"The bomber will always get through" Chain Home

stanley baldwin s 1932 comments on future aerial warfare led feeling of defencelessness , dismay . uk s concern issue led support being given radar development while other countries had more lackadaisical approach until war started.

at same time, need such system becoming increasingly pressing. in 1932, winston churchill , friend, confidant , scientific advisor frederick lindemann travelled car in europe, saw rapidly rebuilding of german aircraft industry. in november of year stanley baldwin gave famous speech, stating bomber through .

in summer of 1934, raf carried out large-scale exercises 350 aircraft. forces split, bombers attempting attack london , fighters, guided observer corps, attempting stop them. results dismal. in cases vast majority of bombers reached target without ever seeing fighter. address this, raf gave increasingly accurate information defenders, telling observers , when attacks taking place. then, 70% of bombers reached targets unhindered.

the numbers reached london suggested targets in city destroyed. squadron leader p. r. burchall summed results noting feeling of defencelessness , dismay, or @ events of uneasiness, has seized public. in november of year, churchill gave speech on threat of nazi germany in stated royal navy not protect britain enemy attacked air.

through 1930s, debate raged within british military , political circles strategic air power. baldwin s famous speech led many believe way prevent bombing of british cities make strategic bomber force large could, baldwin put it, kill more women , children more enemy. highest levels of raf came agree policy, publicly stating tests suggested best form of defence attack may all-too-familiar platitudes, illustrate sound method of defending country air invasion. attack counts. became clear germans rapidly rearming luftwaffe, fear grew raf not meet objective of winning such tit-for-tat exchange , many suggested invest in massive bomber building exercise.

others felt advances in fighters meant bomber increasingly vulnerable , suggested @ least exploring defensive approach. among latter group lindemann, test pilot , scientist, noted in times in august 1934 adopt defeatist attitude in face of such threat inexcusable until has been shown resources of science , invention have been exhausted.