Blitz Spirits: Ghosts of London and the Nation in Second World War Britain

Abstract

This article examines the workings of ghosts in Second World War London, particularly what they reveal about the experience, representation, and management of life under fire. It brings together urban-historical, psychological, and cultural/commemorative approaches in tracing how ghosts were used to articulate the turbulence of bombardment. Arguing that ghosts represent a useful tool for bridging the gap between different readings of wartime London, the article pays attention to the universal dimensions of air raids and particular local variations. The article suggests that the workings of ghosts—and the psychology of believing more broadly—represent an important, if neglected, aspect of the civilian experience of war.