In this episode, historian Dr. Chris Smith discusses the Coventry Blitz, marking its 85th anniversary. He explores the myths surrounding the event, particularly the narrative that Churchill sacrificed Coventry to protect intelligence secrets. The conversation delves into the scale of the bombing, the city’s industrial significance, the immediate aftermath, and the role of propaganda. Smith also highlights the reconstruction efforts and the lasting legacy of the Blitz in Coventry’s identity, emphasizing themes of resilience and reconciliation.

Note: I’m aware of the technical problems with the guest’s video – unfortunately, there is no way to fix it, but the audio is fine. Also, there will not be a podcast next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Links

• Chris Smith at Coventry University
• “The Last Cambridge Spy: John Cairncross, Bletchley Codebreaker and Soviet Double Agent” by Chris Smith
• Official Coventry Cathedral website: coventrycathedral.org.uk
• Hitler’s Btlitz’s on Britain (Article)
• Friends of Anglotopia Club

Takeaways

• The Coventry Blitz is framed by both historical and modern narratives.
• Myths surrounding the Blitz, particularly about Churchill, persist despite being debunked.
• The bombing raid on Coventry was one of the largest of the war at that time.
• Coventry’s industrial significance made it a strategic target during WWII.
• The aftermath of the bombing revealed a complex public reaction, not just unity.
• Propaganda played a crucial role in shaping public perception of the Blitz.
• The reconstruction of Coventry was influenced by pre-war modernization plans.
• The new cathedral symbolizes peace and reconciliation after the war.
• Coventry’s identity is deeply tied to the events of the Blitz.
• Commemoration of the Blitz remains significant in Coventry’s cultural memory.

Soundbites

Here are 10 interesting soundbites from the Coventry Blitz podcast:

1. On the scale of the raid: “They dropped something in the region of 30,000 incendiary bombs, 500 tons of high explosives and 50 landmines. They even used some brand new types of explosive that they hadn’t really been using to that point. It’s a really, really massive raid by the standards of the war to that point.”
2. On the Churchill Ultra myth: “There’s no evidence that Churchill made a decision to sacrifice Coventry. It’s an absolute fantasy which basically has to rely upon either Churchill being the most evil man who has ever existed or the most incompetent man who has ever existed.”
3. On strategic bombing’s true purpose: “One of the points of strategic bombing is terror, is to cause terror amongst the citizens… the British actually have a really nasty euphemism for this, which was to ‘dehouse people’ as a result of bombing. And that’s how they basically described killing citizens and making other citizens homeless.”
4. On Coventry’s industrial importance: “Coventry is hugely important industrially to Britain’s war effort… by the time we get into the 20th century, bicycle manufacturing, the auto industry, the car industry becomes very important to Coventry, which makes it both wealthy and a ripe target.”
5. On the cathedral’s symbolism: “They didn’t knock it down. They built a new cathedral right next to it. So if any of your listeners ever visit Coventry, you can actually walk around the ruins of the old cathedral… It’s a really powerful testament to resilience.”
6. On why the myth persists: “The myth of Churchill sacrificing Coventry persists because it plays into this very British, post-war self-image of stoic heroism and difficult choices. It makes for a better story than the truth, which is that sometimes intelligence fails and terrible things happen.”
7. On comparing bombing campaigns: “In Dresden, over 22,000 people are killed. The US conventional bombing of Tokyo kills over 100,000 people. So by those standards, what we’re talking about in Coventry is relatively light, but by the context of what’s happening in Britain, it’s extremely serious.”
8. On “Keep Calm and Carry On”: “These posters were wildly unpopular. They’re really patronizing. They never really get used in the Second World War—they mostly just stay in a warehouse and are pulped for paper. But now they’ve taken on this massive life… You cannot go to London without seeing them, but you wouldn’t have seen that in the Second World War at all.”
9. On Coventry’s transformation: “Coventry becomes a symbol of reconciliation and peace after the war, forging connections with other bombed cities including Dresden. It’s this remarkable transformation from devastation to representing hope and international cooperation.”
10. On the raid’s duration: “The raid begins around seven o’clock in the evening, 10 past seven, and it lasts for a good 11 hours. The all-clear isn’t actually announced until 6:16 the following morning. Eleven hours of continuous bombing—imagine living through that.”

Chapters

• 00:00 The Coventry Blitz: A Historical Overview
• 01:48 The Scale and Impact of the Raid
• 04:48 Destruction and Loss: Key Buildings in Coventry
• 06:29 Strategic Bombing: Aiming for Terror and Industry
• 07:20 Why Coventry? The Target’s Significance
• 13:51 Civilian Response: How Coventry Endured the Blitz
• 15:04 The Myth of Foreknowledge: Churchill and Ultra Intelligence
• 23:29 Debunking the Sacrifice Myth: Historical Clarifications
• 27:20 Complex Narratives: Understanding WWII’s Intricacies
• 28:04 The Aftermath of the Coventry Blitz
• 35:04 National Reactions and Morale
• 39:04 Reconstruction Plans for Coventry
• 41:13 Symbolism of the Cathedral Ruins
• 46:12 Lessons from the Blitz and Modern Warfare
• 49:07 The Enduring Legacy of the Blitz
• 50:08 Commemorating the Coventry Blitz
• 52:52 Exploring the Coventry Blitz and Its Myths
• 55:28 The Propaganda of War: Debunking ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’
• 58:41 Books and Future Projects: Insights from Chris Smith
• 01:00:37 anglotopia-podcast-outro.mp4

Video Version