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Last broadcast on Mon, 16 Nov 2009, 03:50 on BBC One (see all broadcasts).
Synopsis
On 14th November 1940, the Luftwaffe launched the most devastating bombing raid so far on Britain. The target was Coventry, deep in the heart of England.
In a 12-hour blitz, the Luftwaffe dropped thousands of tons of bombs. Three-quarters of the city centre was devastated, including the ancient cathedral. The Nazis coined a phrase - 'to Coventrate' - to describe the intense destruction.
It was a baptism of fire for Coventry and Britain. For years, the government feared that aerial bombardment could destroy civilian morale. In Coventry, those fears were tested, and in the immediate aftermath of the blitz the evidence was not encouraging. Panic and hysteria gripped the city, and half of Coventry's population fled. However, within weeks - and contrary to all expectations - the city revived. Factories were soon turning out aircraft parts which would be used to avenge the attack on Coventry.
The RAF studied the Nazi bombing techniques and perfected the art of 'Coventration'. In Dresden, Hamburg and Berlin, the Nazis reaped the whirlwind they had sown in their devastating attack.
Memoryshare: Share your memories of the Coventry blitz
BBC Memoryshare is a living archive of memories from 1900 to the present day. Why not contribute your memories of life during World War Two?
Read a Memoryshare contributor's recollection of WWII Coventry
Broadcasts
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Tue 6 Oct 200921:00
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Sat 31 Oct 200920:30
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Fri 13 Nov 200921:00
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Mon 16 Nov 200903:50
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