Battle of Britain

Timeline

31 October 1940
Conventionally dated from 10 July to , it pitted Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command, led by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, against the German L…
18 June 1940
Prime Minister Winston Churchill framed the stakes in his speech to the House of Commons, declaring that "the Battle of France is over.
7 September 1940
I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin." The Luftwaffe initially targeted Channel convoys and coastal airfields, then shifted to RAF sector station…
20 August 1940
Churchill's tribute — "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" — was delivered to the Commons on .

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In September 1940, RAF Fighter Command repelled mass Luftwaffe raids on London during the Battle of Britain, forcing Hitler to postpone Operation Sea Lion.

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Timeline

31 October 1940

Conventionally dated from 10 July to , it pitted Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command, led by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, against the German L…

18 June 1940

Prime Minister Winston Churchill framed the stakes in his speech to the House of Commons, declaring that "the Battle of France is over.

7 September 1940

I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin." The Luftwaffe initially targeted Channel convoys and coastal airfields, then shifted to RAF sector station…

20 August 1940

Churchill's tribute — "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" — was delivered to the Commons on .

Research it like a delegate

The Battle of Britain was the first major military campaign in history fought entirely in the air. Conventionally dated from 10 July to 31 October 1940, it pitted Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command, led by Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, against the German Luftwaffe under Hermann Göring. Germany's strategic objective was to achieve air superiority over the English Channel and southern England as a precondition for Operation Sea Lion, the planned invasion of the United Kingdom.

Following the fall of France in June 1940, Britain stood without a major continental ally. Prime Minister Winston Churchill framed the stakes in his 18 June 1940 speech to the House of Commons, declaring that "the Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin." The Luftwaffe initially targeted Channel convoys and coastal airfields, then shifted to RAF sector stations in August, and from 7 September 1940 redirected much of its effort against London and other cities — the opening of what became known as the Blitz.

Several factors favoured the defenders:

The Dowding System, an integrated network of Chain Home radar stations, Observer Corps posts, and centralised fighter control.
Superior single-engine fighters in the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, operating over home territory.
Luftwaffe limitations, including the short combat range of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the absence of a true strategic bomber.
Contributions from Polish, Czechoslovak, Canadian, and other Allied aircrew flying with the RAF; No. 303 (Polish) Squadron was among the highest-scoring units.

By late October, Hitler had postponed Sea Lion indefinitely. The battle is widely regarded as a strategic turning point of the Second World War, preserving Britain as a base from which Allied operations against occupied Europe would later be launched. Churchill's tribute — "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" — was delivered to the Commons on 20 August 1940.

Frequently asked questions

Who won the Battle of Britain?

The United Kingdom. The RAF prevented the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority, leading Hitler to postpone the planned invasion of Britain indefinitely in mid-October 1940.

Why was radar important?

Chain Home radar stations gave the RAF early warning of incoming raids, allowing Fighter Command to concentrate limited fighter squadrons against German formations rather than maintain costly standing patrols.

How is the Battle of Britain distinguished from the Blitz?

The Battle of Britain (July–October 1940) focused on daytime air combat for air superiority. The Blitz, beginning 7 September 1940 and continuing into May 1941, was the sustained, largely nighttime bombing campaign against British cities.

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Frequently asked questions

Who won the Battle of Britain?

Why was radar important?

How is the Battle of Britain distinguished from the Blitz?

Go deeper than the definition

Take Battle of Britain beyond the glossary

Frequently asked questions

Who won the Battle of Britain?

Why was radar important?

How is the Battle of Britain distinguished from the Blitz?