During the 1939-45 War, 62,464 civilians died as a result of war operations in Great Britain – more than in bomber command (55,573). In addition, about 86,000 were seriously injured, and about 150,000 were slightly injured. Approximately one-half all these casualties were borne by London.

Not until two years of war had passed did the number of civilians killed fall below the total of fatal casualties among soldiers, sailors and airmen. Not until over three years had passed was it possible to say that the enemy had killed more soldiers than women and children.

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Then and now, mental health was very poorly documented. The few indicators we have are interesting ... Titmuss says this:

"Up to the end of 1948, no evidence was forthcoming to suggest that there had been any dramatic increase in neurotic illnesses or mental disorders in Britain during the war.10 The air raids of 1940–1 did not lead to a rise in the number of patients with such illnesses attending hospitals and clinics; in fact, there was a decrease. There was no indication of an increase in insanity, the number of suicides fell*, the statistics of drunkenness went down by more than one-half, there was much less disorderly in the streets and public places, while only the juvenile delinquency figures registered a rise".

Suicides: Only the suicide statistics for females can be used as those for males are distorted in wartime by recruitment to the Armed Forces. The employment of women in the Forces did not materially affect the figures for, at least, 1939–41. On the basis of an index of 100 for England and Wales for 1934–8, the female suicide ratio was 101 in 1939, 97 in 1940, 80 in 1941, 79 in 1942 and 80 in 1943. Cases of attempted suicide among women (known to the police in England and Wales) also fell to a low point in 1941. The amount of the fall was thirty-two percent on the 1938 figure.

An interesting and sobering set of reflections. It's quite appalling how hatred can lead us to commit atrocities, the commission of which traumatizes both those who inflict it and those whom it is inflicted upon. It must have been a horrific experience to hear and feel bombs fall and thud in ones neighborhood and to see the fires spring up and to smell the acrid smoke of explosives and burning homes. Above, in the airplanes dropping the bombs, the airmen were practicing a blind, programmed hatred, a hatred without any real passion or object. They would have probably spoken to you courteously if they met you on the street and would have cheerfully helped you with your packages. It's a mad world.

Recently, my youngest daughter (age 9) said to me, "Dad, people say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

I said, "Yes, that was Nietzsche."

"It's not really true, is it?" she asked.

"No," I said, "I don't think it is."

Edited by user 12 November 2012 08:17:59(UTC)  | Reason: To correct spelling errors.

This, terrible as it is pales next to the mayhem the left has inflicted on its own, Stalins "plans" and the atrocities the two left wing ideologies inflicted on eachother are indescribable and their hopes and ideals still march on causing more harm, sheesh people are so dumb.