British attitudes to the aerial bombardment of German cities during the Second World War
This thesis examines the attitudes of British people to the aerial bombardment of German cities during the Second World War, with particular attention given to those who challenged the nature of the campaign. I use contemporary sources with a strong emphasis on qualitative data to develop a picture of attitudes at the time and situate the roots of the significant post-war controversy within these contemporary attitudes. The thesis offers a more sustained and textured account of anti-bombing sentiment than other historiographical works. An introductory chapter charts the development of aerial bombing in the early years of the twentieth century. The extent to which Britain engaged with aerial bombardment, and how it was understood by people in Britain, are addressed here. Three case studies â each focusing on a different raid on a German city â are then used to address how attitudes to the bomber offensive were shaped at different stages of the war. The first is the December 1940 attack on Mannheim. This took place during the Blitz on British cities, a factor which has implications for the nature of responses at this time. The question of reprisals is important here. I show how the desire for reprisals was
Weir, Paul
D731 World War II
British attitudes to the aerial bombardment of German cities during the Second World War. This thesis examines the attitudes of British people to the aerial bombardment of German cities during the Second World War, with particular attention given to those who challenged the nature of the campaign. I use contemporary sources with a strong emphasis on qualitative data to develop a picture of attitudes at the time and situate the roots of the significant post-war controversy within these contemporary attitudes. The thesis offers a more sustained and textured account of anti-bombing sentiment than other historiographical works. An introductory chapter charts the development of aerial bombing in the early years of the twentieth century. The extent to which Britain engaged with aerial bombardment, and how it was understood by people in Britain, are addressed here. Three case studies â each focusing on a different raid on a German city â are then used to address how attitudes to the bomber offensive were shaped at different stages of the war. The first is the December 1940 attack on Mannheim. This took place during the Blitz on British cities, a factor which has implications for the nature of responses at this time. The question of reprisals is important here. I show how the desire for reprisals was
british_attitude aerial german city second_world_war examine attitude british people aerial german city second_world_war particular_attention_give challenged nature campaign use contemporary_source strong emphasis qualitative_data develop picture attitude time situate root significant post_war controversy within_contemporary attitude offer sustain account anti sentiment historiographical work introductory chart_development aerial extent britain engage aerial understood people britain address here three_case study_focus different raid german city use address attitude offensive shape different_stage war first attack take_place blitz british city factor implication nature response time question important here show desire