WorldWarIIGroupCenters

Center1:OverallReading
Directions:Thisstationistobecompletelyindependent.Youaretoreadthereadingbelowand
completethetasksandquestionsprovided.

Tasks:
Highlightthemainideas
Circlewordsunknown
Summarizeparagraphsinthemargins

HitlersLightningWar

(modifiedfromWorldHistory,PatternsofInteractionsTextbook)

GermanySparksaNewWarinEurope
Atthispoint,SovietdictatorJosephStalinsignedatenyearnonaggressionpactwithHitler.Afterbeing
excludedfromtheMunichConference,StalinwasnoteagertojoinwiththeWest.Also,Hitlerhadpromisedhim
territory.Inasecretpartofthepact,GermanyandtheSovietUnionagreedtodividePolandbetweenthem.
TheyalsoagreedthattheUSSRcouldtakeoverFinlandandtheBalticcountriesofLithuania,Latvia,and
Estonia.
GermanysLightningAttack:Aftersigningthisnonaggressionpact,Hitlerquicklymovedaheadwithplansto
conquerPoland.HissurpriseattacktookplaceatdawnonSeptember1,1939.Germantanksandtrooptrucks
rumbledacrossthePolishborder.Atthesametime,Germanaircraftandartillerybeganamercilessbombingof
Polandscapital,Warsaw.
FranceandGreatBritaindeclaredwaronGermanyinSeptember3.ButPolandfellsometimebefore
thosenationscouldmakeanymilitaryresponse.Afterhisvictory,HitlerannexedthewesternhalfofPoland.
ThatregionhadalargeGermanpopulation.
TheGermaninvasionofPolandwasthefirsttestofGermanysnewestmilitarystrategytheBlitzkrieg,
orlightningwar.Itinvolvedusingfastmovingairplanesandtanks,followedbymassiveinfantryforcestotake
enemydefendersbysurpriseandquicklyoverwhelmthem.InthecaseofPoland,thestrategyworked.
TheSovietsMaketheirMove:OneSeptember17,StalinsentSoviettroopstooccupytheeasternhalfof
Poland.StalinthenmovedtoannexcountriestothenorthofPoland.Lithuania,Latvia,andEstoniafellwithouta
struggle,butFinlandresisted.InNovember,StalinsentnearlyonemillionSoviettroopsintoFinland.TheSoviets
expectedtowinaquickvictory,sotheywerenotpreparedforwinterfighting.Thiswasacrucialmistake.
TheFinnswereoutnumberedandoutgunned,buttheyfiercelydefendedtheircountry.Inthefreezing
winterweather,soldiersonskisswiftlyattackedSovietpositions.Incontrast,theSovietsstruggledtomake
progressthroughthedeepsnow.TheSovietssufferedheavylossesbuttheyfinallywonthroughsheerforce
ofnumbers.ByMarch1940,StalinhadforcedtheFinnstoaccepthissurrenderterms.
ThePhonyWar:AftertheydeclaredwaronGermany,theFrenchandBritishhadmobilizedtheirarmies.
TheystationedtheirtroopsalongtheMaginotLine,asystemoffortificationsalongFrance'sborderwith
Germany.TheretheywaitedfortheGermanstoattackbutnothinghappened.Withlittletodo,thebored
Alliedsoldiersstaredeastwardtowardtheenemy.Equallybored,Germansoldiersstaredbackfromtheir
SiegfriedLineafewmilesaway.Germansjokinglycalleditthesittingwar.Somenewspapersreferredtoit
simplyasthephonywar.
SuddenlyonApril9,1940,thecalmended.HitlerlaunchedasurpriseinvasionofDenmarkandNorway.
Injustfourhoursaftertheattack,Denmarkfell.Twomonthslater,Norwaysurrenderedaswell.The

GermansthenbegantobuildbasesalongtheNorwegianandDanishcoastsfromwhichtheycouldlaunchstrikes
onGreatBritain.

TheFallofFrance

InMayof1940,HitlerbeganadramaticsweepthroughtheNetherlands,BelgiumandLuxembourg.Thiswas
partofastrategytostrikeFrance.KeeptheAlliesattentiononthosecountries,Hitlerthensentaneven
largerforceoftanksandtroopstoslicethroughtheArdeens.Thiswasaheavilywoodedareainnorthern
France,LuxembourgandBelgium.Movingthroughtheforest,theGermanssqueezedbetweentheMaginot
Line.Fromthere,theymovedacrossFranceandreachedthecountrysnortherncoastintendays.
RescueatDunkirkAfterreachingtheFrenchcoast,theGermanforcesswungnorthagainandjoinedwith
GermantroopsinBelgium.BytheendofMay1940,theGermanshadtrappedtheAlliedforcesaroundthe
northernFrenchcityofLille.Outnumbered,outgunnedandpoundedfromtheair,theAlliesretreatedtothe
beachesofDunkirk,aFrenchportcityneartheBelgianborder.Theyweretrappedwiththeirbackstothe
sea.
Inoneofthemostheroicactsofthewar.GreatBritainsetouttorescuethearmy.Itsentafleet
ofabout850shipsacrosstheEnglishChanneltoDunkirk.AlongwithRoyalNavyships,civiliancraftyachts,
lifeboats,motorboats,paddlesteamers,andfishingboatsjoinedtherescueeffort.FromMay26toJune4,the
amateurarmada,underheavyfirefromGermanbombers,sailedbackandforthfromBritaintoDunkirk.The
boatscarriedsome338,000battlewearysoldierstosafety.
FranceFalls:FollowingDunkirk,resistanceinFrancebegantocrumble.ByJune14,theGermanshadtaken
Paris.Acceptingtheinevitable,FrenchleaderssurrenderedonJune22,1940.TheGermanstookcontrolofthe
northernpartofthecountry.TheyleftthesouthernparttoapuppetgovernmentheadedbyPhillipePetain,a
FrenchherofromWorldWarI.TheheadquartersofthisgovernmentwasinVichy.
AfterFrancefell,CharlesdeGaulle,aFrenchgeneral,setupagovernmentinexileinLondon.He
committedallhisenergytoreconqueringFrance.InaradiobroadcastfromEngland,deGaullecalledonthe
peopleofFrancetojoinhiminresistingtheGermans.

Questions:
1. Whatdoesthewordannexmean?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. Whatwasthephonywar?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. HowwouldFrancefall?(3sentenceminimum)
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. WhatwouldCharlesdeGaulledowhenexiledtoLondon?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Center2:Vocabulary
Directions:Inyourgroupcompletealloftheactivitiesbelow.Aftercompletingtheactivities
belowusingthewordwall/whiteboardsortthewordspicturesandpeopleintothosecategories
forWorldWarII.

Writeasentenceusingeachofthefollowingwordsonthelinesprovided.
Holocaust___________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Dehumanization_______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Extermination________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
AntiSemitism________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

CompletethefollowingWordConnection/WordSummaries

C___________________
O___________________
N___________________
F___________________
L___________________
I___________________
C___________________
T___________________

G___________________
E___________________
R___________________

M___________________
A___________________
N___________________
Y___________________

Center3:CauseandEffect
Directions:Usethetwodifferentcolorcardsandsortthemintotheircorrectplaces.When
finishedsorting,checkthemwiththeanswerkeyprovided.Aftergettingthemsortedand
copieddowncorrectly,answerthequestionsbelowonthem.

Cause
TreatyofVersailles

Effect

Italydoesntgetwhattheyarepromisedfrom
theLeagueofNations
HitlerwillinvadePolandonSeptember1,1939

ThebombingofHiroshimaandNagasakiby
theUnitedStates

TheWesternhalfofPolandbeingannexed
byGermany.

TheSovietUnionwouldinvadeFinlandbut
wouldnotbringsuppliesforthewinter.

PearlHarborwasattackedbytheJapanese
onDecember7,1941

Questions:

1. Summarizethecauseandeffectsinthreetofoursentences.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. Placetheeventsonatimelineintheorderthatyouthinktheyhappenedandthenexplain
whyyouthinktheyhappenedinthatorder.

Center4:PrimarySources/Visuals
Directions:Answerallofthequestionsbasedonthe
resourcesprovidedwithyourgroup.

Reminders!
Answerthequestionsbasedonthecorrect
Resourcesgiven.
Makesuretoanswereverythingincomplete
sentences.
Everyoneinthegroupneedstohelporyou
willworkbyyourselvesfromnowon.
Questions:
1. Basedonthepoem,whodoyouthinkthey
refertoandwhy?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. WhydoyouthinktheycamefortheJews,CommunistsandTradeUnionists?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. Whydoyouthinkthenarratordidnotspeakout?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. Whatmessagedoyouthinkthenarratoristryingtoconveythroughthispoem?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Pictures:
1. Basedonthepicturesprovidedwhatvocabularywordcoulddescribethemall?(youmay
choosemorethanone)
a. Militarism
b. Alliances
c. Imperialism
d. Nationalism
Explain:________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

2. Basedonthephotographs,whatdoyouthinkwarwaslikeathomeinthecountries?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3. Basedonthephotographs,doyouthinkitwouldhavebeeneasytobeagainstthewar?
Explainyouranswer.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Center5:Timeline
Directions:Putthedatesinchronologicalorderandthenwritethemdownonthetimelinebelow.
Aftercompletingthistaskanswerthequestionsbelow.

Questions:
1. Basedonthetimelineabove,whathappenedfirst?
________________________________________________________
2. Whathappenedin1942?
________________________________________________________
3. WhatyearwasBritainbombed?
________________________________________________________
4. WhatyeardidWorldWarIIstart?
________________________________________________________
5. WhatyeardidAmericajoinWorldWarII?
________________________________________________________
6. WhywouldAmericajointhewarsolate?
________________________________________________________
Center6:NoteTaking
Directions:Fillinthechartbelowbasedonthereadinggivenbysummarizeeachtopic.
WinstonChurchill

RoyalAirForce

Enigma

Britain'sBattle

NeutralityAct

LendLeaseAct
U.Sisattacked

TheUnitedStates

CauseandEffect
TreatyofVersailles

GermanywillbecomeweakerandAdolfHitler
willbeabletorisetopower.

Italydoesntgetwhattheyarepromisedfrom
theLeagueofNations

TheywilljoinallianceswithGermanyagainst
thecountriesintheLeagueofNations

HitlerwillinvadePolandonSeptember1,1939

WorldWarIIwillofficiallystart

ThebombingofHiroshimaandNagasakiby
theUnitedStates

WorldWarIIwillofficiallyend

TheWesternhalfofPolandbeingannexed
byGermany.

TheSovietUnionwillannextheWesternhalf
ofPoland

TheSovietUnionwouldinvadeFinlandbut
wouldnotbringsuppliesforthewinter.

TheSovietUnionwillbedefeatedforthe
firsttime.

PearlHarborwasattackedbytheJapanese
onDecember7,1941

AmericawilljoinWorldWarII.

Timeline
September,1939:GermanyinvadesPolandstartingWWII

July,1940:GermanybombsBritain

December,1941:JapanbombsPearlHarbor,Hawaii.AmericajoinsWWII

June,1942:AlliesdefeatJapaninthebattleofMidway

September,1943:ItalySurrenderstotheAllies

June,1944:DDayAlliedTroopslandinFranceandbegininvasion

August,1945:AtomicbombsaredroppedonHiroshimaandNagasakiJapan

September,1945:JapansurrendersendingWW11

TheBattleofBritain

WiththefallofFrance,GreatBritainstoodaloneagainsttheNazis.WinstonChurchill,thenewBritish
primeminister,hadalreadydeclaredthathisnationwouldnevergivein.Inarousingspeechheproclaimed,We
shallfightonthebeaches,weshallfightonthelandinggrounds,weshallfightinthefieldsandinthe
streetsweshallneversurrender.
HitlernowturnedhismindtoaninvasionofGreatBritain.HisplanwasfirsttoknockouttheRoyalAir
Forceandthentolandmorethan250,000soldiersonEnglandsshores.
Inthesummerof1940,theLuftwaffe,Germanysairforce,beganbombingGreatBritain.Atfirst,the
GermanstargetedBritishairfieldsandaircraftfactories.Then,onSeptember7,1940,theybeganfocusingon
thecities,especiallyLondon,tobreakBritishmorale.Despitethedestructionandlossoflife,theBritishdidnot
waver.
TheRoyalAirForce,althoughbadlyoutnumbered,begantohitbackhard.Twotechnologicaldevices
helpedturnthetideintotheirfavor.Onewasanelectronictrackingsystemknownasradar.Developedinthe
late1930s,radarcouldtellthenumber,speedanddirectionofincomingwarplanes.Theotherdevicewasa
GermancodemakingmachinenamedEnigma.AcompleteEnigmamachinehadbeensmuggledintoGreatBritain
inthelate1930s.EnigmaenabledtheBritishtodecodeGermansecretmessages.Withinformationgatheredby
thesedevices,RAFflierscouldquicklylaunchattacksontheenemy.
ToavoidtheRAFsattacks,theGermansgaveupdaylightrapidsinOctober1940infavorofnight
bombing.Atsunset,thewailofsirensfilledtheairasLondonersflockedtothesubways,whichservedas
airraidshelters.Somerodeoutthebombingraidsathomeinsmallerairraidsheltersorbasements.This
BattleofBritaincontinueduntilMay10,1941.StunnedbyBritishresistance,Hitlerdecidedtocallofhisattacks.
Instead,hefocusedontheMediterraneanandEasternEurope.ThebattleofBritaintaughttheAlliesacrucial
lesson.Hitlersattackscouldbeblocked.

TheUnitedStatesAidsItsAllies

MostAmericansfeltthattheUnitedStatesshouldnotgetinvolvedinthewar.Between19351937,
CongresspassedaseriesofNeutralityActs.Thelawsmadeitillegaltosellarmsorlendmoneytonationsat
war.ButPresidentRooseveltknewthatiftheAlliesfell,theUnitedStateswouldbedrawnintothewar.In
September1939,heaskedCongresstoallowtheAlliestobuyAmericanarms.TheAllieswouldpaycashand
thencarrythegoodsontheirownship.
UndertheLendLeaseAct,passedinMarchof1941,thepresidentcouldlendorleasearmsandother
suppliestoanycountryvitaltotheUnitedStates.Bythesummerof1941,theU.SNavywasescortingBritish
shipscarryingU.Sarms.Inresponse,Hitlerorderedhissubmarinestosinkanycargoshipstheymet.
AlthoughtheUnitedStateshadnotyetenteredthewar,RooseveltandChurchillsecretlyandissueda
jointdeclarationcalledtheAtlanticCharter.Itupheldfreetradeamongnationsandtherightofpeopleto
choosetheirowngovernment.ThecharterlaterservedastheAlliespeaceplanattheendofWorldWarII.
OnSeptember4,aGermanUBoatfiredonaU.SdestroyerintheAtlantic.Inresponse,Roosevelt
orderednavycommanderstoshootGermansubmarinesonsight.TheUnitedStateswasnowinvolvedinan
undeclarednavalwarwithHitler.Toalmosteveryonessurprise,however,theattackthatactuallydrewthe
UnitedStatesintothewardidnotcomefromGermany.ItcamefromJapan.

Whatisgoingon?

Directions:Chooseoneofthefollowingprojectsandcompleteittoitsfullestextent.
Letters
ComicStrip
Beateacher
Createaseriesofthreedifferent Createacomicstripofatleast6
Createaquizofatleast15
lettersaboutwhatisgoingonin
squaresthatconveysthecontent questions.Youmusthaveamixture
theworldduringthistimein
youhavelearnedoverthepast ofmultiplechoice,trueorfalse,fill
history.Makesureyouusethe
weekinastorylikeway.Make
intheblankandshortresponse.
knowledgeofyourevents,and
sureyouhavepictures,captions,
Makesureyouhaveananswer
topicsgainedoverthepastweek. colorandasummaryofyourcomic keyattachedtothequizthatyou
Youmusthave45sentencesin
strip.
havecreated.
eachletter.

Name:___________________________/25

Whatisgoingon?

Directions:Chooseoneofthefollowingprojectsandcompleteittoitsfullestextent.
Letters
ComicStrip
Beateacher
Createaseriesofthreedifferent Createacomicstripofatleast6
Createaquizofatleast15
lettersaboutwhatisgoingonin
squaresthatconveysthecontent questions.Youmusthaveamixture
theworldduringthistimein
youhavelearnedoverthepast ofmultiplechoice,trueorfalse,fill
history.Makesureyouusethe
weekinastorylikeway.Make
intheblankandshortresponse.
knowledgeofyourevents,and
sureyouhavepictures,captions,
Makesureyouhaveananswer
topicsgainedoverthepastweek. colorandasummaryofyourcomic keyattachedtothequizthatyou
Youmusthave45sentencesin
strip.
havecreated.
eachletter.

Name:____________________________/25

Whatisgoingon?

Directions:Chooseoneofthefollowingprojectsandcompleteittoitsfullestextent.

Letters
ComicStrip
Beateacher
Createaseriesofthreedifferent Createacomicstripofatleast6
Createaquizofatleast15
lettersaboutwhatisgoingonin
squaresthatconveysthecontent questions.Youmusthaveamixture
theworldduringthistimein
youhavelearnedoverthepast ofmultiplechoice,trueorfalse,fill
history.Makesureyouusethe
weekinastorylikeway.Make
intheblankandshortresponse.
knowledgeofyourevents,and
sureyouhavepictures,captions,
Makesureyouhaveananswer
topicsgainedoverthepastweek. colorandasummaryofyourcomic keyattachedtothequizthatyou
Youmusthave45sentencesin
strip.
havecreated.
eachletter.

Name:_____________________________/25