The Battle of Britain Reaches a Critical Phase

By early September 1940, the Luftwaffe had entered what German commanders believed would be the final phase of establishing air superiority over southern England. Following weeks of intense combat, German air intelligence reported significant losses to Britain’s Royal Air Force. Luftwaffe leaders became convinced that victory depended on forcing Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding to commit his remaining reserves. Their strategy focused on attacking inland targets that would compel Britain to deploy its entire air defense system. This marked a crucial moment in the Battle of Britain, as both sides prepared for what would become one of the most decisive turning points in the conflict.

The German plan involved initiating daylight raids on London in the first week of September, followed by sustained attacks on major cities and their defenses. However, the Luftwaffe faced significant challenges. Since the disastrous August 15 raid by Luftflotte 5, German strategists recognized the vulnerability of bomber formations with inadequate fighter escorts operating far from the coast. Yet operational constraints made this lesson difficult to implement, as Germany lacked sufficient fighters to provide strong protection for large-scale daylight bombing operations.

The Accidental Bombing That Changed History

On the night of August 24, a navigational error by two German bomber crews would dramatically alter the course of the battle. Part of a 170-plane raid targeting aircraft factories near Rochester and Kingston, these bombers became separated from their formation. Under heavy anti-aircraft fire and realizing their mistake, they jettisoned their bomb loads over central London before fleeing back to France.

The bombs fell on the historic St. Giles Church in Cripplegate and surrounding residential areas, causing civilian casualties. While clearly accidental – as evidenced by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring’s furious reaction and immediate punishment of the crews involved – Prime Minister Winston Churchill seized the opportunity to escalate the conflict. Within hours, British war cabinets decided to retaliate with raids on Berlin itself.

Britain Strikes Back: The Bombing of Berlin

On the night following the London incident, RAF Bomber Command launched its first attack on the German capital. While cloud cover limited the damage, the psychological impact proved enormous. Berliners, who had been assured such attacks were impossible, reacted with shock and fear. The raid struck at the heart of Nazi prestige, particularly embarrassing Göring who had famously boasted, “If a single enemy bomber reaches Berlin, you can call me Meyer!”

Churchill ordered continued attacks on Berlin, despite their limited military value. These persistent raids infuriated Hitler, who saw them as both a personal insult and a challenge to his authority. During a September 4 speech at the Berlin Sportpalast, the Führer vowed devastating retaliation, declaring: “When they declare they will attack our cities in great measure, we will eradicate their cities! The hour will come when one of us will break – and it will not be National Socialist Germany!”

Hitler’s Fateful Decision

Driven by rage and political considerations, Hitler made what historians would later recognize as a critical strategic error. On September 7, he authorized the Luftwaffe to shift its attacks from RAF airfields and radar stations to London itself – a move that provided the exhausted British defenses with desperately needed respite.

This change in strategy came at precisely the moment when Fighter Command was nearing collapse. Between August 24 and September 6, the RAF had lost 290 fighters with 103 pilots killed and 128 wounded – nearly a quarter of its total strength. Airfields in southern England lay in ruins, and the crucial radar chain was severely damaged. As Churchill later reflected, had the attacks continued for just one more week, Britain’s air defenses might have completely collapsed, making Operation Sea Lion – the planned German invasion – potentially feasible.

The London Blitz Begins

On September 7, Göring personally oversaw the launch of Operation Loge – the systematic bombing of London. That afternoon, 348 bombers escorted by 617 fighters crossed the Channel in the largest aerial assault yet seen. The RAF, expecting further attacks on airfields, had positioned its defenses incorrectly, allowing the German armada to reach London virtually unopposed.

The first bombs fell on Woolwich Arsenal at 4:43 PM, followed by devastating attacks on the docks and industrial areas along the Thames. Silvertown’s chemical plants erupted in flames, creating an inferno visible for miles. By nightfall, the East End was ablaze, with 400 civilians dead and thousands homeless. German propaganda celebrated the raid as a decisive blow, with Göring boasting to his wife: “London is in flames!”

The RAF’s Resurgence

The shift to attacking London allowed Fighter Command to recover and reorganize. Air Marshal Dowding immediately reinforced 11 Group with squadrons from quieter sectors and redeployed anti-aircraft guns to the capital. When the Luftwaffe returned on September 9, they met stiff resistance, losing 28 aircraft to the RAF’s 19. The introduction of “Big Wing” tactics – massed fighter formations led by Douglas Bader – began taking a heavy toll on German bombers.

Despite these setbacks, the Blitz continued with terrible effect. On September 15 – now celebrated as Battle of Britain Day – the Luftwaffe launched its largest daylight raid, only to suffer devastating losses of 60 aircraft against RAF losses of 26. This proved the Luftwaffe could not establish air superiority, forcing Hitler to indefinitely postpone Operation Sea Lion on September 17.

The Strategic Consequences

The decision to bomb London rather than maintain pressure on RAF infrastructure marked a pivotal moment in the war. As historian Stephen Bungay notes: “The Blitz saved Fighter Command just as it was reaching breaking point.” The respite allowed Britain to repair airfields, train new pilots, and rebuild its defenses.

Moreover, the images of London under fire galvanized international opinion, particularly in the United States where sympathy for Britain grew dramatically. The courage of Londoners during the Blitz became legendary, immortalized by Churchill’s words: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

While the bombing would continue until May 1941, the failure to achieve air superiority in September 1940 ensured Britain’s survival as a base for the eventual liberation of Europe. Hitler’s rage-induced decision to switch targets, prompted by those two lost bombers in August, may well have cost Germany the war. As the Prime Minister later reflected: “In the end, Hitler’s hatred proved stronger than his strategy – and that was his undoing.”