People would go to the flicks every week to cheer themselves and they would sing songs in pubs etc with wartorn devastation all around them. Today so many people are on anti-depressants and are worried and poor and yet the films and tv are depressing, the adverts are depressing and the politicians are awful! They say suicide is really high today yet we have no blitz! Community spirit and making do has gone out of the window and our countryside and living skills have been lost. Kids don't seem to have hope or magic as much in their lives. Children's books in schools and modern school curriculums are depressing in my view. Not to mention the modern 'architecture' and surroundings.
Couldn't agree more
An excellent and extremely erudite response - you have made me think ….. thank you
I agree my grandmother has said pretty much the same thing as that 95 year old you spoke to. my grandmother is 94 she's told me lots of stories from her childhood about the war and how things were and how my great great parents were she's said it was the most happiest time of her life although she was terrified and was sent away to the country for a period with her two sisters she speaks fondly of those times and the community spirit and neighbours and how everyone did in fact just get on with it they all helped eachother .I've got plenty of stories from my nan I love listening to her and make a point of constantly asking her about the war bless her she loves telling me about that time .
My aunt, at the age of 12 took over the running of a household of 13 when her mum died in the war, she had 5 children younger than her, the older ones were either called up or working to bring in money to feed them all --food prices rose alarmingly. So this little girl was expected to grieve her mum, become mum, deal with rations and do laundry for 12 others.
Well said I'm with you all the way.
I am still in possession of letters from my Grandmother who came from England and was living in Alberta Canada and her Sister in law during this awful time. They are very descriptive and were considering sending their children to my Grandparents. There was fear in those letters. My Grandfather even reenlisted in the Army. We can't or shouldn't forget what they went through.
Never trust a British politician, as relevant now as then!
I grew up with this myth. It was very prevalent when I was a child in the early 1970s. Well done for making this video.
I must admit that I have rewatched Lucy Worsley's documentary on it many times. In a weird way it was wrong, but in another way it kept the spirit up and meant that us, the English people kept going. We felt that there was something to live for and we knew that it will all be over then. Thankfully I wasn't born then but still I feel a part of that during recent events such as the pandemic.
The point of the video is that spirits were *not* ‘kept up’ during the war - and the so-called Blitz Spirit was a complete illusion which many people resented.
I always figured people were pretty much punch drunk after a few weeks and just kept going because stopping would have meant death. Just one foot in front of the other. Life over the past decade has been pretty much a case of rolling with the punches. Get up, dust myself off and get on with it. I'm 62 and have seen some shit. Nothing prepared me for the 2000s. Nothing. I just reel in reaction most days, head spinning. I'm going to have a nervous breakdown one of these days. I've earned it and by Hannah I'm going to have it.
My grandma got a bit of dementia towards the end of her life and she had a few panicky episodes thinking the Germans were bombing Deansgate again.
I always feel for the women who lost people in world war 1 perhaps a lover or a father and then had to face their husbands and sons going off in world war 2. They must have wanted to break when war was declared yet againx
Makes you think there is more time between now and 9/11 then between the end and start of the World Wars.
Many men who were wounded in the First World War were still being treated for their wounds when the Second World War began.
Thumbs 👍
Thank you for telling how it really was, I knew the milkman photo was fake and that the poster was never used. I was born in March 1945 so have been brought up on 2nd world war, my parents and grandparents to them it was a reality, but they never really spoke about the hardships they suffered, I know my father's grandmother was killed when a landmine dropped near her home, and his aunt survived that bombing, the house I lived in was lifted up when another landmine was dropped at the top of the road, all the door frames and window frames were all moved, the bedroom ceiling fell in, but they just got on and cleared up went to work, if you didn't work you didn't get any money NO SOCIAL SERVICES like today no hand outs, what they did talk about was the good times they had, I never heard them complain about rationing, and I can remember that I was 9 when it finally finished. I never felt I had gone without anything, and all the family photos' taken during that war everyone was smiling and looked well dressed and smart. I live in Birmingham and when it was bombed and it did have a lot of bombing the news would say a town in the midlands, because at that time it was a big industrial city with a Gun Quarter a very large car industry and manufactured so many things, the factories were turned over to produce guns aeroplane and military vehicles. I think London was pushed to the front of the media, just because it was London the capital city of England a town the Americans would recognize, as we were desperate for them to help us.
Bombs are dropped from planes - not land mines.
Land mines are buried in the ground and go off when people step on them.
Well said!
The most common poster in Germany was a picture of an Eagle and the slogan:
Der Sieg unsere Fahnen folgen!
(Victory follows our banners!)
Superb.
It wasn’t a lie at all, it might have been overplayed, not might was overplayed. Did criminals/ evil people take advantage of blackouts etc yes they totally did. Were people worried, upset, anxious, angry and devastated often due to the blitz and loved ones being away fighting or been killed, absolutely they were. Remember most people lived in poverty and slums which most people can’t imagine now. I remember my grandparents house off a street that had factories around it, no bathrooms or heating and a loo in the backyard, only in the late 1970s were they moved into an old age pensioners bungalow and the old ‘slums’ demolished. Most people just about managed to feed and clothe children, you didn’t eat a lot of fruit or veg, eggs or meat like today, most people ate if lucky small amounts of cheaper cut of meats but mostly had offal. For most it was plain and small amounts of food even before wartime. Lots of children wore sand shoes because parents couldn’t afford actual shoes were my father lived. In my town the blitz was just behind London for the damage it caused and a report only released a few years ago was kept during wartime on the effect war had on people, quite a few were so frightened of being killed in the bombings that they committed suicide. I’m late fifties and apart from a couple of funny stories my grandparents and people of their generation never ever talked about the war, of all they went through the horror they put a lid on it to keep the nightmares at bay. Normal everyday people got on and helped each other as they always did, community spirit was common unlike today. People were people at the end of the day with all the emotions we have today. Unfortunately there a lot of high profile historians even at universities that have no shame in lying about our history and change facts for their agendas, one of their favourites is blasting our country at war.
Well said, when people call us privileged, l have to laugh. Half of the children that went to school with my father, had no shoes and socks. Two thirds of my friends lived in slums. Were people nicer, kinder, more moral then. Yes, they were. They had nothing, but they all helped each other.
Londoners in the East End were locked out of tube stations because the authorities didn't think they would leave them to go to work. 1/2 a million pets were destroyed in the first week because they thought it would be so bad they wouldn't be able to feed them.
Wow I never really thought about this but it makes sense thank you 🙏
After every missile attack, I drink coffee and eat something sweet. It helps me relax. Don't skimp on a hot drink and sweets in such cases. In these moments and times, you have a choice: either stay calm and carry on despite the anxieties and difficulties and slowly rebuild yourself and what was destroyed or break down and dive deep down and let the enemy defeat you.
The Keep Calm posters were not issued because the previous two were pretty much ridiculed by the public. Lucy Worsley has a BBC programme about the so called blitz spirit, definitely worth watching
They reckon suicide, looting and thieving in the back outs were rife, same as divorce went up when men came back from war but I also think it's good to romanticise a bit because people did support each other and we overcome so much x ps love your videos x ps I agree about the pandemic. They kept cinemas and dance halls open during the war because people needed to see each other and let off steam to keep going. We were isolated during the pandemic x
This was an interesting video. No one talked about the toxic aspect of the war all the stuff you inhaled, and all the things that were around you that were toxic the chemicals, the air.
I have heard the stories of a neighbours older relative who Was a little girl during WW2 in germany.
She was supposed to go out and run erands with her Sister. When She came back her House was bombed down with a Napalm bomb. Her aunt was still standing there burned to a crip. Standing! War is horrifying, and the true resilliance was the pure will to survive. When the war was in full Action the glory of it was Tony pretty fast. Thats why I really admire the movie "Nothing new in the West", the original as Well as the recently reboot. Especially in the reboot the exitement of the young soldiers for the war contrast so Well the later exhaustion and Terror. And the utter pointlessness of All the bloodshed. I think thats a very good way to imagine how the General public experience the war on both sides. The morale might have been strong in the beginning, but relality kicked in After the first bombs Fell. At least for the ones they Fell on.
i love that green blouse
There's a good book that debunks mist of the myths about the British home front during WW2: "You, You and You!" by Peter Grafton (Pluto Press, 1978).
So they lied to us? Why am I not shocked. Indeed, people would have been looking forward to the time when it was all over
BTW, I love your 1940's home & outfit. I'm going to join your 31.5K subscribers and have a look at more of your posts
My Mum and her Family in Plymouth Devon Uk
used to leave The city at Night ‘
and go to a little Shed her Grand dad had built out on Dartmoor , for the family to escape the night Bombing of Plymouth 😮❤
during the Battle of Britain
mum would stand out side watching the planes going over
and the Dog Fights
poor Gran her mum used to get so worried watching her daughter 😂
mum worked in the Restaurant of the Department store pophams all the American film stars of the day would come there from the Liners to Eat
she met many big stars Gary Grant ect
German trains carried signs that said:
Rader mussen rollen fur dem Sieg!
(Wheels must roll for victory)
Keep Calm And Carry On posters were to be used in case of German occupation, which is why it was never actually used at the time.
It makes sense also that propaganda, especially at that time, would want to paint a picture of calm and defiance. An effective tool used by all parties involved.
👋
I believe the keep calm and carry on posters, didn’t come out till after the war.xx
Sorry see you covered that.x😊
Thank you!
Alot of people might not know this, whilst big city's were bombed Swansea and Neath were as well. Also, my home town but it just destroyed a field and some windows luckily. Apparently, the German plane was too heavy so they released the bomb and it hit a playing field. No one was using at the time luckily.
The highlighting of what Hull area suffered is heartbreaking. So to the areas of Hartlepool further up the north east coast. The North always gets a rough deal. Interesting the propaganda that was used back then. And nothing has changed today in 2025. And 2020 was on steriods.
It was paradise for crooks !
I will counter though, that in the middle of the war, the British government couldn't just put up it"s hands and say,"oh well, Germany one!" That is the whole point of the propaganda.
Love
PLUS ALL THE WOMEN WHO DID JOBS THAT WERE ALIEN TO THEM, MOST MENS WORK, THAT KEPT THE SPIRIT AS WELL AND HELPED THE CAUSE OF HOW VALUABLE WOMEN WERE AND STILL ARE
One question that's never been asked nor answered:
Why wasn't Thatcher called u p either into the forces or for war work? All women aged 17-51 were liable for conscription under the National Service Act (No.2) 1939, but she never served. Not one day. And she was born in 1926, so she should have been drafted in 1943. Especially as the draft was extended at the time due to the big run-up to D-Day.
Being “liable for conscription” beginning at age 17 does not equate to a mandatory assignment as of one’s 17th birthday.
Are you suggesting that every 17 & 18 year old girl had wartime duties?
Anyway, perhaps it had something to do with the fact that her family were grocers - one of those “social necessities” which may have exempted her from serving.
Sometimes lies are necessary.
that's what the black heart of the poppy represents... the lies from the British deep State
My Mother was 'bombed' out of her family home during an air raid on the Victoria docks in the east end of London. She had to be dug out of the Anderson shelter, her neighbors all dying from a direct hit. She always reminded me of her seeing a Policeman looting silver cutlery from the rubble. Let's not forget that it was the British government that ordered and carried out the bombing of civilian targets in Germany first, before they responded in kind.
No. Not so.
"Germany dropped bombs on London first, with British retaliation on Berlin the next day.
On the night of August 24, 1940, Luftwaffe bombers dropped their bombs on the center of London destroying several homes and killing civilians. Amid the public outrage that followed, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, ordered Berlin to be bombed the next evening.
The fact that the German bombing of London may have been accidental was not known at the time.
Germany had earlier in the year been bombing civilians in other countries, so it was expected from them."
"One thing is certain, however: the Germans were deliberately targeting civilians in Poland, Norway, and the Netherlands[1] before Britain got involved. Something they practiced in 1937 in Guernica[2]during the Spanish civil war. They began the bombing of civilians, just not in Britain."
❤
Can you do a video covering Nella Last.
They made a film on her called housewife 49 played by Victoria wood. X
Thanks for the recommendation.
" Hidden Meaning Of Test Card F '
They did endure and defied. They qued for rations, cooperated by squashing into the tube stations, and took on new jobs and separations. All classes served, the rich gave over their properties and even the royal family had the food and clothing rations.
Pure nonsense the rich where all right as for the royals don't get me starred
I would like to see how people these days cope with exactly the same situation! With the selfish, entitled attitude that they have today then I doubt anything would carry on, they would just be crying about why their internet would not work.
You should see what the Labour Party withholds from the public nowadays 😮
Great video.
I am terribly sorry but I love your cup a lot
th-cam.com/video/CnCK2iLVD7o/w-d-xo.html
History Debunked covers this well .