Help with WWII lesson

Hi

I am teaching a lesson on WWII and I would like to give my students examples where one factor in WWII-- either the bravery/number of soldiers or the tactics of leaders or technological superiority-- overcame deficiencies with the two other factors. For example:

1) Key battles or operations where either the number of soldiers or the bravery of the individual soldiers, overcame tactical blunders and/or inferior weaponry/technology.

2) Key battles or operations where a brilliant leader or tactician overcame a disadvantage in the number of troops and/or inferior weaponry.

3) Key battles or operations where more sophisticated weaponry or technology overcame tactical blunders and/or a disadvantage in the number of troops.

I would welcome examples involving any branch of the military and from key nations on either side of the conflict. Ideally, these should be battles/operations that were fundamental to understanding the war, but I'd welcome anything you can offer.

Thanks in advance.
Stu

 

Hi Stu and welcome to these forums.

One battle that comes to mind is the Battle for Stalingrad. General Chuikov lost 90% of the city and surrounding territory and had managed to not only take the city but to also defeat the German 6th Army under Generalfeldmarschall Friedrich Paulus.

 

Just before we get started, what level are you teaching at, and what age are your students?

 

The Battle of Britain comes to mind in both catagories. You have the bravery of men against a numerically superior foe. You also have the opposing leaders in Dowding and Goering.

Another battle/campaign would be the leadership of Field Marshal Rommel in the desert.

 

Dear Stu,

I used to be a teacher myself! I was recently reading Stephen Ambose's book To America.

In chapter 8, pages 101-115, is a short summary of the War in the Pacific. It is excellent reading, short, sweet, and to the point.

Ambrose specifically quotes himself, "I believed when I was young that America won the war because of its manufacturing capability, its tremendous delivery of shells and bullets to the battlefront. Now I've learned different. For example, take Okinawa..."

Ambose quotes the amount of shells 19,000, artillery pieces 324, 18 war ships, 650 planes, 1,766,352 rounds fired, and 14 million tons of bombs.

Now to get directly to your point and answer your question. Abrose says (besides the industrial war machine) it was the strength and spirit of the American soldier that over came all the odds like the Marines at Iwo Jima.

Despite that impressive amount of firepower, the Marines had to take the island inch by inch.

The students could compare and contrast the industrial war machine with the fighting spirit of the American soldier.

You can also talk about the Normandy Invasion and possibly show some clips of Saving Private Ryan.

As a student and a teacher it has been my experience to show graphic (not too gory) interpretations of what happened as if they were actually there.

Good luck!

 

Aloha Peppy, if this works?

 

Buck Yaldy, make me your student, a teacher who lets us watch parts of WW2 movies, that would be a blessing!