49
A critical part of the war effort focused on increased
food production due to the
disruption of imports by enemy action. The area of land under cultivation was
greatly increased and thousands of women joined the Women’s
Land Army,
taking on the work of men serving in the armed forces.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/maps-
interactive/resource-downloads/cab66-56-wp44-574-b.jpg
British industry switched to a war footing,
with factories producing tanks, ships
and aircraft as well as artillery and anti-aircraft weapons.
Clothing and petrol
(as well as food) were rationed, and many consumer
items became almost
impossible to obtain.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/maps-
interactive/resource-downloads/cab66-56-wp44-574-c.jpg
Food rationing was introduced in January 1940 and was not completely lifted
until 1954. The graph compares pre-war and wartime
consumption of certain
commodities.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/maps-
interactive/resource-downloads/cab66-56-cp44-574-d.jpg
The aerial bombardment of Britain necessitated a variety of air-raid shelters
for the civilian population.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/maps-
interactive/resource-downloads/cab66-56-wp45-262-a.jpg
Experiments were conducted to test the resilience
of shelters and building
structures.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/maps-
interactive/resource-downloads/cab66-56-wp45-262-b.jpg
Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1944
The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest campaign of the Second World War,
and was mainly fought by British and Canadian
navies against the German
navy - in particular the German U-boats. The battle ran throughout the war
and
ranged across the Atlantic, also spilling over into the Caribbean and Indian
Ocean. Its outcome dictated Britain’s ability to continue the war and the Allies’
eventual liberation of Europe. The documents
below show the statistical
information and diagrams that were prepared to illustrate to the Cabinet who
had the upper hand - the Allies or the Germans.