The Battle of Britain

The battle begins, summer 1940
The battle begins, summer 1940

After defeating France in June 1940, Hitler assumed Britain would sue for peace but ordered his armed forces to prepare for invasion. Hermann Goering assured him that a sustained air assault would destroy the RAF, winning the air superiority needed.
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940

July 1940 saw German planes target shipping in the Channel, drawing the RAF into combat, before radar stations, communications centres and airfields faced round-the-clock bombing in August. The battle reached a climax with attacks on London in September.
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

Joan 'Elizabeth' Mortimer, Elspeth Henderson and Helen Turner of the WAAF. All three received the Military Medal for courageous conduct during attacks on Biggin Hill airfield. Biggin Hill suffered a total of ten major attacks between 30 Aug and 5 Sept.
Non-British personnel in the RAF
Non-British personnel in the RAF

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF return from a sortie. The first Polish squadrons were formed in the summer of 1940. Pilots came from several other countries, including Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, New Zealand and the USA.
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford

RAF Duxford was a Sector Station in 12 Group, responsible for defending the Midlands and East Anglia. As the fighting intensified, Duxford's squadrons were called on to support 11 Group's defence of London and the south-east.
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF

Despite incessant attacks, the RAF's defences held. The Luftwaffe could not continue, and in the autumn switched to 'nuisance' raids and night operations. The failure to defeat the RAF convinced Hitler to postpone his invasion plans indefinitely.

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THIS VACATION VISIT BEAUTIFUL VIETNAM
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1966
text: FLY FAR-FAREASTERN AIRWAYS this vacation visit beautiful VIETNAM image: top section shows a faux 'logo' of a commercial aircraft flying from left to right with the slogan 'Fly Far-Fareastern Airways' written underneath. Under main text section is...
TEN YEARS AGO - THE NAZIS BURNED THESE BOOKS...
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1943
image: photograph of Nazi book burning in the Thirties, with a crowd saluting uniformed members of the Nazi party. They are gathered around the smouldering ashes of the burnt books. text: Ten years ago: THE NAZIS BURNED THESE BOOKS ...but free Americans...
Massacre Bicentennial - 1770 Boston-Kent 1970 [Kent State University shootings]
(posters) 1970
No description available
MY GIRL'S A WOW
(posters) Made by: Treidler, Adolph (artist) 1943
image: Head of a smiling helmeted soldier, holding up for the viewer a monochrome 'photograph' of an attractive woman (head and shoulders, facing right to left) in a headscarf and white shirt with a numbered button badge text: "MY GIRL'S A WOW" WOMAN...
SOMEONE TALKED!
(posters) Made by: Siebel (artist) 1942
image: a drowning US sailor, his face rising just above dark water, his eyes directed at the viewer and his hand pointing directly at the viewer text: SOMEONE TALKED!
DOING ALL YOU CAN, BROTHER? BUY WAR BONDS
(posters) Made by: Sloan, Robert (artist) 1943
image: portrait of an injured American G.I. with a bloody bandage tied around his head, his gaze directed towards the viewer. A desolate empty battlefield can be seen in the distance to the right of the composition, a heavy grey sky in the background...
WAAC - THIS IS MY WAR TOO!
(posters) Made by: Smith, Dan V. (artist) 1943
design: head and shoulders portrait of WAAC in unifrom, US flag in background text: WAAC THIS IS MY WAR TOO! WOMEN'S ARMY AUXILIARY CORPS UNITED STATES ARMY
FIRE AWAY! BUY EXTRA BONDS - 5th WAR LOAN
(posters) Made by: Schreiber, Georges (artist) 1944
image: scene from the turret of a submarine. A sailor signals with a lamp on the right of the composition while another scans the sea with a pair of binoculars text: IN MEMORY U.S.S. "DORADO" FIRE AWAY! BUY EXTRA BONDS [with logo of 5th War loan to left]
KEEP HIM FLYING! - BUY WAR BONDS
(posters) Made by: Schreiber, Georges (artist) 1943
image: a young American pilot in flying helmet, goggles and jacket, strapping on his safety belt in the cockpit of a fighter plane. He looks upwards at the sky with an air of expectancy text: Keep him flying! BUY WAR BONDS
LET'S GIVE HIM ENOUGH AND ON TIME
(posters) Made by: Rockwell, Norman (artist) 1942
image: low perspective side view of a seated American G.I. in tattered and bloodied uniform, firing a machine gun, spent cartridges piling up at his feet. Black background, lower section in yellow text: Let's give him Enough and On Time