Living Memory

The memory of World War II remains more vivid here in London, I believe, than it does in the States. Of course millions of American served and thousands died, but with the exception of Pearl Harbor, the Aleutian Islands, and some incidents along coasts and rivers, the war was never fought on American soil.

London, on the other hand, was on the receiving end of millions of pounds of German ordnance during the Battle of Britain, which reshaped the face of London nearly as much as the Great Fire of 1666 did: Among other things, the Docklands wouldn't be what it is today without the destruction of East End factories during the Battle of Britain.

This is a long way of introducing the Cabinet War Rooms, which Schmutz and pal (bye!) visited during their visit here. (I'm writing mostly from memory here, as I last visited during the visit by Oldest Kid.) It was the undisclosed location of Churchill and his top civilian and military staff during the Battle of Britain and the rest of the war.


"Winston Churchill" phones Franklin Roosevelt from the special hotline cubby in the Cabinet War Rooms.


(I'm going to write this mostly from memory, as I didn't accompany Schmutz et al to the War Rooms this time. With low light and glass walls protecting the exhibits, it's not the most photogenic museum, either.)

The underground location afforded the war leaders secrecy and safety as bombs rained on London during the blitz. I can't imagine working and living in a basement like that for years, but people did extraordinary things during WWII. Such was the relief at the end of the war that it appeared that most people simply got up and left their desks immediately, without taking much with them, and the rooms were sealed and forgotten for many years before they were reopened and made into a monument. One left so quickly that he left behind his sugar ration in his desk, found intact decades later.

(Thanks to Schmutz for the photos.)