a. England

The “People’s” War?

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The lake at Bletchley Park.

The mansion at Bletchley Park.

We spent our first Friday in Bletchley Park, where the weather was perfect for an outside discussion about the British collective memory of the People’s War and more specifically who “the people” were. We came to the conclusion that those who are considered “the people” now may not have been considered as much during the war. The prime example of our conversation was the women who worked at Bletchley. Our guide made sure to emphasize the important work that the women of Bletchley did and how critical they were to success in operations such as Overlord. Of course, during the war women were seen as only temporary assets or assistants to the men who ran the show.

This conversation really resonated with me as we began discussing what it meant to be one of “the people” and what the qualifications were. I began to think about applying what that meant outside of a British framework and to think about the research that I conducted over the semester on the African Imperial Soldiers who fought to liberate France under General Charles de Gaulle. These men made up nearly 50% of the Free French Army, and their families and villages were exploited for labor that supplied the Allied war effort. Women at Bletchley, while seen as inferior, were still considered human. The Africans fought and labored for a national that merely saw them as bodies who were expendable. Hitler, too, saw Jews, Gypsies, and other undesirables” as cogs in his machine; they were less than human and therefore only worth the amount labor they could offer.

The suffering of the victims of the Holocaust is incomparable to the suffering of Africans subjected to colonial oppression – they are two very different sets of circumstances. But what this shows is how tailored the idea of a People’s War was to the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant experience, of which Winston Churchill was the perfect symbol. It is an experience that has only recently been able to account for the work that women did at Bletchley or even Alan Turing, who was gay. The framework, while unifying in Great Britain, has obvious limits that almost undercut the core ideas of what we would consider a People’s War today.

Churchill’s Oratory in Britons’ Hearts

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Winston Churchill’s oratory fascinates me. His wartime speeches, broadcast on the BBC from his underground War Rooms, sound like a bulldog looks. As though unmoved by bombings and setbacks, his voice steadily reassures the listener. The Imperial War Museums (IWM) gave great attention to his steeling of Britain’s will during World War II (especially by those speeches), but their focus on his personage makes me question whether they credit him or the “people” more for surviving the Battle of Britain.

The three IWM museums I visited—the Churchill War Rooms, IWM London, and the HMS Belfast—prominently feature testimonies from civil servants, Holocaust survivors, and sailors. Recordings in the War Rooms tell us that Churchill was demanding, picky, and easily irritated. Every cot in that cramped bunker borders a working room, and one air conditioning pipe connects them all. Anyone with wooden floors and central air may understand the problem: when Churchill took his daily “siesta” (an hour-plus nap), the entire complex quieted down. The museum leaves it unclear whether that silence arose from fear or respect.

Since Hitler hoped to topple Britain by terror and revolution, the War Room exhibit gives great credit to Churchill’s four wartime speeches for redoubling Britons’ will to defend their “island home.” Speech snippets are piped in to a lounge through a vintage radio, as though one is with family in the sitting room. Indeed, the War Rooms exhibition thrives on the “great man” theory of history: Churchill inspired the people to persevere and pushed his staff to excel. Churchill did not do everything, but life in the War Rooms did revolve around him.

The curators make little attempt to critique his policies or demonstrate that his speeches had a significant stabilizing effect on the populace. His speeches very well may have, but the curators, in their enthusiasm, just took it for granted that they did. Clearly, Churchill seared his words into the national memory on those nights, but the population was already steeled against Hitler, without egging-on from Churchill, from the very first bombing of the East End in September 1940. Britain has not forgotten the slight: in London, only the Blitz’s constellation of memorials rivals that of Trafalgar. Fire-bombing a poverty-stricken neighborhood can do that. Britons united through years of collective effort for victory, to be sure, but it is suffering which united them most.

 

Spray Paint and Air Raids

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Just a few blocks from downtown London the street signs read in both English and Bengali. Historically, it is an immigrant community. One building, originally a Protestant church built by French Huguenots in the 1700s, has also been used as both a synagogue and a mosque (The Brick Lane Mosque). The streets themselves are narrow and littered with garbage, and the sidewalks are in disrepair. While the buildings are newer, they are a dim juxtaposition to the rest of London’s prim apartment buildings. Despite this decay, the area is famous for its street art, which is the illegal use of paint on the outside of buildings. While much of the art is incredibly skillful, it is symbolic of weak local rule of law in Whitechapel. Some artists choose to remain anonymous, but each has their own distinct style. The subjects range from pop culture to political commentary to original artistic inspiration. Pieces last anywhere from a few weeks to several years.

A street portrait of an ordinary local community worker, portrayed as powerful and unique.

This art attracts tourists from all over the world, but the East End also has unique significance in WWII history. This area bore the brunt of the Blitz and endured near-total destruction because of German raids. However, White Chapel has no infrastructural memory for WWII. In fact, this largely Bengali community is undergoing a struggle against gentrification and displacement. It was once an affordable place for immigrant families to start businesses and save enough to eventually move to the suburbs. However, it is slowly being taken over by hip and trendy coffee shops, boutiques, and other outside businesses. Not only is the cost of living on the rise, but the unique blend of culture is being chipped away by commercial business. Companies like Adidas and Gucci now own walls in the area and have created advertisements that mimic the style of street art. The local opposition to this commercialization is apparent: “tourists go home” is written on a nearby wall.

Local commentary on the gentrification of the neighborhood.

London’s wartime experience is often conveyed as the “People’s War”—the idea that the common man, woman, and child came together to achieve victory both at home and abroad. Perhaps in the 1940s WWII was the “People’s War,” but its modern-day legacy only belongs to some.  Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Parliament Square, the National Portrait Gallery, Hyde Park, the Victoria and Albert Museum. World War II memorials are as easy to find in London as tourist attractions and are often incorporated into sidewalks and walls. Westminster Abbey, an active site of worship, houses memorials to the Women’s Voluntary Service, to British and French soldiers, and even contained a U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor. Wartime legacy is casually featured in infrastructure all over the city—a city that withstood the German Blitz for several months. Hidden in posh and historical buildings are memorials, royal decrees, and commissioned works of art that commemorate the valor and loss of World War II. Generally, London and the West End of London are clean and trendy, yet still possess enough historical significance to maintain a powerful tourism industry.

An homage to the Jewish restaurant that used to operate in the building.

There are many possible reasons why the residents of the East End have never benefited from WWII tourism, unlike the city of London and the West End. The residents of the East End are probably not of the same families that endured the Blitz in the 1940s, so perhaps they do not share that cultural history with the rest of London. Perhaps the city of White Chapel chose not to commemorate such a devastating event when rebuilding. Perhaps in British memory it is only significant that iconic sites—like Westminster Abbey—managed to survive the Blitz. While the Germans valued the East End as a wartime target due to the manufacturing and shipping centers in the area, Britain’s collective memory of WWII fails to dignify the area as a site worth remembering.

The Workers’ War and the People’s War

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Entrance to the first exhibit in the People's History Museum.

On Saturday, I experienced the thrill of almost missing my morning train from London to Manchester, UK. My destination was the People’s History Museum, a museum presenting the history of working people and democracy in the United Kingdom. I was drawn to the museum during our group’s visit to the Churchill War Rooms, which present the “great man” theory of history. While they were interesting and informative, I found Churchill’s continued, blatant imperialism disturbing. So I began looking for a museum on topics for which I care deeply: labor, workers, and democracy. Having spent a significant amount of time studying the history of working people and workers’ movements in the United States, I was looking for something just like the People’s History Museum.

The People's History Museum from outside.

The People’s History Museum from outside.

Walking up the stairs leading to the museum’s entry exhibit, I grabbed a punch card and “clocked-in” to the museum using a real 19th century punch-card machine as a factory whistle screamed in the background. I walked through the glass doors to an opening room filled with the exhilarating (and all too often, bloody and depressing) history of working people in the UK told through artifacts, propaganda, banners, and interactive exhibits. As I journeyed through slavery on to the industrial revolution and then into the late 19th century, I was struck by how similar the plight of the UK’s workers was to those in the United States.

I walked further, squinting to make out Keir Hardie’s hand-written speech notes as he worked toward the creation of the Labour Party. I saw huge, intricately painted trade union banners. I watched as the Great War initially brightened and then dimmed the dreams of workers. I saw the Great Depression create a groundswell of support for greater social welfare and a more caring government. I saw the rise of the Communist Party and the British Union of Fascists as the world inched ever closer to war. Then, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, Britain declared war, and World War II began.

The British call World War II “The People’s War.” And indeed, all suffered in the fight against fascism. However, the People’s History Museum does not dwell long on the war but rather on what came after. The British suffered immensely during the war—facing continuous bombing, rationing, and loss of life. But as the museum showed, in the decades leading up to the war, the problems plaguing the UK were more deep-rooted. In 1942, the wartime coalition government published the Beveridge Report, a document outlining a future welfare state in Britain. In 1945, Winston Churchill was unceremoniously thrown from government by a landslide Labour victory, bringing to power Clement Attlee, who would implement this welfare state.

A World War II era helmet sits atop a table. The radio next to it plays a BBC broadcast declaring Labour's landslide victory in 1945.

A World War II era helmet sits atop a table. The radio next to it plays a BBC broadcast declaring Labour’s landslide victory in 1945.

Now Win the Peace Poster

John Armstrong’s iconic poster design for the 1945 election campaign. He also designed Labour’s manifesto, Let Us Face the Future.

The Labour Government of 1945 made sweeping reforms to British society. This government is best known for its crowning achievement: the National Health Service. This was one of its many great reforms. But the Labour Government of ‘45 also set in motion a strategy for building houses. In a country as heavily bombed as the UK, this was desperately needed. The Labour government’s reforms were so popular, the Conservatives began campaigning on building more houses faster.

"Labour for Homes" Campaign Poster

A campaign poster urging voters who care about housing to vote Labour.

National Health Service Literature

Literature on the newly created National Health Service, which continues to provide world-class healthcare free at the point of service to everyone in the United Kingdom.

As I left the exhibit halls of the museum, I imagined the creation and implementation of the Government of ‘45’s sweeping reforms. Today, many cannot even fathom creating a single payer system in the United States. It seems that only seeing the experience of wartime—seeing what a nation can do when it wants to—can make some actually envision reform. When I think about the people’s war, I think about not only World War II, but the broader struggle of workers for freedom. Fascism arose in opposition to workers organizing for their rights. If we are truly to see World War II as a people’s war, we must not leave out the broader struggle of workers for freedom and democracy.

Fighting The People’s War: Extraordinary Hopes and Extraordinary Men

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Throughout the spring semester and while in London, we focused on how the English saw World War Two as the “People’s War.” In this mentality, every person was a part of the war effort and contributed to it in some way. This was evident in all of the historical sites that we visited while exploring the British capital. In the Churchill War Rooms we saw the feelings of the people embodied in one extraordinary man. Though Churchill would probably not be considered one of the common people based on his parentage and life experiences, he truly prided himself on taking the mood of the people and being a source of inspiration. The museum at the War Rooms had an emphasis on why Churchill was a great leader and great Englishman and how he was the one who got the rest of the people through the tumultuous times of war. There were interactive displays entitled, “Why Churchill Was a Great Leader” where historians discussed why Churchill was able to be successful and a well-loved. I felt that these were very telling of the way that Churchill was thought of then and remembered now.

The principle of the “People’s War” was the most obvious at Bletchley Park. What amazed me at Bletchley was the dedication of those who worked there before they even knew what they were doing. All they knew was that they were being brought in for a government job that would be helpful to the war effort and they stepped up to do it. It was interesting to see how this huge operation was made possible through the work of so many extraordinary yet ordinary citizens.

The Imperial War Museum combined many of the principles demonstrated at the War Rooms and at Bletchley. An exhibit that stuck out to me was a poster of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and also the picture of Hitler that hung in his field office. The caption explained that the British people were enamored with Montgomery and would hang the poster outside of the cinema when they were playing war footage. So while the war was truly an effort of all the people we can still see how their hopes and inspiration often laid in a few extraordinary men.

Overall my experience in England showed me that World War Two is still remembered as the “People’s War.” While there were similar feelings about the war in the US, I have never gotten the feeling of collective sacrifice here that I did while visiting the sites in London. The war was personal in England. They were being berated with bombs and losing their homes family members in such a different way than the Americans.  It was very eye-opening to see how the effort of the people both at home and abroad made such a difference in the outcome of the war for the people of Great Britain.

Churchill’s military uniform

The bikes lined up at Bletchley Park, no one lived on site so thousands of people had to travel to and from the Park at all hours of the day and night.

The front of the Imperial War Museum

From Devastation to Unity: The People’s War in England

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     Throughout history, we generally regard the Second World War as being the British “People’s War”. For Britain, this war was a ‘total war’, meaning that every part of British society was somehow involved in the war. Whether it was the military conscription, air raids, the war economy, or something else that affected daily life in Britain, no British citizen remained untouched by the war; every Brit was in a similar position. Because of this, there was a feeling of unity among the British people as they fought this war together to liberate themselves from the grips of war and to return to their normal ways of life. This is why it is remembered as being a “People’s War.”

    As we traveled throughout London, I noticed this experienced embodied within several sites that we visited. The main place I noticed this was within the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of England at the time, but despite this, he viewed himself as being the same as the other British citizens, with the only difference being that he would help lead them all to victory. I saw this evident in many of the exhibits in the museum where Churchill mentioned the Brits being a unity force against the enemy with a common purpose, such as on posters that stated “Let Us Go Forward Together.” However, I noticed this most significantly in the quote from Churchill which states, “We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow-worm.” This reinforces the idea that Churchill viewed himself as being the same as the other British citizens, and that he was just a leading force among them that worked towards unity and victory.

 

Winning With People

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Thousands of allied decoders spent long days at Bletchley Park during World War II.  The job required considerable attention to detail and discipline.  In between twelve-hour shifts, workers had to sit under UV lamps; it was their only chance to encounter sunlight after working in smoky huts adorned with blackout curtains to protect them from axis bombs. In the park’s ornate mansion-turned museum, an exhibit featured recordings of the women who worked there. One woman noted that she wished she was married and having children, but she knew that her country needed her contributions. In the 1940s, the park was full of employees who put their lives on hold to contribute to the war effort. To me, Bletchley Park represents the “People’s War”:  British society mobilized on and off of the battle field, contributing to the war in masses. As our guide walked us past the mansion, through the gardens, and among the primitive huts where the decoders worked, this theme kept returning to my mind. Historians estimate that Ultra intelligence from Bletchley shorted the war by two to three years.

As we learned more about Bletchley, I asked myself—if my country became enmeshed in total war, would I give as much of my time and talent as the British did? The Leon family, British Aristocrats, realized the need for an intelligence epicenter. They rallied other wealthy families behind the cause and funded the property’s purchase. Aristocrats began intelligence operations at Bletchley, so it was natural that aristocratic women were the first to be hired there. Most of the park’s employees were women, and as demand for workers increased, searches were expanded to all reach all social classes. Women were recruited as they completed crossword puzzles in the newspaper and sent them to the government. After completing an interview, they agreed to work for the government without knowing any details about the work they would be doing. Instead, they waited for code words on the radio as their cue to report to their top-secret jobs. It’s estimated that Ultra intelligence, a product of Bletchley Park, shortened the war by two to four years, and the people who worked there made groundbreaking and war-shortening intelligence break throughs possible. Today, the park pays tribute to the allies’ secret weapon, an army of focused workers at Bletchley.

To learn more about Bletchley Park, checkout their website.

Social Divisions and Serial Killers

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When I set off on a nighttime Jack the Ripper tour exploring the East side of London, I was expecting a lighthearted excursion (as much as a serial murder mystery tour could be) and an interesting way to explore a new part of the city with a tour guide. What I didn’t expect was to be educated on London’s history involving major class distinctions and the separation between East and West London.

Walking around the East side, I noticed numerous new, clean, and polished buildings that were architecturally magnificent. These newly developed buildings did not have the classical look I had become used to in West London. For example, the Lancaster Gate Hotel near Hyde park, where we were residing for our stay, was surrounded by illustrious white mansions. Although far from run down, one could tell that these buildings were not modern designs, unlike in the East.

Our tour guide told us that before World War II, Eastern London was overpopulated and impoverished. It was expected that buildings did not have electricity, plumbing, or clean air. Massive amounts of smog created by coal pollution made living there difficult and unhealthy. Lacking options for food some people had to rely on butchered cat meat to survive.

Meanwhile in the late nineteenth-century West, people were living under Queen Victoria’s eye, and resided in lavish buildings, had luxurious open spaces, and had access to expendable income. According to the tour guide, Queen Victoria did not care how the East was run because most people in the East were immigrants from places like Ireland, not true Englishmen. These men and women left their respective countries in hopes of starting anew in a place they thought was ripe with opportunity. Unfortunately, for most that was not the reality of their situation. Women had to rely on casual prostitution to even afford a place to sit for the night. Regardless of the debatable explanation of London’s past, the massive division between the rich and poor was undeniable.

Before I arrived in London, I learned that World War II damage to the poverty-stricken areas in the East gave the perfect excuse for government officials to tear down the unsightly buildings and start anew. Thus, while walking around in 2019 it is hard to imagine the area as anything other than beautiful and clean. A couple buildings from that time period remain in the area and completely stand out. Without those buildings it would be possible to completely wipe away London’s past of poverty and desperation.

The War Fought off the Battlefield

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Just outside London, half way between Cambridge and Oxford, sits the town Bletchley. During the war Bletchley Park was home to British intelligence operations; men and women worked nonstop to crack German enigma codes and aid the Allies on the frontlines. To me, Bletchley Park is a prime example of Britain’s “People’s War.” The “People’s War” is the historical interpretation of British involvement in WWII, emphasizing the importance of civilian contributions to Britain’s total war effort and success. What really reinforced the idea of a “People’s War,” however, was oddly enough the coats, hats, and purses that hung on the walls of the different huts. While these people played an important role in the success of the Allies, they were still just ordinary citizens. Daily work life at Bletchley included women riding their motorcycles to deliver important messages and huts working together to decode German codes. Their offices were nothing glamorous, and at the end of each night they got on the bus or rode their bike home just like any other person. Despite this sense of normality, their work was crucial to Britain’s success.

Additionally, our tour guide reiterated several times just how important secrecy was at Bletchley Park. It is intriguing that even after the war these women and men kept secret what they did. No one attempted to glorify themselves but instead continued on with their lives normally. Walking through the grounds and hearing the tour guide say this both reinforced the interpretation of a “People’s War” and made me question it. For one, their avoidance of the spotlight suggests a group effort towards the war, a sign of the collective effort that was prominent throughout Britain. On the other hand, the work done at Bletchley Park was left out of historical accounts until it was revealed decades after the end of WWII. By that point in time the interpretation of Britain’s war as a “People’s War” was already existent. Standing in the different huts I couldn’t help but wonder if the “People’s War” interpretation has expanded at all since the uncovering of what men and women at Bletchley Park did to greatly aid the war effort. To me, the people of Bletchley Park perfectly embody the interpretation of Britain’s WWII experience, that of a “People’s War.”

Rising from the Ashes

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My favorite moment in London actually came out of a time-crunching, anxiety ridden search for food. The evening of May 11th, I found myself in a group of seven scurrying along the streets of London to grab a quick bite to eat before seeing As You Like It in William Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. I learned from my prior adventures in Dublin that the best sights within a city are those you happen to stumble upon when exploring the streets, but the only discovery on my mind at this moment was dinner; my eyes were set only on food and getting to the show on time. While we hurried past St. Paul’s Cathedral, which I had explored the previous day, a member of our group pointed out a statue on the south side of the cathedral. Our curiosity got the better of our stomachs, and we made a quick stop to investigate further. What caught my eye first was the profile of a man with his arms thrown up and pointing at St. Paul’s, and I knew instantly this statue was a memorial for the Blitz. As my eyes followed the man’s fingers to the cathedral, the famous image of St. Paul’s standing strong amid the congesting smoke from German bombing consumed my mind and the meaning of the simple figure went from modest to profound in my mind.

I discovered several facts that help construct a fascinating narrative and relationship between the memorial and the cathedral. The structure’s official name is the National Firefighters Memorial, and it was built to commemorate those firefighters who lost their lives during the Blitz but now stands as a memorial to all firefighters who have lost their lives in the United Kingdom. The standing Fire Officer clearly points to St. Paul’s, but he more specifically indicates the phoenix on the front of the cathedral with the Latin inscription “resurgam” or, in English, “again.” The phoenix and Latin inscription combination suggests that no matter what obstacle London will rise from the ashes again. In the context of the Blitz, the narrative demonstrates the resilience of London and its people.

The British people felt the pain of World War II more than any prior war in their strong nation’s history. No longer was the fighting contained to a distant battlefield experienced only by those willing and able to fight for his or her country; World War II brought the fight home. The war affected the people, thus emerging as the “People’s War”; evidence of the “People’s War” in Great Britain is scattered around the country’s capital in notable, substantial monuments but is also found in smaller, less recognizable structures along the streets such as the National Firefighters Memorial. The vast presence of WWII memorials scattered throughout London demonstrates the immense reach of the war on the people of Britain.

When I walk around Washington D.C., I feel patriotism in independence and freedom, but when I meandered the streets of London, I felt the resilience and perseverance of London and its history. This fundamental aspect of British national identity is rooted in an extensive history of triumph and defeat, but it was largely altered and shaped in the modern world by the “People’s War” from World War II.

An American in England

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Before this trip began, I was excited to visit England. I wanted to see WWII sites there as a history student, and what England would look like through the lens of my American national identity. Once I arrived it became clear to me that my American identity does shape my perspective and experiences abroad – even more than I anticipated.
Our first stop was Churchills’s War Rooms. This was the underground bunker in which Churchill and his war cabinet met to plot Allied strategy in the war. Interestingly, if the bombings were not intense, Churchill went on the roof instead of to the bunker to show the English people that he was not afraid. As an American this intrigued me. I associate the presidency with high levels of security and have trouble imagining our president out in the open during bomb raids. The British approach in contrast seems prepared but relaxed – prepared for the worst, but ready and almost welcoming the fight.
The War Rooms were organized in a museum format, with the rooms the cabinet worked in available to walk through. Artifacts were kept on the desks, tables, tables, and walls as they would have been during the war. Audio guides explain the history as one walks through. Various video interviews with civilians who had worked in the war rooms detailed what life had been like.
I didn’t expect to be confronted with my American national identity in England, where there are fewer language barriers than France, Poland, and Germany. It hit me when we came to the Transatlantic Telephone Room, the room where Churchill would speak to Roosevelt on across the Atlantic. I stood in the place where Americans began their contribution to the war effort. Though Pearl Harbor was bombed, we as Americans did not experience the bombing of our towns and cities. I found my national identity weighing on me, as even with this distance from the harsher effects of war, we had our role. Churchill and Roosevelt’s “special relationship” was key to Allied success in the war, and their phone calls are symbolic of the roles Americans played from afar.
Later in our London adventure, we had a visit from Mr. Handscomb, who described his life growing up in England during the war. He grew up in Bexleyheath, and described the food rationing that his family dealt with during the war, as well as the bombing. Food items like meat, fish, cheese, jam, tea, eggs, and more were rationed in Britain, and Mr. Handscomb recalls his mother’s delight when he skipped school one day to bring home a rationed meat that they did not often eat. He also described his experiences in the RAF after WWII. During this talk I was again confronted by my national identity. American civilians did have food rationing to conserve food for soldiers but never to the extent that Mr. Hanscomb described. While Pearl Harbor was attacked, most Americans did not face the bombing of their cities, let alone the constant bombing that was the Blitz. I found that my American identity studying the Second World War was more focused on the battlefield than on surviving a difficult civilian life. Both American and British civilians made sacrifices for the war, but the American civilian sacrifices were not borne by direct violence to their home. Instead, their sacrifice was made by their sons, brothers, and fathers on the battlefields.
Our next stop was Bletchley Park, the secret site of British codebreakers. We had a guided tour and walked around on our own. Bletchley reminded me once again that the people working in the war were civilians, ordinary people recruited to do extraordinary things for the war effort. From my contemporary American perspective I was taken aback at the enclosed life made for those at Bletchley. The workers were civilians, and yet the war was their life. One section featured the Wrens, or the Women’s Royal Navy Service (WRNS), who were recruited to try different codes on the Bombe machines in an attempt to break them. Another exhibit featured the Bletchley Park Recreational Club. Bletchley offered clubs for drama, music, choral, chess, fencing, Scottish dancing, and more. Many workers, spending so much time at Bletchley, formed strong bonds with their fellow workmates and several couples went on to marry.
There is also a museum holding many artifacts of Alan Turing’s life at Bletchley. We learned of the story of Alan Turing’s later years, as his homosexuality was illegal in Britain in his time. This was disconcerting to hear, but also reminded me, once again, that these were ordinary people, not above law (unfortunately in this case). Turing eventually was discovered and underwent chemical castration as punishment, but later committed suicide.
Another section exhibited the various pieces of the enigma machine that made it so difficult to break into, teaching me of the difficult work these civilians were engaged in. We learned of Enigma’s one main fault: a letter could never code for itself. This flaw allowed the Allies to break into the code, since they knew a solution could not be correct if there were matching letters between their solution and the enigma code. Each of these exhibits served to remind me that the British experienced a People’s War in contrast to the American soldier’s war.
Our last stop was the Imperial War Museum. I toured this museum separate from the group, which turned out to be a great chance to explore at my own pace. I first toured the general Second World War section, including the section on the “People’s War.” This section covered what daily life was like for British families during the war by laying out the story of a single British family. In this exhibit, I first saw a bomb shelter that was issued to British families. It was very small and meant for 6 people but was not much help for anything other than shrapnel. I next saw a well designed room laying out a typical house in wartime Britain. This room had a large dollhouse figure of the family home in the middle, with a virtual information screen available to explain the contents of each room. One interesting aspect of wartime British homes were the blackout curtains. These were completely black curtains pulled shut at night to avoid providing targets for enemy air bombers. The exhibit continued with wartime posters, clothing, foods, and the fates of the various members of the family.
This section had me once again reflecting on my identity as an American in a country with civilians affected by the war in a direct and violent way. The bomb raid shelter, gas mask posters, and blackout curtains, and the like provided a stark contrast to the rationing that occurred in the United States to conserve resources for soldiers and other nonviolent aspects of the American civilian wartime experience. American civilian life during the war was certainly difficult, but not as directly violent as that of the British experience.

The Courage to Continue

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Winston Churchill and the people of Britain fought valiantly against all odds in pursuit of victory, liberty, and the greater good, even when their allies let them down. The famous “People’s War” in Britain cannot be exaggerated; although I marveled at their efforts already, I gained an entirely new appreciation for all of these aspects of the war in Britain during my time in London. At the Churchill War Rooms, the dedication of Churchill and those who worked alongside him in such conditions was impossible to miss. Seeing the telephone room, in which Churchill and Roosevelt maintained their special relationship, made me almost feel the stress and desperation that Churchill must have felt. The room is small and unassuming—just 4 concrete walls with a special scrambled telephone and seat—and was disguised as Churchill’s private bathroom to the general staff in the war rooms. I recently watched the film “The Darkest Hour,” which I believe also contributed to my appreciation and understanding of how they were forced to work underground at all hours of the day, and which I highly recommend to anyone who can’t make the trip across the pond!

The next site I visited was Bletchley Park. The  number of ordinary people—especially women— who worked at the park to decode German Enigma messages is astounding, including more than ten thousand at its peak of operations. On top of this, their dedication to keep their work a secret at all costs—not even telling their families or loved ones long after the vow of secrecy was ended—which I can only interpret as incredible loyalty to their cause. Our tour guide even mentioned that a couple was married for years before discovering that they had both worked at Bletchley until each being invited to a reunion at the park. It is clear to see that they were enthusiastic and determined to contribute to their nation’s victory.

The Imperial War Museum, pictured below, also had a very interesting exhibit in which it showcased the life of the Allpress family throughout the war in order to convey the wartime lives of a typical British family. This was the most obvious example to show that the war somehow touched almost every British person at the time; the Allpress’s sons both fought in the war, while their daughters volunteered in the Women’s Voluntary Service. Mrs. Allpress made due with the family’s allotted rations by getting creative in the kitchen and mending the childrens’ clothes to make them last as long as possible. The exhibit also showcased a model of the same bomb shelter that the Allpress’s had in their backyard, which was tiny and difficult to imagine families throughout London squeezing into during the raids. Cramming into the miniscule tin box was enough of a challenge for me and a couple friends, but nonetheless, the Allpresses did it.  Another site we stopped at was the Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park. I have included a picture of this beautiful memorial below. This memorial was beautifully made, with oversized statues of RAF Bombers and an open roof that allowed the sky to be seen from any angle. This memorial also paid tribute to all civilians in every nation who were killed in the bombings from 1939-1945. This, again, highlights the idea of unity between the people of London and beyond through the difficult war.

In addition to what I gleaned from the sites themselves, the giftshops and bookstores of these sites shed some light on the people’s war in Britain. In every one there were multiple postcards, posters, and recipe books about rations and about Winston Churchill, clearly emphasizing the love and admiration for Churchill along with the united sacrifice that the Britons made throughout the conflict. Although it is easy to interpret the war from my American perspective, being in London at all of these sites reminded me that the war was completely different here. Every single person was touched by its effects, whether they served in the military, worked for the government, or simply made do with their rations and took cover in a bomb shelter. It has been eye-opening to see first-hand the perseverance and toil that took place here in Britain that Americans never had to endure.

Statue of bombers inside the Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial in Hyde Park

Crisis and Character from the Battle of Britain and WWII – London, UK

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After a few days in Ireland (Dublin and Galway) and Scotland (Edinburgh and Leith), I began my study abroad trip in London, England. Transitioning from seeing my peers in our seminar and history class to being with them to continue our studies across the world is an educational experience that will be one of my favorite memories from my time at The Ohio State University. Through my site visits and general cultural observations, bolstered by my studies during the spring semester, I noticed consistent themes deriving from the Second World War in the British interpretation of their national identity and history. The themes most prevalent are the mild-tempered composure and resiliency.

The RAF Bomber Command Memorial and St. Paul’s Cathedral are two of the many sites that I visited during my time in London, and I found them to be especially compelling in exemplifying the nation’s interpretation of their history and culture. The RAF Bomber Command Memorial portrayed the airmen who defended London during the Battle of Britain as larger than life, yet also included human characteristics through facial expressions and detailed imperfections. Though god-like in stature, these statues wore forlorn faces and disheveled uniforms. This contrast delivered the perspective that the British, especially those that who risked the most for their country, were heroes for their resiliency and sacrifices, yet these sacrifices and the destruction still hold as real and tragic rather than glorious. St. Paul’s Cathedral has a symbolic standing derived from a famous photograph (attached) in which it stands amidst bombing destruction during the Battle of Britain. The commemoration of a violent war at a serene church represents how ubiquitous the memory of World War II is throughout London.

To reconcile with times of conflict and confusion, nations tend to cling to their identifications to buttress their existence and security. The British cling to their identity of nonchalant and humorous composure, and the stories they tell of both military and civilian resiliency and determination reflect this today. I found these themes to be present throughout London, even where I did not expect it. The Second World War was not only a portion of the past of Britain, but a part of the identification of the people.

RAF Bomber Command Memorial in London, UK

St. Paul’s Cathedral During the Battle of Britain in London, UK

St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, UK

Some comrades and I after climbing the stairs to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral (left to right: Lindsay Gottlieb, Katie Crum, Kate Greer, Audrey Bagarus, me; photograph by Laura DeAngelis).

British Imperialism’s Reverberating and Unexpected Presence

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As our World War II Study Abroad group explored London, many site visits prompted us to discuss the push and pull between old English customs and newer, modern-day influences. I noticed the juxtapositions in simplicities such as the food, which ranged from Thai and Indian cuisine to full English roasts and high tea, to the museum content, where British imperialism’s impact resonated through almost every piece of the nation’s cultural history. Throughout our studies to prepare for this trip, we discussed how the People’s War affected the British citizenry and the English mentality. Practically every site we visited explored this sense of British perseverance reminiscent of the wartime mindset; however, the persistence of the citizenry seemed inextricably entwined with the troubling sources of the new. I was surprised to see the prominence of Churchill’s imperialistic mindset and be reminded repeatedly that colonialism’s effects are still distinctly present in English society today.

The Churchill Museum presented a comprehensive view of the focus of British political influence outside of the war effort. As an individual, Churchill not only gave the British people someone to believe in and look towards for leadership; he kept a nation that was fading in their influence relevant in the global sphere. But the museum went beyond these leadership qualities and acknowledged his influence outside the war and his policy programs in England, showing that Churchill impacted the Middle East. An entire room in the museum explored Churchill’s unwavering commitment to expanding the British Empire. Among all of his accomplishments during WWII, this room alluded to the negative consequences of Churchill’s decision making. His failure to grant Indian independence and view of colonial people as inferior was a sharp contrast to his commitment to social welfare and the working class of English society.

The Imperial War Museum addressed the impact of British colonialism from the wartime era. The current rotating exhibit explored modern terrorism in the UK and we had the opportunity to speak with survivors of terrorist attacks, hospital workers, and first responders in a roundtable discussion. At first thought English imperialism may seem contained in earlier centuries, strictly within the stolen artifacts of the British Museum and the V&A; however, the Churchill War Rooms and IWM made the effects of the expansive British Empire in the modern era unavoidably apparent. Visiting these museums allows one to trace actions from decades ago to reactions that are ongoing today.

Each site visit presented Churchill’s maintenance Britain’s relevance as a Western world power and the persistence of the British people throughout the war as an important takeaway, but when one visits the sources first-hand, the lasting effects of Britain’s troubling past and commitment to colonialism are increasingly interwoven into the historical narrative. Churchill’s influence not only emerged through his special relationship with Roosevelt and presence in the “Big Three,” but in his dedication to expanding the British Empire and reluctance to grant independence to occupied nations. While colonialism at first thought may not directly connect to World War II, it was a clear stain on every site and museum we visited. Seeing the sites first hand allowed me to create a more comprehensive

British National Identity Past and Present from an American’s Perspective

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The strong resolve that the British displayed during World War II remains a prominent aspect of their national identity and is proudly displayed in their museums. In the British Imperial War Museum, several objects symbolize the sacrifice of ordinary British civilians. From the long boats that rescued soldiers from Dunkirk to the bomb shelters that became a part of everyday life, the Museum acknowledges that World War II was a people’s war. This tough national character is also exemplified by the British civilians who are still fortunate enough to share their experiences during the war, such as Micheal Handscomb. His recollection of the Blitz and his memory of the war helped from a civilian perspective made the war more personal and real. When Handscomb recalled what it was like after France surrendered, I was able to gain a better sense of Britain’s overall mindset on resisting the Nazi war machine. After listening to him speak, I developed a greater appreciation for the British people and their strength of will as they faced an enemy who at that point in time appeared to be invincible. Handscomb’s firsthand account exemplified the British strength and helped me make real connections from the present to World War II.

The British Museums and eye-witness accounts like Mr. Handscomb, generate an image of the British characterized by admirable resilience and determination rooted in their experience from World War II. However, the British also perpetuate the controversial aspect of their imperial legacy. The British Museum embodies this imperial pride and historical traditional of the British Empire and is a symbol of the power they exerted all over the world for centuries. The fact that the British government refuses to return these artifacts to their place of origin makes it seem that the British willingly choose to ignore some of the controversial aspects as to how some of these pieces were acquired by them in the first place. For instance, the Rosetta Stone should be readily available to the Egyptian people because it is an Egyptian artifact that is a part of their history. On the other hand, the museum itself supports the national identity of the British people and represents the powerful position Great Britain has held since its creation. It helps reinforce the idea that the British hold onto tradition and demonstrate their nationalistic pride to the rest of the world.

This conflict between the international community and the British is a complex situation with no simple solution. The British will not return all the artifacts because in doing so they would be acting in a way that is contrary to their national character. Essentially, the British would yield to an outside influence and in doing so would betray their own self-image of power. The different ways national identities were affected by World War II and how certain conflicts today connect with this period in history demonstrates the continual relevance of World War II and imperialism in modern society.