Post by Administrator on Sept 3, 2021 5:01:09 GMT
VIA: The History of Wales
World War II.
On 3rd September 1939, the United Kingdom declared war on Nazi Germany following the German invasion of Poland on 1st September. The war would subsequently cost Wales around 15,000 lives.
There was a feeling of inevitability after the announcement, there were no wild scenes of patriotism as there had been in 1914 and the streets were virtually empty as the deadline of 11.00am approached.
The Second World War changed Welsh society, bringing employment and improved incomes. Many war industries were established in Wales and troops, workers, civilians, government departments and evacuees totalling as many as 200,000 were moved to Wales between 1939 and 1941.
Food shortages led to enhanced prices for food and farmers enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. Coal was central to the war effort, as, after the loss of French and Belgian coalfields, Welsh coal became very important. Initially, 25,000 Welsh workers left mining for the armed forces and other jobs between 1938 and 1941, which led to a serious labour shortage. To combat the problem, the government exempted coal miners from military service. The labour shortage also led to the introduction of the 'Bevin Boys' in 1943 - named after Ernest Bevin, the Minister of Labour and National service. One in ten eighteen-year-olds were draughted into mines rather than the forces.
Wales was believed to be too far to the west to be subject to German air raids, however, the docks and industrial works of Cardiff and Swansea made them obvious targets. Over the course of the war, 33,000 houses were damaged and over 500 demolished in Cardiff, with 355 civilians killed. In Swansea, which suffered the most intense attack in Wales, a raid that lasted three nights in February 1941 and destroyed half the town's centre, 11,084 houses were damaged and 282 demolished, with 227 people killed.
Even rural communities were bombed. Caernarfonshire, which was near the flight path of bombers targeting Liverpool, suffered five deaths in bombing raids during the war and 27 people were killed as a result of a raid on Cwmparc in the Rhondda.
World War II.
On 3rd September 1939, the United Kingdom declared war on Nazi Germany following the German invasion of Poland on 1st September. The war would subsequently cost Wales around 15,000 lives.
There was a feeling of inevitability after the announcement, there were no wild scenes of patriotism as there had been in 1914 and the streets were virtually empty as the deadline of 11.00am approached.
The Second World War changed Welsh society, bringing employment and improved incomes. Many war industries were established in Wales and troops, workers, civilians, government departments and evacuees totalling as many as 200,000 were moved to Wales between 1939 and 1941.
Food shortages led to enhanced prices for food and farmers enjoyed unprecedented prosperity. Coal was central to the war effort, as, after the loss of French and Belgian coalfields, Welsh coal became very important. Initially, 25,000 Welsh workers left mining for the armed forces and other jobs between 1938 and 1941, which led to a serious labour shortage. To combat the problem, the government exempted coal miners from military service. The labour shortage also led to the introduction of the 'Bevin Boys' in 1943 - named after Ernest Bevin, the Minister of Labour and National service. One in ten eighteen-year-olds were draughted into mines rather than the forces.
Wales was believed to be too far to the west to be subject to German air raids, however, the docks and industrial works of Cardiff and Swansea made them obvious targets. Over the course of the war, 33,000 houses were damaged and over 500 demolished in Cardiff, with 355 civilians killed. In Swansea, which suffered the most intense attack in Wales, a raid that lasted three nights in February 1941 and destroyed half the town's centre, 11,084 houses were damaged and 282 demolished, with 227 people killed.
Even rural communities were bombed. Caernarfonshire, which was near the flight path of bombers targeting Liverpool, suffered five deaths in bombing raids during the war and 27 people were killed as a result of a raid on Cwmparc in the Rhondda.