The Blitz: Britain Under Fire and the Turning Point of May 1941

John Clarkson
Oct 17
5 min read

The Blitz is one of the defining episodes of World War II and a key area of study for GCSE History, A-Level History, and university courses alike. It was not only a period of relentless bombing but also a test of Britain’s resilience under the most severe pressure.

For students, the Blitz provides rich ground for essay writing because it connects so many themes: air power, civilian morale, total war, leadership, propaganda, and strategic decision-making. Importantly, it also ties into wider events - including the arrival of Rudolf Hess in Scotland on 10 May 1941 and the end of the Blitz the very next day, 11 May 1941.

This blog gives you everything you need to know: facts, analysis, exam tips, and historical debates. If you want to dig deeper into the world of wartime aviation and political intrigue, The Flights of the Eagles offers a vivid exploration that complements textbook study with narrative depth.

What Was the Blitz?

The word “Blitz” comes from the German word Blitzkrieg (meaning “lightning war”). It describes the sustained bombing campaign carried out by the German Luftwaffe against British cities between September 1940 and May 1941.

Key Facts:

Start date: 7 September 1940 (first mass raid on London).
End date: 11 May 1941 (final major raid on London - also the heaviest of the entire campaign).
Duration: Eight months.
Main targets: London, Coventry, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Plymouth, Bristol.
Casualties: Around 43,000 civilians killed, over 1 million homes destroyed.

The Blitz was designed to break Britain’s will to fight. It was hoped that by destroying cities, crippling industry, and killing civilians, Winston Churchill would be forced to negotiate peace.

Why Did Germany Launch the Blitz?

The causes of the Blitz link directly to the Battle of Britain (July–September 1940):-

Failure to Defeat the RAF: After losing the Battle of Britain, Germany could not invade Britain. A bombing campaign was seen as the next best option.
Morale and Pressure: Hitler believed mass bombing would break morale and force Churchill into talks.
Disruption of Industry: Ports, factories, and transport hubs were targeted to weaken Britain’s war production.
Psychological Warfare: Terror bombing was intended to create panic and reduce public confidence.

Life During the Blitz

For GCSE students, this is a key theme: civilian experience of war.

Shelters: People used Anderson shelters in gardens, Morrison shelters inside homes, and — famously — the London Underground.
Evacuation: Children were evacuated from cities to the countryside.
The Blackout: Strict blackout rules reduced visibility for bombers but also reshaped daily life.
Firewatchers and Civil Defence: Civilians were trained to deal with fires, rubble, and unexploded bombs.
Propaganda: The government used posters and radio broadcasts to maintain morale.

Despite destruction and fear, morale did not collapse. Churchill’s speeches (“We shall never surrender”) became symbols of defiance.

The Night of 10–11 May 1941: The Climax of the Blitz

The most devastating raid on London came on the night of 10–11 May 1941:

Casualties: Over 1,400 killed, thousands more injured.
Damage: The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, and the Tower of London were all struck.
Scale: Over 700 bombers attacked, dropping more than 700 tonnes of explosives.

This was the single worst night of the Blitz. And it was also its finale. The very next day, the bombing campaign largely ceased.

Why Did the Blitz End in May 1941?

The sudden end of the Blitz is one of the most important turning points of the war.

Operation Barbarossa: Hitler was preparing to invade the Soviet Union. Luftwaffe resources were needed in the east.
Failure in Britain: The Blitz had not broken morale or forced Churchill to negotiate. Instead, it hardened resistance.
Cost to Germany: The Luftwaffe had lost many planes and aircrews, weakening its overall strength.
Strategic Shift: Britain was no longer the immediate focus — defeating Russia became Germany’s priority.

Rudolf Hess and the Blitz Connection

The ending of the Blitz is dramatically connected to Rudolf Hess’s solo flight to Scotland on 10 May 1941.

Hess, Hitler’s Deputy Führer, flew to Scotland claiming he wanted to negotiate peace with Britain.
His arrival coincided exactly with the heaviest raid on London.
Some historians argue Hess believed the Blitz might make Britain desperate for peace.
Others see it as coincidence - a rogue mission by Hess without Hitler’s knowledge.

For essays, this connection is useful at A-Level and university level, because it allows you to show the interplay of military, political, and diplomatic factors.

And in The Flights of the Eagles, the dramatic tension of these events is explored through the lens of air power and political intrigue - giving students a sense of the drama beyond the dry facts.

Subscribe to our readers list and read the first 30 pages free HERE

How to Use the Blitz in Essays

The good news for students is that the Blitz works in essays at every level - whether you’re doing GCSEs in the UK, the IB in Europe, AP History in the US, or senior secondary courses in Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. The skills are the same everywhere: you need facts, you need analysis, and you need to link the two together in a way that answers the question.

One of the best starting points is simply getting the story right: the Blitz lasted from September 1940 until May 1941, with the worst raid of all on the night of 10–11 May. More than 43,000 civilians died, millions of homes were destroyed, and cities like London, Coventry, Liverpool, and Glasgow were reshaped by the bombing. If you can drop those details into your essays, you immediately show the examiner that you know your stuff.

But essays aren’t just about description. You’ll always score higher if you can show causes and consequences. Why did Germany launch the Blitz? Because the Luftwaffe had failed to beat the RAF in the Battle of Britain. What was the consequence? Britain stayed in the war, Churchill stayed in power, and Hitler turned east to invade the Soviet Union. If you can trace that chain of cause and effect, you’re writing like a historian rather than just retelling events.

Another thing that works well across all exam systems is to balance perspectives. Don’t only write about civilians in shelters or children being evacuated - include the wider military angle too. The Blitz wasn’t just about people hiding in the Underground; it was also about whether Germany could force Britain to surrender through air power. If you can juggle both sides, your essay feels more complete.

And finally, think about significance. Why does the Blitz matter in the bigger picture of World War II? In the short term, it was Germany’s failure to defeat Britain. In the long term, it meant Britain remained a base for D-Day and the liberation of Europe. And beyond the war itself, the Blitz left a cultural legacy: the idea of the “Blitz spirit” - ordinary people standing firm under fire - that still gets mentioned today.

If you can combine facts, causes, consequences, perspectives, and significance, you’ll be in a strong position - whether your essay is 45 minutes in a school exam or 4,000 words at university.

See my page 'The Flights of the Eagles' for more information and to receive your FREE 30 pages of my book.