Think of the Blitz, and the Luftwaffe’s heavy, sustained bombardment of British cities and industrial objectives that began in September 1940 springs to mind first. But that was just part of Germany’s series of bombing offensives against the British Isles, right up to the V1 and V2 campaigns. What were the strategic objectives underpinning them, and how effective did they prove?
Exactly when the term Blitz was coined to describe bombing attacks on British towns and cities is unclear. It was, however, doubtless during the period of heavy and persistent bombing raids on London in September 1940, though attacks against British towns and cities — mainly at night — had been occurring for many weeks prior to the Germans shifting their focus onto the capital.