# The Blitz begins (1940)

URL: https://english-history.com/timeline/1940-the-blitz-begins
Categories: battle, main-event

German bombing targeted London and other British cities over many months. Within the broader Early 20th Century & World Wars period, mass democracy, the two world wars, Irish partition, economic crisis and the rise of Labour remade the political and social order. This event is placed at September 1940 in the chronology so it can be read alongside the political, military, social and cultural changes around it. The attacks killed civilians, destroyed homes and tested the resilience of urban society.

## Why it matters
The attacks killed civilians, destroyed homes and tested the resilience of urban society.

Ruler at the time: [George VI](https://english-history.com/rulers/george-vi)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — The Blitz begins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=The+Blitz+begins&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — The Blitz begins](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=The+Blitz+begins)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of British history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_British_history)
- [The National Archives — twentieth-century resources](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/)