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World War 2

A comprehensive World War 2 history guide with facts and information on one of the most important events in British history.

  • Overview
    • World War 2 Summary
    • World War 2 Facts
    • World War 2 Timeline
    • World War 2 Prisoners Of War
    • Soldiers In World War 2
    • WW2 FAQ
      • Who Started World War 2?
      • Causes of World War 2
      • When Did WW2 Finish?
      • Which countries were involved in World War Two
      • When was World War 2?
      • Who won World War 2?
      • How Many People Died In World War 2
    • WW2 Planes: A History of World War 2 Aircraft
  • Battles
    • The Blitz
    • Pearl Harbour
    • Battle Of Britain
    • Dday
    • Operation Barbarossa
    • The Battle Of Kursk
    • Operation Overlord
    • Battle Of Midway
    • Battle of Stalingrad
    • The Invasion Of Poland
    • Operation Cerberus
  • Leaders
    • Winston Churchill
    • Franklin D Roosevelt
    • Adolf Hitler
    • Benito Mussolini
    • Emperor Hirohito
    • Joseph Stalin
  • Home Front
    • Evacuees Of World War 2
    • World War 2 Recipes
    • World War 2 Shelters
  • Anne Frank
  • Miscellaneous
    • World War 2 Books
    • World War 2 Movies
    • World War 2 Poems
    • World War One
    • The Phoney War
    • Blitzkrieg
    • World War 2 Allies
  • World War 2 For Kids
    • World War 2 Facts Kids
    • Children in World War 2

Children in World War 2

The effect of war on children, particularly young children cannot be measured but it would be hard to say anything other than the effect on their lives was monumental. The disruption of homes, the threat from aerial attacks and the loss of fathers to war had a huge effect on them emotionally.

The death rate of children in London due to the Blitz was approximately 1 in 10 with children struggling to escape and lacking the physical strength of adults.

World War 2 brought events to a child’s life which they shouldn’t have to live through. Most were separated from their families due to evacuations while others had to deal with death and loss of family. It was an emotional period and children had to grow up fast to cope with the surroundings.

The British government in 1933 re-empted this threat to children and began the evacuation process when Hitler took power. The worry was around the British cities and towns which they felt would be targets by bombing raids by aircraft’s. It is estimated that over 3.5 million people (mostly children) were evacuated throughout the war.

With the advance in technology from World War One, Britain worried that the mainland would be at threat from aerial bombings which meant they evacuated children from the main cities.School boy gets his first experience in using War Ration Book Two

Where you were evacuated dependant mostly on your social standing. Those from Upper Middle class families were able to make their own arrangements whereas the poor were left in rail stations not knowing where their children were going and who they would be living with. It was a harsh, frightening life experience for these children as they were unaware as to whether they would see their families again or who they would be living with!

Although some did live with relatives it was common for most to be evacuated with complete strangers. Their whole life was turned upside down and education continued in Pubs, town halls and any location which could accommodate the children.

Those from the country also had to adapt to a new child in their home and commonly there would be friction between those from city centres and those from the country. The difference in upbringing was the root cause of this and common misconceptions were made of one another.

The Application process:

Children arriving in the countryside were met by even more unexpectancy when they had to go through an application process. Families would haggle over the children, arguing about who would secure the most presentable child. It was common for the child who was least presentable to be left until the end and would then reluctantly be chosen by a family.

Brothers and sisters were commonly broken up as families could only accommodate limited numbers.

New Experiences for children:

World War 2 brought about new experiences for children the need to adapt quickly to their surroundings.  Teaching children how to wear gas masks and implementing the ‘air raid drill’ practice into the school day were common. Ultimately this was not something children should be experience but was more out of necessity as opposed to choice.Children of an eastern suburb of London

Air raid shelters were commonly slept in by children to protect them from the bombings. This disruptive life affected children both physically and emotionally however this was never acknowledged.

Simple things children take for granted in modern Britain were taken from them. Birthday presents and Christmas presents were sparse, food was rationed and recreational trips were few and far between. Beach resorts were strictly prohibited in wartime Britain. Children had to adapt and adapt they did with many using bomb flattened land as play grounds.

 

The restriction of diet, evacuation, loss of family members and disruption of education meant children suffered throughout the war. It’s hard to imagine what it must have felt like to be a child in World War 2 ridden Britain however the children showed strength and unity in the face of adversity. The second world war was more than a battlefield event; it also affected those at home who suffered from the hardship the war brought. Children especially were some of the main victims of wartime Britain.

 

photos by: Marion Doss & Marion Doss

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Link will appear as Children in World War 2: https://worldwar2.org.uk - WorldWar2.org.uk, June 24, 2013

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Overview

WW2 Summary
WW2 Facts
WW2 Timeline
Soldiers in WW2
WW2 Planes
WW2 Prisoners Of War

Leaders

Winston Churchill
Franklin D Roosevelt
Adolf Hitler
Benito Mussolini
Emperor Hirohito
Joseph Stalin

Home Front

Evacuees of WW2
WW2 Recipes
WW2 Shelters

Misc

WW2 Books
WW2 Movies
WW2 Poems
World War One
The Phoney War
Blitzkrieg
WW2 Allies

Kids

WW2 For Kids
Children in WW2
WW2 Facts For Kids

Battles

The Blitz
Pearl Harbour
Battle of Britain
D-Day
Operation Barbarossa
The Battle Of Kursk
Operation Overlord
Battle Of Midway
Battle Of Stalingrad
The Invasion Of Poland
Operation Cerberus

Common Questions

Who started WW2?
Causes of WW2
When did WW2 finish?
Which countries were involved in WW2?
When was WW2?
Who won WW2?
How many people died?

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