The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz

On the second day of air battles, the British again have the upper hand, with eight British losses and 19 German. The British are perplexed by the seemingly haphazard nature of the German attacks. The Germans, for their part, are surprised at the skilled radar detection of the British, which allows them to locate German formations before they attack.

Roosevelt agrees to give Britain 50 destroyers (battleships) in exchange for American control of certain British naval bases, without seeking Congressional approval. However, aware of public perception, both he and Churchill frame this as two separate deals rather than a trade. The destroyers in question are decades-old and were going to be discarded by the US Navy. 

On Thursday, August 15, Goring’s forces launch a “colossal attack” on Britain’s air force known to history as “Black Thursday.” One contingent attacks what they believe to be an unprotected spot in England’s northeast coast. Unbeknown to them, the British have prepared for an attack there by keeping some squadrons in place. The Germans are routed by British spitfires. This is one of thousands of battles that take place that day.

RAF intelligence later find the diary of a Luftwaffe lieutenant who died that day after having witnessed the death of several of his friends over the previous weeks and months. The diary gives us a notable record of the “harrowing” life of German air crews.

Churchill and other British leaders rejoice in the successes of the RAF, although the tally of losses tends to be exaggerated in reports. And, as Lindemann reminds everyone, the Germans are also destroying RAF aircraft on the ground—losses that are not reflected in the official tally. Awareness grows among British experts that the air attacks may be a prelude to an all-out invasion of England.

For the general public, the air battles are sometimes visible from the ground and provide an eerie and amazing spectacle. Bullets and shrapnel from the battle fall to the ground, where civilians find them. In London, fears increase that the air battles are getting closer to the city. Colville spends a weekend in the country, where he sees a downed German bomber plane lying in a field and witnesses a spectacular air battle—experiences that bring the war home to him in a vivid way. 

Goebbels focuses his propaganda efforts on intensifying the mood of panic in Britain and on countering stories of German atrocities. Hitler, however, considers London off-limits for bombing for the time being. 

Churchill gives an address to the House of Commons to unveil the “destroyers-for-bases” deal with Roosevelt. He presents the deal in a way that will be most palatable to the public and compares the Anglo-American partnership to the Mississippi River that “just keeps rolling along” (181). Colville begins to date an 18-year-old woman named Audrey Paget, whose father is a parliamentarian with fascist leanings. 

Hitler is disappointed that Germany will likely not achieve the collapse of England by the end of 1940. Nevertheless, Operation Sea Lion remains scheduled for September 15. Goring ramps up the aerial attacks, almost overwhelming the RAF. 

Tea, always an essential staple in British society, is especially so in wartime, as it helps people cope with stress and improves morale. However, the new tea rations—limiting the citizen to two ounces per week—pose a threat to this order. Lindemann protests the ration, citing the essential function of tea to the war effort, but to no avail. The tea ration remains in place but is eventually increased to three ounces a week. People take to drying their used tea leaves and reusing them. 

On the night of Saturday, August 24, a squadron of German Luftwaffe charged with bombing factories east of London loses its way and instead drops bombs on neighborhoods in the center of London. The erroneous raid sends a “tremor of terror” through the city (188), and Londoners brace themselves for worse to come. Goring reprimands the fighters for their error, while Churchill sees the raid as a justification for an attack on Berlin. This minor error will turn out to be a turning point in the war. 

The RAF retaliates for the German bombing by conducting a bombing raid of Berlin, which causes little damage and kills no one. This raid stuns the Berliners, who were assured by their leaders that the city was impregnable. 

Londoners brace for a retaliation from Hitler, and there are air raid alerts at night, although they prove to be false alarms. The RAF launches a second raid against Berlin that kills 10 and wounds 21. Meanwhile, Mary Churchill spends an idyllic time at Breccles Hall, Judy Montagu’s country home, and feels guilty about not experiencing the strain and stress of the war. 

Hitler orders Goring to prepare for an attack on London, aiming to “reduce enemy morale” and destroy “targets of strategic value” (196). Goring, for his part, craves revenge against the British and desires to create a “cataclysmic” attack that will unseat Churchill. Meanwhile, Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, consults with Anglophile friends about the possibility of averting further conflict with England by sending a secret peace proposal to appeasement-minded members of Parliament. The goal, again, is to undermine Churchill.

Final obstacles to the destroyers-for-bases deal are cleared, and the ships are delivered. Even though they are out of date and require repairs to be seaworthy, Churchill sees them as a symbolic victory in bringing Roosevelt closer to the war. However, Roosevelt’s election is coming up, and he is running neck-to-neck with his Republican opponent, Wendel Willkie; isolationist sentiment is also intensifying in the country. 

Speaking at the Berlin Sportpalast to a roaringly enthusiastic crowd, Hitler promises to defeat Britain. At Goring’s country estate of Carinhall, Goring and his Luftwaffe commanders map out the plan of attack for the destruction of London, set for September 7. They make provisions that will enable the attack to take place in a single blow and in minimum time. They also implement a new and more effective beam navigation method. 

At Chequers, Churchill discusses the coming German invasion with Ismay and his two top generals, John Dill and Alan Brooke. Given the presence of barges at northern European coasts and the tide and moon forecasts, an amphibious landing seems likely. 

Goring and two Luftwaffe officials ascend Cap Blanc-Nez on the French coast to watch the start of the German attack on London, the mood one of “elation.”