Supervisors info:
Βασίλειος Ι. Μαρτζάκλης M.Sc., Τμήμα Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, Σχολή Θετικών Επιστημών, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Aggressive acts are the main category of anthropogenic disasters and, among other things, include war, the use of chemical biological and radiological substances.1 Large-scale disasters and emerging tactics with multiple casualties (e.g. chemical warfare) took place during the First World War (WW I), also known as the "Great War". Undoubtedly, the Second World War (WW II) is the greatest anthropogenic catastrophe of the 20th Century, with 80 million dead, part of which is the Battle of England, leaving behind 30,000 dead and 51,000 British wounded.2 The nightmare of German bombings by the German Zeppelins continued to exist during the interwar period and became a reality in July 1940.
These disasters, however, for the first time made it imperative for Britain to protect its citizens and its Armed Forces from an attack with deadly chemicals (e.g. chlorine, phosgene) and a possible recurrence of airstrikes. So he founded the Royal Air Force (RAF) during theWW I, built chemical masks for almost all citizens, developed active air defense systems (aircraft, anti-aircraft weapons) and passive (shelters, lighting restrictions), and also increased action of the Civil Defense which played a decisive role in the protection of the citizens but also in the restoration of the catastrophes caused by the bombings. The culmination of all these actions was the early warning system developed by the British to monitor their borders from the east and the Strait of the English Channel. The use of volunteers in many support organizations to manage disaster and crisis, such as the Auxiliary Fire Service and the Royal Observer Corps, in addition to the practical support they provided, also created a "First Line" climate across Britain and so the bombings were treated more calmly than expected.
The timely preparation of the citizens through the Civil Defense Service, which made the environment sustainable even during the bombing, played a decisive role. Of course, this feverish preparation before the outbreak of the war was met with skepticism by the citizens because it was considered a war preparation.3 In contrast to the measures taken by the Civil Protection, the Armed Forces, which initially proved unprepared (Battle of Dunkirk) to get involved and bring about drastic results, managed to prepare, albeit belatedly. The present dissertation is divided into three (3) chapters and attempts to identify the preparation for disaster and crisis caused by the British bombing of England during the Battle of England (July '40 - May '41) its management as well as the immediate response from the British. It is also trying to parallel the actions of the British with the current actions to deal with emergencies.
Keywords:
Anthropogenic Destruction, World War II, Blitz Of London, Battle of Britain, Civil Defense Civil Protection, ARP, RAF
