History of War Summary 11 - WWII Part 3: The Battle of Britain

After occupying France, Germany prepared to invade Britain to force them out of the war. However, to cross the English Channel, they first had to neutralize the Royal Air Force. In the summer of 1940, the German Luftwaffe began attacking British airbases and radar installations, and the RAF fought back fiercely in defense. Britain responded to the Luftwaffe's attacks by utilizing its radar network and fighter control system. The German forces failed to completely subdue the RAF and subsequently expanded their bombing raids to major cities including London. British civilians endured large-scale air raids, but the government did not surrender. The British government, led by Winston Churchill, continued the war with support from the United States. Ultimately, Germany could not execute its invasion plan for mainland Britain and ceased the air campaign. The Battle of Britain became the first instance where Germany failed to achieve a decisive objective early in the war, and it served as a crucial turning point allowing Britain to continue fighting.