*** war and social upheaval: World War II air campaign -- British evacuation planning








British World War II Evacuations: Planning

World War II evacuation planning
Figure 1.--The primary focus of the British World War II evacuations were to get the school kids out of the cities. The evacuations were thus organized through the schools and conducted as school groups. Pre-school children were more of a problem. Younger children require a lot more care than school-age children and need their mothers more. There were evacuations of pre-school children with their mothers, but this required more resources. In addition many mothers preferred to stay at home with their husbands and small children.

Aerial bombardment was a concern during the 1920s and 30s. The British Government after Hitler seized power, secretly began planning for an emergency evacuation of children from cities (1933). The planning began as early as 1934 and were well thought out at an early date. The political leadership decided to appease Hitler and to continue to limit military spending, but the civil service pressed ahead with an evacuation plan. Planners assumed that British cities would be targetted as they were by Zephelins and bombers in World War I. They proved to be right. There was great fear that the Germans would use chemical weapons (poison gas). This did not happen, but it well could have. And in fact the Germans develped nerve agents, chemical agents far more toxic than World War II poison gas. Hitler and G�ring went public about the new air force (Luftwaffe) which had been banned by the Versailles Peace Treaty (1935). NAZI propaganda about the new Luftwaffe only increased official and public concern. Various estimates were made. One estimate suggested thast the Luftwaffe could drop 0.1 million bombs in 14 days. In reality, London was out of reach as long as the Luftwaffe was operating from bases in the Reich. The British as it looked like war was coming over Czechoslovakia began detailed plans to evacuate the cities (summer 1938). The plan was prepared by the Anderson Committee. The Committee divided Britain into three zones (evacuation, neutral, and reception. The priority was to move evacuees from the major urban areas billeted in private housing in more rural counties. The three areas roughly divided the the population in thirds. As the Blitz actually developed, the Luftwaffe hit cities that had not been evacuated. The Committee for Imperiasl Defense presented an evacuation plan to Parliasmednt (July 26, 1938) as Hitler weas ratcherting up tensions over the Czech Sudetenland. The plan established priorities: 1) school children with their teachers, 2) pre-school children and their mothers, 3) pregnant women, and 4) blind and crippled adults. [Baumel, p. 175.] The focus was on school-age children which is why the evcuations were orgamized around the schools. The plan was not operational at the time of Munich (October 1938). While Britain did not go to war at that time, the planning for a future evacuation continued. The Government drewup housing standards. Communities in the reception ares began preparing lists of possible billets for evacuees. A regersal was held (August 28). The organizers found 4.8 million billets. The Goverment in addition constructed a few camps for additional evacuees. As it became increasingly clear that Prime Minister Chamberlain had not suceeded in apeasing Hitler and that there would be war, the Government began publicizing the evacuation plan through local authorities and schools. The option of overseas evacuatins was broughtup. The Government received various offers from the Dominions. They were basically dismissed by authorities as unnecessary and imnpractical.







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Created: 4:44 AM 4/11/2018
Last updated: 4:44 AM 4/11/2018