Britain Waits for Air War
Before the worst bombing began, Britain had already spent years imagining disaster from the sky. Officials believed any new war would bring sudden mass death to cities, especially London. They expected not only huge numbers of casualties but also panic, madness, and a breakdown of public order.
The government prepared as best it could. Gas masks were handed out to civilians, blackouts darkened cities at night, and even mailboxes were treated so they could help detect poison gas. Street signs were removed and maps were restricted, both to confuse any future invader and to make enemy planning harder.
These precautions changed daily life long before the Blitz reached full force. In blackout darkness, people stumbled off curbs, walked into obstacles, and learned to fear clear moonlit nights because bright skies helped enemy pilots find their targets. The public came to live with a steady sense of dread, watching events in Europe and wondering when the attack would come.
One great assumption shaped British thinking: France would hold. That belief collapsed with shocking speed in the spring of 1940, when German forces smashed through western Europe. Once France began to fall, Britain was no longer waiting for danger from a distance. The war was moving straight toward the island.
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