For the nine months of the Blitz, London was subjected to a brutal and indiscriminate bombing campaign, aimed for the first time in history at shattering the resolve of a nation. The Nazi raids on night-time London provide some of the defining narratives of World War II: the 'blitz spirit', air raid shelters in Underground stations and all the horrifying reality of one of the world's most powerful and historic cities under violent attack. This book tells the epic story of a London under siege through the voices of those that lived it. Amy Helen Bell here uncovers the personal stories of hundreds of Londoners from all walks of life, who scribbled in diaries and notebooks from inside air raid shelters and bombed-out houses to record their experiences of the Blitz. Expertly weaving these together, drawing out themes of loss, courage and love, what emerges is a thoughtfully argued and beautifully composed commentary on Britain's collective memory of one of the great conflicts of modern times. By letting the warmth, despair and hope of these personal recollections speak, London Was Ours becomes a collective testament to the resilience of a people and a meditation on the nature of a nation's history.
'Original, insightful and engagingly written…this enlightening and frequently moving book is a truly popular history of "The People's War".'
Andrew Davies, Journal of Urban History

- 288 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Table of contents
- Cover
- About the Author
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1. Looking at London
- 2. Raids and Rationing
- 3. Workers and Civil Defence
- 4. Children and the Family
- 5. Love in the Blitz
- 6. Remembering the Blitz
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Bibliography
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Yes, you can access London Was Ours by Amy Helen Bell in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & British History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.