Churchill War Rooms London

 

#ChurchillWarRoomsLondon
Winston Churchill (1874-1965) rallied the British people during World War 11 from the
 brink of defeat to victory

Defeated Nazism
With Franklin D Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin  he shaped the the Allied strategy to defeat
 Adolf Hitler  during those times
He remained Prime Minister until 1955 when ill health forced his resignation

The Cabinet War Rooms
 It was built in 1938 as underground complex beneath the Whitehall Building in London
It served as the nerve center for the British Government and its military during World War 11

Served Many Purposes
During the Blitz and the German V weapon attacks the Churchill War Cabinet met 115
 times here in safety
The Prime Minister would also end up making four speeches to the citizens of England from this bunker under the streets of the city

SIGSALY
The War Rooms had a secure transatlantic phone line for top secret calls over a voice scrambling
 system that would encrypt the calls
The lines went to the United States and also with other Allied Countries which demonstrated the global  cooperation of this war effort

The Map Room
It was constantly staffed by officers from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force
 It would chart in detail the advances of the German Forces into Russia and other battlefronts, then their gradual retreat as the Allied Forces started to reverse the fortunes of war

Patriotic Duty
At its peak during the conflict the War Rooms housed over 500 staff members who would work around the clock, have a nap and then continue their duties

Trying to be a Typical Day
But despite the demanding schedule folks would sometimes leave the bunker and try to be normal, by visiting the local cafe or go to a movie theatre just to get their minds into a happier place

Artificial Sunlight
The switchboard operators plus typists would have to spend days and nights underground so 
to alleviate the health problems (associated with all the time being without daylight)
the staff would stand (with just minimal clothes) in front of a sunlamp for some therapeutic relief

Silence is Golden
All the phones on Churchills desk would light up (known as a Beauty Chorus) but not ring as he
did not like excessive noise
 Also the Remington typewriters were imported because of its low sound capabilities

Chef Georgina Landemare 
She managed to create meals using rationed ingredients, local produce or even utilizing any gifts
sent for the war effort by other countries 
Churchill so valued the dedication and skill in the kitchen he thanked Ms. Landemare on his
VE Day speech for her service during the war

Espionage Activity
 In England it was rampant with both British and German intelligence agencies engaging
 in covert operations against each other

The Cambridge Five
This was the most notable, they were recruited Soviet Agents embedded within the government while studying at the forementioned university
They were passing on sensitive information to USSR for decades about British
and American operations

Code Name Operation Lena
 The Germans would send English speaking spies to gather information and to sabotage infrastructures within the United Kingdom

Austerity Regulations
During these times clothing was heavily rationed which aimed at conserving resources
for the war effort 

1) Clothing Coupons; civilians were issued coupons and to be used when buying
any clothing items
2) Rationing Restrictions; hems and belts were limited to two inches in width plus garments were restricted in having only one pocket
3) Extras; any cuffs, ruffles, pleats were not allowed
4) Materials; people were asked to buy or make with
only cotton or rayon 
5) Repurposing; to mend and patch existing clothes you owned

The Churchill Rooms
They were no longer needed after the war ended in 1945
Then in the 1970s the Imperial War Museums took over the site and in 1984 they opened
it to the general public

Today
 Thus now you can explore the original rooms where many of of historical decisions were made
 and to understand the conditions plus sacrifices people endured of those who worked
 underground during those times