NI in WW2 and the Welfare State: Belfast Case Study (Leaving Cert History): Revision Notes

Essay Q Prep - Impact of WW2 on the economy and society of NI?

1939-45

• The northern economy entered a boom period.
• South suffered the economic cost of neutrality.
• The South escaped the destruction caused by war, but the North, particularly Belfast, did not.

The North Wartime Economy

• The shipbuilding industry rose to meet wartime demands.
• 140 warships constructed in NI – Harland and Wolff.
• Shorts Bros built around 1200 Stirling bomber planes for RAF
• 1943 Government took over Harland, Wolff and Shorts Bros's management and merged them.
• NI linen industry disrupted by the war – Russia, Belgium and France were the main sources of flax but were invaded by the Nazi's.
• Textile industry benefited from the war – 2 million parachutes hundreds of thousands of uniforms manufactured in NI.
• Increase in employment opportunities in industry – unemployment fell to just 5%.
• Northern workers saw a wage increase.
• Britain turned to NI for most of its agricultural produce
• Cattle numbers grew from 750000 in 1939 to just under 1 million by 1945.
• Farmers benefited from government grants and subsidies.

Belfast during WW2

• Belfast felt it was under no threat of invasion in 1939.
• Life remained largely unchanged at the beginning of the war.
• Belfast's economy fared better than other British cities
• Shipyards benefited from wartime contracts, the main suppliers of planes and parts for the RAF.
• Major issue was the lack of preparation in case of an attack.
• Belfast City Council did little to make provisions for such an event – drills, bomb shelters, gas masks.
• Genuine belief in NI that the war wouldn't affect them.
• Calls for some measures to be put in place.
• 1939, Major Frank Eastwood appointed as a full-time air raid precautions officer.
• With the outbreak of war, he called for 16,000 volunteers to join the LDV force, but only 3,000 joined.
• Air Raid Precautions Act 1939 – structures were set up to deal with fire fighting, gas attacks, the evacuation of children, building air raid shelters and blacking out lights at night.
• Ministry of Home Affairs asked the British government for 1 million gas masks – received only 420000
• Insufficient bomb shelters to protect the population.

The Outbreak of WW2

• James Craig (Craigavon) in very poor health – many believed he was unable to carry out the necessary duties of a wartime leader.
• Declining support for Craig's leadership.
• Established the Ministry of Public Security – responsible for civil defence.
• 1939, the British introduced conscription – it didn't apply to NI.
• 1940 call for more volunteers to join the LDV – Sir Basil Brooke led the drive.
• Few willing volunteers – considered withholding unemployment assistance from those who refused to enlist.
• In August 1940, Churchill renamed the LDV the Home Guard – almost 26000 members.

Wartime Belfast

• After the Fall of France 1940 the Luftwaffe was within range of NI.
• Marked improvement in attempts to defend against attack.
• Belfast was an area of vital military importance.
• Extra anti-aircraft machinery was put in place to protect key areas.
• Nov 1940, JM Andrews replaced Craig.
• Feb 1941 Andrews stated he was 'very concerned at our anti-aircraft defences' and at the 'position which might arise in Belfast after a severe air attack'.
• Fears came true on 7-8 April 1941.

The Blitz

The Dockside Raid, 7-8 April 1941

• Luftwaffe planes dropped bombs on the dockside area of Belfast.
• Air raid sirens hadn't sounded to warn of an attack.
• 13 people were killed, 81 injured.
• The government attempted to create a false sense of security by reassuring the public that it had been well-prepared for the attack.

Easter Tuesday Raid, 15 April, 1941

• 10:40 pm, sirens sounded across the city to warn of an attack.

• Home guard took up positions to prepare the anti-aircraft weapons.

  • RAF estimated that 90 bombers flew over Belfast; German air ministry recorded that 180 aircraft were active over NI.
  • Seventy-six landmines were dropped – caused massive damage.

• 900 dead, with 600 injured

• Electricity output was at half power; gas output was at 75%; the telephone network was seriously disrupted.

• Industrial output dropped to 25% of its pre-Blitz levels.

• Home guards unable to cope with the scale of attacks.

• De Valera agreed to send help.

• Seventy firemen and 13 fire engines sent to Belfast from the south.

• Cardinal Joseph MacRory feared that NI firemen might just concern themselves with Protestant areas.

• Southern firemen cheered as they arrived in Ulster.

• The sending of firemen was important as it was the first official 'contact' between North and South in almost twenty years.

Fire Raid, 4-5 May, 1941

• The last major attack on Belfast by the Luftwaffe.
• Approximately 100000 bombs were dropped on the city.
• Many buildings were badly damaged; the question of conscription was brought up again.
• Some 48000-53000 men would be called up if conscription was introduced.
• As a result of growing opposition from Belfast, the British government decided against introducing conscription.

Wartime Evacuation

• 3200 houses destroyed and 56000 damaged.
• 150000 people were made permanently homeless; 100000 people made temporarily homeless.
• Public morale very low – many people fled the city.
• Ministry of Public Security attempted to organise the city's evacuation, but mothers and small children, old and sick, were given priority.
• By June 1941, around 220000 had temporarily left Belfast – many were middle class.

Wartime Output

• Lost 45% of its shipbuilding capacity.
• Valuable contribution to wartime output.
• December 1944, 30801 workers at Harland and Wolff.
• Launched 170 military and merchant ships.
• King's Hall used for making parts for cars and machinery.
• Sirocco Works produced grenades, radar equipment and gun mountings.
• Higher proportion of female workers in Belfast than in other parts of Britain – women entered jobs that men traditionally did.

The End of the War

• Four hundred metric tonnes of explosives dropped on Belfast during the war.
• 1100 people were killed, 650 injured.
• Extensive damage to churches
• Major shortage of housing.
• People accustomed to rationing, blackouts and strict censorship.
• VE Day – 8 May 1945