23. British Authorities Did Not Try to Dispel Fear of a German Invasion Because Fear Was Good for the War Effort
Churchill’s confidence that the Germans could not successfully invade Britain came down to one word: logistics. Hitler’s forces simply lacked the landing craft and transport capacity to ship and supply an invasion force large enough to subdue Britain. The main reason why the D-Day landings occurred in 1944, instead of 1943 as US commanders had originally wanted, was the lack of sufficient landing craft in 1943. That problem was even worse for the Germans in 1940-1941. Indeed, even as the aerial Battle of Britain raged in the summer of 1940, Luftwaffe chief Herman Goering did not believe that a German victory would pave the way for an invasion.
When the German effort shifted from attacks on the RAF to attacks against British cities, it was not a prelude to invasion. Hitler had already canceled that by the time the Blitz began. The bombing of cities was intended to break British morale and pressure Britain’s leaders into peace negotiations. While Britain’s leadership did not fear invasion, they wisely kept that to themselves. Public morale and a spirit of defiance were high in the face of an “imminent invasion”, and there was no reason to tamper with that myth and risk complacency. Also, the image of an endangered Britain played well across the Atlantic. It enhanced American sympathy for Britain, and solidified US willingness to support the British.
Also Read: Interesting Things About Great Britain during the Crushing Blitz of 1940-1941.