Enquiry Skills in History: The Blitz and Evacuation

Abstract

The aim of this article is to suggest the inclusion of the topic ‘The Blitz during World War Two’ as part of the curriculum in British primary and secondary schools with a view to developing enquiry skills in History. In writing the article, extensive use has been made of not only textbooks and secondary sources but also propaganda films, documentaries featuring primary sources in the form of first-hand accounts from people living at the time and web-based materials. From 1939 until 1945 the British population as a society was inescapably and deeply involved and immersed in one of the most significant events in British history, the Second World War. The concepts of change and continuity, cause and effect, time and historical sequence are all applicable to this topic but the purpose of this article is to determine through analysis of a variety of historical evidence whether or not the experience of wartime evacuation really created a sense of uniformity and solidarity in Britain. By doing this, it will become evident that studying aspects of the domestic consequences of the Blitz during World War Two is an effective method of developing enquiry skills in History.