Netflix has added Britain and the Blitz, a new documentary about Britain during the darkest days of World War Two.
The film features restored archival footage and first-hand accounts from those who lived through the devastating German bombing campaign, which lasted from September 1940 to May 1941. The Nazis hoped the bombing would destory Britain's morale and force it out of the war.
In a dramatic trailer, one person emotionally recalls: “I remember my big sister rushing towards me, the teacher screaming at us to get under the table, and then the bomb hit.” Another says: “I knew we were fighting for our very existence.”
The makers promise: "This immersive documentary brings history to life through vividly restored archival footage and first hand accounts of World War Two Britain during the Blitz."
The film, which comes out just days before the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), has been directed by Ella Wright, whose credits include JFK: One Day in America and Vietnam: The War That Changed America.
Like many recent World War Two documentaries, it's in colour, which helps with the impact of the footage. Obviously, The Blitz has been covered countless times before on screen, but it’s from a great team and promises to be well worth a watch.
How many people died in the Blitz?
According to London’s The Imperial War Museum, over the nine months of bombing on Britain’s major cities, over 43,500 civilians were killed. Among the famous landmarks hit were St Paul’s Cathedral and the House of Commons. A bomb even fell on the BBC’s Broadcasting House during a news bulletin. In a very stoical BBC way, the presenter only paused before carrying on.
Why did the Blitz end?
The Blitz ended because Adolf Hitler decided to reassign the Luftwaffe to the planned invasion of Russia.
Britain and the Blitz has been added globally to Netflix on Monday, May 5.
