<P> The Battle of Britain marked the first major defeat of Hitler 's military forces , with air superiority seen as the key to victory . Pre-war theories had led to exaggerated fears of strategic bombing , and UK public opinion was buoyed by coming through the ordeal . For the RAF , Fighter Command had achieved a great victory in successfully carrying out Sir Thomas Inskip 's 1937 air policy of preventing the Germans from knocking Britain out of the war . Churchill concluded his famous 18 June ' Battle of Britain ' speech in the House of Commons by referring to pilots and aircrew who fought the Battle : `` ... if the British Empire and its Commonwealth lasts for a thousand years , men will still say , ' This was their finest hour . ' '' </P>
who won the battle of britain in ww2
Britain