American poster from World War II, reminding citizens of blackouts for civil defense. A blackout during war, or in preparation for an expected war, is the practice of collectively minimizing outdoor light, including upwardly directed (or reflected) light. This was done in the 20th century to prevent crews of enemy aircraft from being able to identify their targets by sight, for example during the London Blitz of 1940. In coastal regions a shore-side blackout of city lights also helped protect ships from being seen in silhouette against the shore by enemy submarines farther out at sea. In actual warfare, according to M. R. D. Foot, blackouts do not impair navigation by bombers because navigators focused more on reflected bodies of water, railroad tracks, or large highways. The chief purpose is to mobilize the entire civilian population, and provide a test to make sure they are obeying the rules. During World War II, the Air Ministry had forecast that Britain would suffer night air bombing attacks causing large numbers of civilian casualties and mass destruction.

It was widely agreed that navigation and targeting would be more difficult if man-made lights on the ground could be extinguished. As early as July 1939, Public Information Leaflet No 2 (part of the Air Raid Precautions (A.R.P.) training literature) warned of the need for popular discipline to ensure that the blackout regulations were fully enforced during the blackout periods.fireproof curtains walmart Blackout regulations were imposed on 1 September 1939, before the declaration of war. target owl squirrel shower curtainThese required that all windows and doors should be covered at night with suitable material such as heavy curtains, cardboard or paint, to prevent the escape of any glimmer of light that might aid enemy aircraft. hookless shower curtain 86

The Government ensured that the necessary materials were available.[2] External lights such as street lights were switched off, or dimmed and shielded to deflect light downward. Essential lights such as traffic lights and vehicle headlights were fitted with slotted covers to deflect their beams downwards to the ground. Shops and factories had particular problems. made to measure curtains reigateFactories with large areas of glass roofing found it impossible to install temporary blackout panels and permanent methods (such as paint) lost natural light during daylight. jacobean rod pocket/back tab window curtain panelsShops had to install double "airlock" doors to avoid lights showing as customers arrived and departed.umbra curtain rod extender

Blackouts proved one of the more unpleasant aspects of the war, disrupting many civilian activities and causing widespread grumbling and lower morale. The blackout was enforced by civilian ARP wardens who would ensure that no buildings allowed the slightest chink or glow of light.[5] Offenders were liable to stringent legal penalties. Blackout restrictions greatly increased the dangers of night driving and fatalities increased as a consequence. coco curtains ridgewood njAs a result, some aspects were relaxed and speed limits were lowered. The anticipated increase in crime rates did not occur. As German war-making capability declined, a "Dim-out" was introduced in September 1944, which allowed lighting to the equivalent of moonlight. A full Blackout would be imposed if an alert was sounded. Full lighting of streets was allowed in April 1945; on 30 April, the day Hitler committed suicide, Big Ben was lit 5 years and 123 days after the Blackout was first imposed.

Moving ship silhouetted against city lights. The continental United States was not exposed to air attack, but along the Atlantic coast, the lack of a coastal blackout served to silhouette Allied shipping and thus expose them to German submarine attack. Coastal communities resisted the imposition of a blackout for amenity reasons, citing potential damage to tourism. The result was a disastrous loss of shipping, dubbed by German submariners as the "Second Happy Time".[6] Blackouts were held in mainland cities, and along the coastal areas long after any enemy threat existed; the primary purpose was psychological motivation of the civilian population which saw blackouts as a patriotic duty. Light can simply be turned off or light can sometimes be minimized by tarring the windows of large public structures. In World War II, a dark blackout curtain was used to keep the light inside. Tarring the windows can mean a semi-permanent blackout status. During the 1940s and 1950s, cities such as Detroit would practise blackout air raid drills.

During this time, the city's Civil Defense workers would immediately activate the neighborhood air raid siren and families would be required to do the following in order: The benefits of blackouts against air attack are now largely nullified in the face of a technologically sophisticated enemy. As early as World War II, aircraft were using radio-beam navigation (see "Battle of the Beams"), and targets were detected by air-to-ground radar, (e.g. H2X). Today, not only are night-vision goggles readily available to air crews, but sophisticated satellite-based and inertial navigation systems enable a static target to be found easily by aircraft and guided missiles. ^ The Oxford Companion to World War II ^ a b c d e f ^ put that light out!1990. Operation Drumbeat: The Dramatic True Story of Germany's First U-Boat Attacks Along the American Coast in World War II. Think of the blackout and you immediately conjure up images of the Second World War (1939-1945). You think of cars with blinkers, white lines painted on trees and lampposts and thick curtains in every room of the house.

You may have recollections of Air Raid Precaution Wardens (A.R.Ps) who were responsible for ensuring households complied shouting �PUT OUT THAT LIGHT!�. Blackout ensured that no artificial light escaped into the night sky to aid enemy bombers in identifying targets in an age before sophisticated navigation systems were invented. What appears to be generally not known is that blackout was also introduced during the First World War (1914-1918). Whilst at the start of the War the designs of the biplanes did not lend themselves to bombing raids, the German Zeppelin airships did. The Zeppelins were cigar-shaped craft about 160m long and 15m in diameter filled with hydrogen gas that is lighter than air and gave them lift. The first ever bombing of civilians took place on the 19th January 1915 when two Zeppelins floated over Great Yarmouth, Sheringham, King�s Lynn and the surrounding villages and dropped twenty-four 50kg high explosive bombs and a number of 3kg incendiaries. Four people were killed and sixteen injured.

In May 1915 the Zeppelins started to attack London. Closer to home the Yorkshire Evening Post on February 1st 1916 headlined: NORTH-EAST COUNTIES ALSO VISITED. Following the Zeppelin raids of last year, which were believed in many quarters to be trial trips, a fleet of German airships last night invaded this country, and dropped bombs at various place. So far, few details of the damage are available, the War Office announcement said. As usual, the Zeppelins were careful to keep beyond the reach of aviators, by coming in the dark and by keeping at a great height. Up to last night�s visitation there had been 25 air raids on these shores resulting in 182 lives being lost and 461 persons injured. At this time there was no air raid warning system in place and no shelters. Blackout regulations had obviously been introduced in a piece-meal fashion and to varying degrees. A week later the Yorkshire Evening Post of the 9th February 1916 reported: An important conference, in which about 150 representatives of public authorities took part in Birmingham this afternoon.

The conference is a direct result of the recent air raid, which proved to demonstrate the value of plunging a district into absolute darkness as a means of baffling the Zeppelin pilots. If the Government would send out a warning as soon as the presence of Zeppelins on the coast was known, the local authorities would then be able to take the necessary steps to plunge their areas into darkness. It is thought that such a warning would not cause great alarm and would enable workpeople and others to get home as speedily as possible. Of particular concern to the authorities around Barwick would be the close proximity of the Barnbow Munitions Filling Factory located on Manston Lane with its stores of explosives. Blackout appears to be have been enforced with particular zeal in the district . In the local newspaper, the Skyrack Courier, the edition for the 25th February 1916 includes a report from a correspondent who signs himself �H.C.� concerning Barwick village � Two special constables have called from door to door demanding that the night lights in the cottages shall not be allowed to illumine the streets even if they were powerful enough to do so.

As a consequence, quite a number of dear old ladies (some, mothers of real men, not specials) are living in constant dread of mythical Zeppelins. Accidents, collisions, and other deeds of darkness are more serious than any probable depredations by the Germany enemy. In villages where light is so scarce that not one single streetlight is afforded, the act of the �specials� is the result of mis-interpretation of the Government order. This was a totally new and terrifying threat and I can imagine the �� and many others lying in bed on dark nights expecting to be blown to smithereens at any moment. Whilst �H.C.� was correct that accidents did occur due to the darkness it did prove a valuable tactic in protecting the public from air attacks. Amazingly the Authorities initial response was to fly aircraft above the Zeppelins and drop bombs onto them. This had some success but the introduction of fighter aircraft with synchronised, front mounted machine guns in mid-1916 and strategically placed ground based anti-aircraft guns thankfully sounded the end of the Zeppelin attacks.