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Monday, June 9
By 1940, the Nazis had taken control of most of Europe. The only country left to oppose them was England. Hitler knew that if the island remained free, it could become a base to launch counter attacks. First, the Luftwaffe attacked RAF airfields and infrastructure. Winston Churchill's equipment and men were limited, so the country could only last a few weeks. He made the most significant gamble of his career by betting on the Nazi ego. German leadership believed no enemy bomber could ever fly in the skies over Germany. Churchill ordered a risky mission to bomb Berlin itself. This angered the high command and they transitioned their tactics to target London directly. Churchill chose to have the bombs rain down directly on him in an effort to protect the airfields. It was England's best chance of survival.
When most people visit London, they focus on the major tourist attractions. But, if you look a little closer, you will find evidence of destruction. The wall near the Victoria and Albert Museum has unrepaired bomb damage. The Tube has plaques of people who died while taking cover. This morning, I visited St. Dunstan-in-the-East. It's one of the churches built by Christoper Wren after the fire of 1666. It received a direct hit by Nazi bombs during The Blitz. It never recovered. It's now a memorial.
My next stop was to see the legendary aircraft involved in the fight. That meant taking a long Tube ride to the Royal Air Force Museum. The image below is of a German bomber over London.
Here is the same type at the museum.
The real workhorses were the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire. These fighters were used to beat back the aerial invasion and gave Hitler his first major defeat.
I got to sit in the cockpit. The hero pilots were the same age as my sons.
This famous photo is of St. Paul's Cathedral standing strong during The Blitz.
The government needed to function even as the bombs rained down, so a reinforced underground complex was built to house command center throughout the war. It is now open to the public as the Churchill War Rooms. The accomodations were far from luxurious, but it kept commanders safe to conduct the war.
My next mission was dinner. I was happy to find one Chinese restaurant in a sea of British taverns. I eagerly stepped in and ordered, sure that this was the only one for miles around. I exited with a full belly, then turned the corner to this:
Lots of choices!
The evening was available, so I checked TKTS London. The website offers unsold same-day theater tickets. As long as you aren't too picky, you can see amazing shows for a significant discount. The image below is how I spent the next few hours. Then, off to bed for one day more.
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