The major cities such as Plymouth, London, Birmingham and Bristol were direct targets for the German bomber planes during the Blitz. Road signs and lights all over the country were blacked out to make attacks more difficult. People who lived all over the UK, rich or poor, had to cut down on everything they were bringing into their homes, from food to clothes.
The bombings of these major cities severely affected the culture and societies of the people who lived there. Families were torn apart as lots of children were evacuated to the countryside and some families never saw their fathers, husbands, uncles or brothers again. School's were closed, hospitals bombed and communities broken However, through all of this the people of Britain still managed to rebuild their communities and increase their morale. Life went on. The image below is a prime example of this.
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Fred Morley, 1940 |
The culture of Britain during WWII changed dramatically. Upper and lower classes were thrown together; more women went out to work, doing typical 'manly' jobs such as bus driving and farming; mechanic work and plumbing. After the war, when it came to rebuilding London, it grew as a city; modern buildings were built and, ultimately, it became a lot bigger than before.
World War II has influenced many different forms of arts, literature and media in today's culture. Written works such as 'The Book Thief', 'Anne Frank's Diary', 'Atonement' and 'Schindler's List,' have been read by thousands of people, all over the world. Translated into different languages and even turned into films or drama series. Comedy series were also created from this war such as 'Dad's Army', 'Allo Allo' and making an appearance in 'Blackadder.' As well as media and literature, WWII has had a large influence on the modern video games that are played today. Games such as 'Call of Duty', 'Medal of Honor' and 'Battlestrike'.
I believe that because of World War II, Britain grew as a nation. It became united. It worked together to get over the traumas and devastation of the wars. I feel that all of the literature, games, films etc. that have derived from this war (as well as the First World War) will help us to remember the tragedies that befell us as a country.
