Battle of Britain
British airspace, English Channel
What happened
The Royal Air Force, led by Hugh Dowding, Keith Park and Trafford Leigh-Mallory, defended Britain against the German air force, the Luftwaffe, commanded by Hermann Göring, Albert Kesselring and Hugo Sperrle. After France fell in 1940, Germany planned to invade Britain, but first it needed to destroy the Royal Air Force. Through the summer and autumn, British radar and a network of observers guided Hurricane and Spitfire fighters to meet the German raids. The Luftwaffe attacked ships, then airfields, then switched to bombing London, but it could not defeat the RAF, and Germany called off the invasion.
Why it matters
Result: British victory. Leaders: Hugh Dowding / Keith Park against Hermann Göring / Albert Kesselring. Why it matters: It was Germany's first major defeat of World War II. Britain stayed in the war.
What came next
Germany's invasion plan, Operation Sea Lion, was postponed and then cancelled. In a famous speech, Churchill praised the pilots, who have been called 'the Few' ever since.
Did you know?
About 595 pilots from outside Britain flew in the battle, and No. 303 Polish Squadron shot down more enemy planes than any other squadron.
Timeline
- June 1940France falls to Germany.
- 10 July 1940The Battle of Britain begins.
- 20 August 1940Churchill's speech praises the RAF pilots as 'the Few'.
- 31 October 1940The battle ends.