On the evening of December 29, 1940, Hitler sent the German Luftwaffe to drop tens of thousands of incendiary bombs on the heart of London, hoping that the deluge would break the spirit of the British people and leave them begging for peace. As firemen and workers risked their lives to control the burning, Londoners fled to shelters. The next morning, they emerged after a terrifying and sleepless night to face the smoking ruins of their city.