The London Blitz was a period of heavy bombing of London by the German air force, the Luftwaffe, during the Second World War. It began on 7 September 1940 and lasted until 10 May 1941. The primary target of the bombing campaign was London, but other cities in the UK, including Liverpool and Coventry, were also heavily bombed. The Blitz killed over 40,000 people and caused significant damage to London.