2.1 World War Two (In One Take)
Which European leader did Hitler make a pact with in August 1939?
This non-aggression pact was known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, with both powers agreeing to partition Eastern Europe between them.
What did Hitler's Germany do in September 1939 that caused Britain and France to finally declare war?
Hitler had previously invaded the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia in March 1939, but it wasn't until the invasion of Poland that Britain and France declared war.
Who was the Prime Minister of Britain in 1939?
In Egypt 1942, General Montgomery led Allied troops in which battle?
Who attacked US forces at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii in December 1941?
Where were more than 300,000 Allied troops evacuated from in May 1940?
The safe evacuation of so many troops was seen as a great achievement, however many weapons, artillery and tanks were left behind.
Who defeated the Japanese at the Battle of Midway, June 1942?
Which battle saw a great Soviet victory over the German troops in 1943?
When did the Allied forces launch their ambitious invasion of Normandy, France, known as D-Day?
When was Victory in Europe celebrated?
Where in Japan did the US drop atomic bombs in 1945?
When did Japan surrender, bringing World War Two to an end?
Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) was achieved on 8 May 1945, when Germany surrendered to the Allies.
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Lesson description
Two decades after the First World War came to a close, Europe erupted into a world war once again. This lesson covers all six years of that conflict, and the run up to it, with one energetic seven-minute musical video and is supported with three packed activities in the Teacher Pack.
This lesson contains:
- The chronology of World War Two, including the biggest battles, players, and events leading up to its outbreak and during the conflict.
- A look at international relations and the development of rising tensions between European powers in the lead up to the war.
- An analysis of the key developments and turning points of World War Two and how important they were to the development of the war.
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2.2 Was Appeasement Right?
Neville Chamberlain defends his policy of appeasement towards Hitler in a cabinet debate.
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2.3 Life On The Home Front
Visit London during the Blitz to see how life changed during the dangerous wartime years.
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2.4 Who Really Defeated Germany?
Great Britain, the USA, and the Soviet Union stake their claim as the most significant ally.
Fact Sheet
When did World War Two start?
France and Great Britain officially declared war on Germany on 3 September, 1939, two days after Adolf Hitler invaded Poland.
What was the Treaty of Versailles, and how did Hitler defy it?
The Treaty of Versailles was the peace agreement signed in 1919, ending World War One. In this treaty, Germany had to give up land, pay reparations, and limit its armed forces. Germany defied this treaty by invading the Rhineland, Austria and Czechoslovakia, and rearming.
How was Germany able to invade France?
Germany invaded France in just six weeks in 1940 through the military strategy of ‘blitzkrieg’, or ‘lightning war’, which involved rapid, overwhelming attacks.
How did Britain prevent a German invasion?
In July 1940, the German air force – the Luftwaffe – launched a series of air raids over England. The British Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy, however, developed an air defence network, allowing them to win the Battle of Britain and preventing a German invasion.
Why did German-USSR relations break down?
In July 1941, Hilter attempted to invade the USSR, in an operation called Operation Barbarossa. German forces attacked Leningrad, Moscow, and Ukraine. Soviet forces were able to overcome their German invaders, which was a massive turning point for the war. This led the USSR to joining the Allied coalition with Britain and the USA.
When did the war end?
The war in Europe came to an end on 8 May, 1945, after six years. The end of the war came about after the success of the D-Day landings, the advancement of Soviet troops from the east and the Allied armies converging on Berlin. The war still continued in Japan, however, until September 1945.
Video Transcript
| German Officer | They are ready for you Mein Fuhrer. They await your truth. |
| Hitler | It is not truth that matters, but victory. |
| Chris | Twenty years after World War 1, Optimism would be undone, The fateful Treaty of Versailles, Was all too easily defied. The depths of the Great Depression, Fuelled German unrest and aggression, And from ‘39 to ‘45, 60 million more would lose their lives. But how did Europe descend once more, From fragile peace to total war? How was Germany infected, By a poisonous leader’s bleak objective? A leader who would instigate, A regime of terror built on hate, Come with us now as we pursue, The History Bomb of World War Two. |
| Hitler | We must rise up and take a stand, Bring glory to the Fatherland, Our children, this Aryan race, Will save us from our past disgrace. Cast out the Jews, they make us weak, Guilty for our shameful defeat, We have suffered so dreadfully, Let us now secure our destiny! |
| Chris | Hitler seized control of Germany in 1933 and defied the Treaty of Versailles, rearming, marching into the Rhineland and Austria and invading Czechoslovakia. In August 1939, with tensions rising across Europe, he found an unlikely Russian ally in Joseph... |
| Hitler | ...Stalin! May I propose a pact, Our two great nations should not attack, Fighting together will lay the foundation, For our European domination! |
| Stalin | OK, I will take this chance, And forget an alliance with Britain and France. |
| Hitler | GOOD! To Poland. Let’s attack quickly. |
| Stalin | And we’ll split the land? |
| Hitler | Fifty-fifty. |
| Chris | In September 1939, Germany and Russia invaded Poland with an agreement to divide the country between themselves. Britain’s Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, had always aimed to maintain peace with Germany, but this time he could not ignore Hitler’s aggressive intent. |
| Chamberlain | Now with regard to the state of Poland, I can assure you it’s all in hand. We must stay calm, I am quite sure, Knowing Herr Hitler, he’ll soon withdraw. |
| Aide | Sir, sorry to butt in, It’s 11 o’clock, we haven’t heard from Berlin! |
| Chamberlain | Good Lord, we can’t hold back anymore, I have no choice, we are at war. |
| Presenter | As Britain and France prepared for war, German forces tore through Western Europe, with a new form of highly intensive warfare known as Blitzkrieg. They overran France with devastating speed and by May 1940 the Allies were forced back to the English Channel. |
| British Soldier 1 | Now I’d heard about Jerry’s famous Blitzkrieg, But I never thought they’d attack with this speed! |
| British Soldier 2 | They’ve pushed us all the way back to the beaches, We’ve dumped our kit, I’m down to my breeches! |
| British Soldier 1 | We best keep going, I hope they’ve got some boats, There’s 300,000 Tommies to float! |
| British Soldier 2 | Do you ever think we’ll ever return to this section? |
| British Soldier 1 | Who knows!? Right now there’s only one direction! |
| Presenter | Against the odds 300,000 Allied troops were evacuated at Dunkirk, but they left behind a lot of men and valuable equipment. With Western Europe overrun, Britain now stood alone and in the summer of 1940. Hitler attempted a knock-out blow to the Royal Air Force to pave the way for a full invasion of Britain. |
| RAF Pilot 1 | By Jove! They mean business, this Luftwaffe, I don’t think we’re far away from disaster! |
| RAF Pilot 2 | Yes they’re coming thick and fast, But our new Spitfires are up to the task! |
| RAF Pilot 1 | I do hope you’re right, we must fight at all cost, If the RAF fails, all hope will be lost. |
| RAF Staff Member | There’s another squadron over the Channel! |
| RAF Pilot 2 | Here we go, don’t amble, SCRAMBLE! |
| Chris | Hitler’s plan to invade Britain was stopped in its tracks as the RAF held firm, much to the delight of Britain’s new Prime Minister... |
| Churchill | ...Our Finest Hour. |
| Chris | German bombers continued to pound British cities for months during the Blitz without a breakthrough. Eager for progress, Hitler looked East. |
| German Officer | Mein Fuhrer, we’ve lost another bomber, I fear this Blitz can’t last much longer. |
| Hitler | Blast! In that case we march East! To Russia! |
| German Officer | Stalin’s not going to like this! |
| Chris | In June 1941, German forces advanced against Russian troops, who to this point had been on the same side! Then, as if taking on one growing super-power was not enough, in December there was trouble in paradise as US forces in Hawaii came under a surprise Japanese attack. |
| US Navy 1 | What in the heck is going on? These Japanese, they’re just too strong! They’ve taken out the battleships, And our planes are burnt out on the airstrip! |
| US Navy 2 | A sneak attack? They’ve got some nerve, Don’t worry they’ll get what they deserve, They’ve won this battle, but watch out Japan, You’ve just awoken Uncle Sam. |
| Chris | The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour brought the US into the war. This would prove pivotal and in June 1942, the US struck a decisive victory over the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. In October, the Allies would have further success, this time in the Egyptian desert. |
| Australian Solider | Strewth, this heat is berserk! This Egyptian sun is even hotter than Perth! |
| South African Soldier | Toughen up mate, endure the pain, Let’s get ready for the battle at El-Alamein! |
| Australian Soldier | The chances of victory are already slight, And now they expect us to fight them at night? |
| South African Soldier | Just put your faith in General Montgomery, This is a man who can lead us to victory. |
| Chris | The Allies victory at El-Alamein proved a decisive turning point in the North Africa campaign. Meanwhile on the Eastern Front the Germans were suffering heavy losses in the snows of Stalingrad. They were short of supplies and the Russians were resolute and determined. Whilst Hitler continued to send divisions East, in June 1944, the Allies launched an ambitious attack in France. |
| US Soldier | Howdy y’all, get out the way, America’s here to save D-Day! We got as many troops as you could want, To open up a Second Front. We’ll flood the beaches with our guys, And take the Germans by surprise! Our tanks and guns will never miss. |
| British | They’re never going to let us forget this. |
| Chris | The D-Day landings gave the Allies a foothold in Europe from which they pushed forward towards Germany. It wasn’t all plain sailing but after eleven months, on 8 May 1945, Victory in Europe was secured. Whilst Germany surrendered, Japan refused to back down and the US decided to unleash two knock out blows. |
| US Soldier 2 | My God, what have we done? Hiroshima and Nagasaki well, they’re just gone. The nuclear age has been unfurled, We are become death, destroyer of worlds. |
| Chris | On the 15th August 1945, Japan surrendered to save their lives, The entire world had been transformed, Around this truly global war, Countless lives in countless lands, Lost so that we might stand, Together, now the guns have ceased, As nations, side by side, in peace. |