The Blitz started without any warning. Churchill and the defence chiefs met for an emergency meeting the day before it began but their concerns were intelligence reports indicating that the invasion of England--Operation Sealion--was about to start. Nerves were stretched to the breaking point and the code-word Cromwell, which meant "invasion imminent", was announced without Churchill’s knowledge.In Sussex, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was ordered to "standby at immediate notice". Everyone would be needed no matter how incomplete their training or equipment. However, Hitler had decided on another form of assault; the whole strength of Germany’s air force was to be used against British cities and civilians. Hitler had not hesitated to bomb Warsaw or Rotterdam and civilian refugees h...