Devastating air raid on London. On the evening of December 29, 1940, the Germans attacked London with a devastating air raid. Hundreds of fires started by the rain of bombs threatened London, but firefighters fought undaunted by the explosions, saving much of the city from destruction. The next day, newspapers published a photo of St. Paul’s Cathedral, miraculously unscathed amid the flames and smoke of the Battle of Britain, a symbol of the capital’s indomitable spirit. Londoners’ ability to maintain composure played a major role in saving the country during the dark years of World War II. As American journalist Edward R. Murrow reported, “Not once did I hear a man, woman, or child suggest that Britain should throw up its hands.”
