Coventry. That was not a normal raid. It is also a raid that is mired with myth. According to the legend Churchill knew all about it but 'sacrificed' Coventry a

Coventry. That was not a normal raid. It is also a raid that is mired with myth. According to the legend Churchill knew all about it but 'sacrificed' Coventry as that would reveal that Enigma had been cracked. This myth has persisted for many years and those that perpetuate it never mention that there were other sources of intelligence such as the guided radio waves, which were only turned on when the planes were on their way. There wasn't much point doing anything other than praying when the radio beams came on, it was too late to evacuate the city by then. It is also quite hard today to appreciate what a useful place Coventry once was. It is not a particularly remarkable city, although, that said, the people there are remarkably friendly, welcoming and helpful. It also lacks urban sprawl, so although a 'big city' it does not feel that way when you enter it. Compare with nearby Birmingham where there is no green space between Birmingham proper and built up 'West Midlands'. The myth about Churchill letting the Germans just bomb Coventry also serves to under-appreciate how important manufacturing was there. Coventry really was where it all got made, the numerous car companies that were once there all swapped over to making weapons of some sort and with no car companies there today it is hard to imagine so much came out of Coventry. Other places the Luftwaffe helped with the town planning didn't quite have Coventry's industrial clout. Southampton, Plymouth, Bristol, Liverpool and Hull were historically ports rather than places where stuff got made although there were plenty of factories in all these cities when Britain was the 'workshop of the world'. Quite a lot was made in London too, although this is quite hard to believe given today's complete absence of smokestacks in the capital. All considered, the idea that Churchill just let Coventry go so as to not reveal Enigma is laughable.