British Civilians in the Front Line: Air Raids, Productivity and Wartime Culture, 1939-45This is the first full-length study of the behavior of British civilians and their reactions to air raids during the Second World War. It unravels the day-to-day influence on people at these times of great danger, risk and uncertainty, and challenges the traditional image of civilians as passive shelterers under attack. It uncovers Churchill and his government's desperate attempts to persuade key workers to continue with their work once the air raid siren had sounded, and reveals the complex reasons why so many workers were willing to run such risks. |
Common terms and phrases
28 September Aeroplane Air Raid Precautions air raids air-raid shelters air-raid siren air-raid warnings aircraft factory aircraft recognition alert Angus Calder August Battle of Britain Beaverbrook blitzes bombs Borough Bristol British carried Churchill Cinema City Civil Defence civil-defence civilians Colin Perry continue Council Daily Express Daily Herald danger diary Emergency Committee employers enemy aircraft evidence fear films fire-watchers firms front line Hawker's heavy raids historians Home Security images Imperial War Museum industrial alarm scheme J. B. Priestley London Manchester University Press Mass-Observation Archive memory Ministry of Home National Identity Nella Last newspapers newsreel November October Oral History organisation people's behaviour Picture Post planes Plymouth politicians production reports risks roof spotters roof spotting Second World Second World War September 1940 siren sounded social Southern Daily Echo take cover tion Vickers wartime Western Mail WHIR women workers wrote