War witness World War II World War II (WWII or WW2), also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, though related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. In a state of "total war", the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world. Chronology The start of the war in Europe is generally held to be 1 September 1939,[9][10] beginning with the German invasion of Poland; Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. Others follow the British historian A. Background
THE WAR . For Educators . Lesson Plan These lesson plans have been developed to help teachers bring Ken Burns’s THE WAR into the classroom. Classroom activities are appropriate for students in grades 9-12 and cover major themes addressed in the film. Many of the lessons also incorporate video clips from the film and other resources found on this site. Double V (PDF) » Subjects: American History, Media Literacy, Civics, Language Arts Grade level: 9 - 12 During World War II African Americans found themselves with conflicting feelings about supporting the war effort when their own country did not offer them the freedom America was fighting for overseas. In this lesson students wage their own Double V campaign in their classroom and/or school through writing news articles, mounting photographic exhibits, producing radio programs and generating banners, slogans and songs. Video clips incorporated into this lesson: The War Through the Eyes of Al McIntosh (PDF) » Subjects: U.S. While big-name journalists like Edward R. Just War (PDF) »
L.O.V.E. – activity/lesson plan | ELT stories St. Valentine’s day is approaching so here’s a lesson plan on the topic of love and friendship. Students warm up by playing a word game (stages 4-5) that encourages them to think deeper about what they read into a range of concepts related to love and friendship andpushes them to recall vocabulary on these topics The lesson ends in a discussion activity (stage 6). Level: B1-C1Length: 30-60 min (depending on whether you do the discussion activity)Focus: speaking (a conversation class)Materials: Worksheet Stage One. (Collage produced using [Optional] If the students came up with the topic of St. Say ‘I’m thinking of one of these pictures. unitysupportfriendshipvow (for a B2-C1 class) Get the students to quiz each other in new pairs: one person chooses a picture and says their associations, the second guesses which picture is being described; listen in an board some of the students’ associations. Stage Two. Stage Three. Stage Four. Stage Five.
Military History Online - D-Day June 6, 1944 D-Day, Normandy, France June 6, 1944 by Brian Williams and John Barratt The Atlantic Wall After the invasion and subsequent fall of France in 1940, the German army controlled the entire coast of Northern France. Following the Allied evacuation at Dunkirk, Hitler had hoped that Britain would agree to settle the war. But, because of British determination and Germany's inability to carry out an invasion of England, Germany was forced to maintain a defensive posture along the coast. The Airborne Landings The first three of these units were given the missions of securing the eastern and western flanks of the beachhead by destroying bridges and laying mines. The capture of Ste. The left flank of the invasion force was much more vulnerable to German armored attack since the 21st Panzer was stationed just outside of Caen and the 12th SS Panzer miles to the east. Gold Beach Gold Beach was the code name for the center of the landings on the Normandy coast. John Barratt and Brian Williams
World War 2 The PIAT, for Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank, was the first effective anti-tank weapon based on the HEAT shell. It was developed by the British starting in 1941, reaching the field in time for the invasion of Sicily in 1943. Unlike the US bazooka and it's German copy, the Panzerschreck, the PIAT could be used in enclosed spaces which made it more useful in close-combat and for hiding in houses. At the start of World War II, all major armies were investing in research into HEAT to produce an infantry weapon capable of defeating modern armor. Instead they turned to a prewar weapon known as the Blacker Bombard, a small man-portable mortar using a large spring for propulsion. The Blacker Bombard was never used operationally, but was perfect for modification as the launcher for a HEAT round. The three pound HEAT warhead was able to penetrate about 100mm of armor at 100m, the weapon's rate range. << World War 2 Weapons | World War 2 >>
CIVIL WAR - Giving Voice to the Invisible Partipants: Introduction by Margarert Garcia, Hosler Middle School Modified by Cherie Lange, CV Middle School Students will research the "other" groups involved in the Civil War. These people were rarely mentioned or recognized in text books due to their lack of political, social or economic power in this turbulent time in U.S. history Introduction Your publishing firm has just started a new magazine. If at any time during your travels you need help or have questions, remember to contact your editor in chief, in other words, your teacher . The Civil War had a huge impact on the United States as we know it today. There were other people involved in the Civil War of different genders and ethnicity - These people fought on both sides - Union and Confederate.
Top 10 Battles of World War II History World War II was the bloodiest conflict in human history. The world was in a state of “total war.” Motivated by the threat of global tyranny, the Allies eventually prevailed, but this victory was marked by battles won and lost. This list looks at ten battles that decisively changed the course of the war. After the German conquest of Poland in September 1939, Hitler turned his attention to the west. The German Army was actually outnumbered by the Allies. By the summer of 1944, the Red Army was at Germany’s doorstep. Operation Overlord commenced with the Normandy landings in June of 1944. Up until August 1942, the Allies had been on the defensive in the Pacific Theatre. On 7 August, 11,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Division under the command of Major General Alexander Vandergrift landed on Guadalcanal. In June 1944 the Americans had breached Japan’s inner defensive ring and had bases that could be used by B-29 Superfortresses to bomb the Japanese home islands.
Sergeant Stubby the War Dog Sgt. Stubby Sergeant Stubby was a stray, homeless mutt who saved more lives, saw more combat, and performed more badass feats of heroic awesomeness than most people could ever hope to accomplish even WITH the advantage of prehensile thumbs and the ability to utilize 100 percent of their brain power without exploding into a burst of ball lightning. The American version of Voytek the Soldier Bear, this fearless, ass-destroyingly ferocious Pit Bull Terrier started his humble life as most stray animals do – hungry, cold, alone, and stranded in the town of New Haven, Connecticut. Living garbage can to garbage can without so much as a doghouse roof over his head, one day this poor dejected little canine happened to stumble onto the parade ground on the campus of Yale University, where it just so happened that the men of the 102nd Regiment, 26th Infantry Division were training for their eventual deployment to fight in World War I. This is where it gets good. But this thing wasn't done yet. Main
The Heroes Unit: Subunit 1 – Qualities of a Hero and the Heroic Journey – The... This is a mammoth of a blog post, so I am going to split it up into three parts for your viewing pleasure.This unit is on Heroes with three subunits – fictional heroes, modern day heroes and personal heroes. You can go through it in about 2 -3 months. Do me a favour. Ask your students who their heroes are. I was quite shocked when not very many students could identify a hero in their life or even someone to look up to. And that’s how I begin this unit. I push the little muffins by questioning the hell out of them -what’s the difference between an idol and a hero? “Well – an idol is someone you think is really cool.” Yes, but so is a hero. “An idol is someone famous.” But now you are generalizing – what about Malala? “An idol is like a role model, and a hero is like somebody who has helped you in your life.” But couldn’t a hero help you indirectly? Keep questioning them – make them think. There are many other questions you can go through to make them think. Lesson Plan 8A – What is a Hero?
World War II: The Invasion of Poland and the Winter War - Alan Taylor - In Focus In August of 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression treaty. One week later, Germany invaded Poland and World War II began. The first attack of the war took place on September 1, 1939, as German aircraft bombarded the Polish town of Wielun, killing nearly 1,200. Use j/k keys or ←/→ to navigate Choose: View of an undamaged Polish city from the cockpit of a German medium bomber aircraft, likely a Heinkel He 111 P, in 1939. In 1939, the Polish army still maintained many cavalry squadrons, which had served them well as recently as the Polish-Soviet War in 1921. Associated Press correspondent Alvin Steinkopf broadcasting from the Free City of Danzig -- at the time, a semi-autonomous city-state tied to Poland. Soviet premier Josef Stalin (second from right), smiles while Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov (seated), signs the non-aggression pact with German Reich Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop (third from right), in Moscow, on August 23, 1939.
The Journey This EFL lesson is designed around a short film commissioned by John Lewis as their Christmas TV commercial. Students practice vocabulary related to journeys and Christmas, prepositions, song lyrics, speaking and writing. I would ask all teachers who use Film English to consider buying my book Film in Action as the royalties which I receive from sales help to keep the website completely free. Language level: Intermediate (B1) – Advanced (C1) Learner type:Teens and adults Time: 60 minutes Activity: Watching short film, completing the lyrics of a song, speaking and writing Topic: Journeys and Christmas Language: Narrative tenses, prepositions and vocabulary related to Christmas Materials: Short film and song lyrics Downloadable materials: the journey lesson instructions the power of love lyrics Support Film English Film English remains ad-free and takes many hours a month to research and write, and hundreds of dollars to sustain. Step 1 Have you ever built a snowman? Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6
Operation Overlord Preparations for D-Day[edit] The decision to undertake a cross-channel invasion within the next year was taken at the Trident Conference in Washington in May 1943. Churchill favoured making the main Allied thrust into Germany from the Mediterranean theatre, but was over-ruled by his American allies, who were providing the bulk of the men and equipment. British Lieutenant-General Frederick E. Morgan was appointed Chief of Staff, Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC) to begin detailed planning. The Pas de Calais is the closest point in continental Europe from Britain and was the location of launch sites for V-1 and V-2 rockets, which were still under development. Allied invasion plan[edit] D-day assault routes into Normandy "Overlord" was the name assigned to the establishment of a large-scale lodgement on the Continent. The coastline of Normandy was divided into seventeen sectors, with codenames using a spelling alphabet – from Able, west of Omaha, to Roger on the east flank of Sword.