Propaganda
Although there is evidence that the Blitz formed national unity between British citizens, there is an ongoing debate between historians over whether if British morale was overly exaggerated. Following World War II, reports from Mass Observation (M.O.), a social research organization focused on publishing material about everyday life in Britain, showed a rather bleaker picture involving the actual state of morale than the government of the time portrayed in the media.
During the Blitz, the civilian population came together to fight a common enemy, but for many people this meant sacrificing their normal life. The new normal consisted of sleepless nights and a constant fear of arising in the morning to homes destroyed by the night's blasts. After a sustained bombing, countless people found their world turned upside-down, but the government released numerous forms of public propaganda such as posters, films and radio broadcasts to portray these people having extremely high spirits. Responses from the public recorded after bombing raids is arguably the best representation of the misleading picture of British spirit conveyed to the world. Accounts from Coventry saw 'A great depression and open signs of hysteria’ while Bristol recorded people feeling ‘Let down by the Government’ and Plymouth recorded the British population being unable to withstand the bombing and that 'Sooner or later the morale of other towns will go.' Many reports made by the M.O. even showed people for the first time ‘Arguing for immediate surrender.'
Aside from these statements, many still argue that if Britain's people truly were defeated they would not have been able to win the war, causing the everlasting debate over British morale to continue. (Stewart-Hunter)
During the Blitz, the civilian population came together to fight a common enemy, but for many people this meant sacrificing their normal life. The new normal consisted of sleepless nights and a constant fear of arising in the morning to homes destroyed by the night's blasts. After a sustained bombing, countless people found their world turned upside-down, but the government released numerous forms of public propaganda such as posters, films and radio broadcasts to portray these people having extremely high spirits. Responses from the public recorded after bombing raids is arguably the best representation of the misleading picture of British spirit conveyed to the world. Accounts from Coventry saw 'A great depression and open signs of hysteria’ while Bristol recorded people feeling ‘Let down by the Government’ and Plymouth recorded the British population being unable to withstand the bombing and that 'Sooner or later the morale of other towns will go.' Many reports made by the M.O. even showed people for the first time ‘Arguing for immediate surrender.'
Aside from these statements, many still argue that if Britain's people truly were defeated they would not have been able to win the war, causing the everlasting debate over British morale to continue. (Stewart-Hunter)