Activities
Programme 2 Second World War
Activity 1 Measures and countermeasures
worksheet
Some of the new weapons, techniques and ideas in Weapons of War Programme 2 are listed below. Watch the programme, and use other resources if you need to.
Your job is to look into:
- why these new techniques and weapons were developed
- how they were connected to other developments
- what effects they had
- how important they were in the war
Organise your ideas under the following headings:
- Brief description
- Purpose
- Impact on warfare
- Connected to developments(s)...
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Pill boxes |
Radio spying |
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Home Guard |
Code breaking |
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Blitzkrieg |
Intelligence services |
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Stuka dive bomber |
Resistance movements |
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Tanks |
Factories and production |
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Bren gun |
Saturation bombing of cities |
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Schmeisser machine pistol |
Fighter escort for bombers |
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Aerial bombing |
Liberty Ships |
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Spitfire |
DUKW |
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Hurricane |
Dakota transport planes |
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Radar |
Trenches |
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Submarines |
Minefields |
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Battleships |
Modified tanks (e.g. flail tanks) |
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Depth charges |
Anti tank aircraft |
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ASDIC |
V1 and V2 aircraft |
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Corvettes |
Kamikaze bombing |
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Propaganda |
Island hopping bombing |
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Radio communications |
Atomic bomb |
Extension activity
If you have used Programme 1 of this series, add another column to the table you have used for Activity 1 here. In this extra column, briefly explain whether each of these developments was:
- an idea or development from WW1 still being used
- an idea or development from WW1 but taken to a more advanced level
- a completely new idea or development
Activity 2 Which was more important?
worksheet
Historians have long argued about which of the many events of WW2 were the most important. In this activity you are going to research and consider this issue for yourself.
Work in small groups. You have to look at three different aspects of the campaigns of the Second World War:
For each of these campaigns you will have to:
- Describe the major events and developments which take place
- Explain why it was important in terms of the course of the war
- Provide at least two pieces of evidence which support what you say
You must then try, as a group, to agree which of these three areas you think are the most important.
Activity 3 Tell the producer
worksheet
Stay working in your groups. Imagine that you could talk to the producer who made this programme and tell him about your conclusions from Activity 2. The diagram below shows how he divided the programme between the various developments you looked at, and a few others.
Your task is to prepare an email to the producer. You have to tell him whether you think he got the balance of the programme right. For example, you might think that there was no need for the long introduction. You may feel that the D-Day landings got about the right amount of time. Even if you think he got it right, you must write to him to explain why you think he got it right!
