InSeptember1940,theGermanLuftwaffebegantoattackLondon.Daylightraidsprovingtoocostly,theGermansturnedtonightattacks,andnightafternightbombsraineddown.
Itisnotpossibletorecordalltheself-sacrificethattheordinaryBritishpeoplemadeforthecommongood:womenfire-fighterswhostoodtheirgroundwhilebuildingswerecrumblingallaroundthem;teenagerswhotoiledforhourshelpingmovetherubbleinthesearchforsurvivors;pensionersreadytodiefiringashotgunattheenemy"aslongasItakeonewithme".Andasagestureofdefiance,theRoyalFamilyremainedinLondon,puttingthemselvesatriskofbeingblowntobitseverynight,andwinningtheloyaltyofthepeople.
ChurchillwasrightwhenhesaidinJune1940thatfuturegenerationswouldlookbackandsay,"Thiswastheirfinesthour."
一九四○年九月，德國空軍開始攻擊倫敦。白天轟炸代價太大，就轉為晚間轟炸，炸彈夜夜雨點般落下。
英國老百姓為大我忘卻小我的事迹，多不勝書：女消防員眼看四周建築物隨時坍塌，毫不退縮；十多歲少年男女不辭勞苦，連續幾小時不停手，協助搬開瓦礫，搜尋生還者；退休的老人拿着鳥槍向敵人開火，「只要能殺一個陪葬」就死也甘心。而為免示弱，國王一家晚晚冒着炸得粉身碎骨危險，留在倫敦，贏得了國民愛戴。
一九四○年六月，邱吉爾說：後人回顧歷史，會說「那是他們最光輝的時刻」。這話一點不錯。