Battle of Britain 1940

map of Britain in range of German fighters, 1941/02/22, ILN p. 242

July 10 - start of 3-month air war; Goering vs. RAF

• ends Oct 30 after 57-day Blitz on London
  
• Brit. lose 832 fighters; Ger. lose 668 plus 600 bombers
  

significance:

• "A people's war" - Battle of Britain
• "a truly revolutionary conflict" won by Fighter Command and lost by German improvisation- Keegan chapter 4
• was Hitler's 1st defeat - war shifts to the east
  
• Brit. becomes 1st line of defense - will defend its empire
  
• U.S. aid becomes vital - the "Atlantic lifeline"

British military successes grow:

• Nov. 10 - torpedo planes from HMS Illustrious sink 3 Italian battleships in the shallow harbor of Taranto
  
• Dec. 9 - Wavell in Egypt defeats Italians and enters Libya
  
• takes Bardia Jan. 3, Tobruk Jan. 21, Derna Jan. 30
  
• Jan. 19 - Brit begin East Africa campaign against Italians
  
• restore Haile Selassie to Ethiopia

map of "The Levant: Battleground of the Empire Today," 1940/11/16, ILN p. 621

---