The Battle of Britain - A Beacon of Learning
Key messages involved in the Beacon will weave their way throughout the narrative interpretation and will leave the visitor with distinct impressions and inspirational thoughts. These include:
Duty, sacrifice and citizenship. Without the willingness of the whole nation to make sacrifices, from the giving of lives to the growing of potatoes, from evacuation to employment, the Battle of Britain could never have been won. Sacrifices small and large in the common cause underpinned the RAF's and the nation's success.
Science, technology and industry. The Battle of Britain was a race to excellence in superior engineering, production methods, tactics and new technology. The harnessing of radar into an effective defensive shield; the speed with which superior German aircraft performance was matched and exceeded and the ingenuity with which the production and maintenance of vital machines was speeded up, are all stories which can inspire and excite the next generation.
Causes and effects of totalitarianism. Without a determination to face up to a successful superior force with the commitment of Britain's allies and friends around the world, the history of the second half of the twentieth century might have played very differently. In times of economic uncertainty, there has never been a more urgent need to understand the potential effects of economic hardship on political life and the slide towards war. The legacy of the Battle of Britain and the ability of 2,500 RAF and Allied pilots to defend one small country to maintain the beacon of freedom in Western Europe is an inspiring story and one that deserves to be told for generations to come.
