Bombs that changed Britain

Published by As i see it on 17 December, 2017 - 04:24

Bombs that changed Britain

There has been a series being shown on the BBC about the bombing of Britain in the war 1939-45. instead of the usual, “didn’t we all pull together and we showed our British stiff upper lip, singing patriotic songs etc”. This as been done to death that people now just switch off.

What is different in this series is it takes individual bombs? Then plots either lives of individuals, or how the authorities coped and what the results of that coping led to both locally and nationally. It also shows a snapshot of how life was like for the ordinary working classes at that time.

It [I don’t know if it is being shown in schools as part of the social history of Britain] If not then I think it aught to be. Substantial parts of the population are either actual immigrants, or are first or second generation immigrants. While their parents, or grandparents teach many, of how life was back in the home.

How nasty things where in the days of empire. India was one country then and was ruled as a colony and the Indian elite was clamouring for Independence. So that they, whoever they are? Could be in charge. Most of the Caribbean Island nations and a considerable amount of Sub-Sahara Africa were ruled in a similar manner. Most of these followed India’s example and sought Independence from Britain. [As a schoolchild we were taught about the British Empire, we even had Empire Day, which was later changed to Commonwealth Day,

I remember at school we use to have walking days to celebrate these days, but this is long gone. I suppose the PC Brigade, and people who try to re-write history to suit the circumstances and in support of their arguments? But I suppose we might see a resurrection of Commonwealth day now that Britain is leaving the EU and is trying to open more world markets and see the Commonwealth as part of this, who knows? But moving on.

Bombs that changed Britain, life was no bed of roses for the common people in those days. The damage done in the war and the reconstruction afterwards [not to mention due to mass evacuations from bombed out cities] served to make Britain a more socialist [not communist, but moderate socialist] country.

It led to the NHS, and the welfare state we know today. The reconstruction of the major lifeblood’s of a modern state. Electricity, Gas, Water and Railways, not forgetting the Coal Mines. All had been run down during the war and were in desperate need of rebuilding. Nor can one ignore the house-building boom [mainly council, or social housing to use it’s modern name] this led to low un-employment levels and increased living standards.

It was also an era of mass emigration of native Britain’s to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Southern Africa to seek a better lifestyle for themselves, and their children [the era of the ten pound pom’s] But this led to labour shortages and with it wage inflation, hence TPTB started to import workers from the Empire/Commonwealth to fill these vacancies and control wage inflation.

Enough of the above, I suggest it is well worth watching the series, it can be seen on BBC

but as the first episode can only be seen for the next five days, but it can also currently be seen on youtube

But we must forget that Germany also suffered mass bombing of their cities [some would say to a much greater devastation] and the partition of Germany for over forty years] but that is another story.

Tags: 
history
Britain