November Wrap Up World War II

Good morning, we are nearly done with World War I and World War II documentaries for November.  So today, I will do a wrap-up for the month.  I finished up The Great War in Numbers.  I was also glad to explore the Deep Sea Detective Series, although I think some of the episodes could have been done in December for Fun and Frivolous.  December will be documentaries that are fun and frivolous.  They may not fit in perfectly with the school curriculum but could be shown just for the fun of it.  These were the documentaries that were featured for November.

World War II in Numbers - Episode 3 Backs to the Wall - YouTube (45:02)
Britain evacuated thousands of troops from Dunkirk and was now squarely the target of the enemy.  Adolf Hitler was planning a full-scale invasion of Britain.  Once the British were defeated, he would turn his eyes to Russia.  However, his plans hinged on the Germans achieving air superiority.  Unfortunately for Hitler, the Brits had other plans for the battle of the air.  How did the Royal Air Force manage to defeat the German Air Force in the skies?  *This is a highly recommended documentary for a world history classroom.  Highly Recommended for independent study students.*

World War II in Numbers - Episode 4 Global War - YouTube (44:57)
United States President Roosevelt is running for an unprecedented third term in office.  America entering World War II seems inevitable.  However, the US public does not want to enter a war.  However, there are forces swirling around that make the United States entering the war seem inevitable.  Things change when Japan attacks Pearl Harbor.  By attacking Pearl Harbor, the course of the war was changed.  *This is a highly recommended documentary for a world history classroom.  Highly Recommended for independent study students.*

World War II in Numbers - Episode 8 Twilight of the Axis - YouTube (45:57)
March 1945, Hitler issued one of the most chilling orders of his regime.  He gave the order to destroy everything that could help the enemy.  Germany would have been totally destroyed by the order.  The German commanders ignored the order.  Why would Hitler order such a thing?  In his mind, if Germany was defeated then they were the weaker nation and should not survive.  On the other side of the world, the Japanese were willing to fight to the last man.  *This is a highly recommended documentary for a world history classroom.  Highly Recommended for independent study students.*

Battle of the Bulge - YouTube (46:33)
It is December 1944 and the Germans launch an attack on the Ardennes Forest.  This is the first step in what would become known as the Battle of the Bulge.  The Americans are taken completely by surprise by the one last desperate attempt to turn the tides of war.  The American forces push back against the German troops with tanks in the largest tank counterattack in all of World War II.  *This is a highly recommended documentary for a world history classroom.  Highly Recommended for independent study students.*

Leningrad - The Hero City - YouTube (51:59)
Leningrad was subjected to the longest siege in the history of war.  The city was both bombed and shelled by the Nazis.  The siege lasted nine hundred days and killed one million inhabitants.  However, the city and its residents stood against the Nazi invasion.  Leningrad defied the odds and its residents survived without electricity, sewage disposal, and food.  How did they do it?  How could they survive such an onslaught?  *This is a highly recommended documentary for a world history classroom.  Highly Recommended for independent study students.*

Station X - YouTube (1:53:15)
Bletchley Park was Britain’s super secret headquarters for cracking German codes during World War II.  Germany employed the Enigma machine and this was a machine that produced unbreakable codes.  Against all the odds school boys, academics, and crossword fanatics worked to crack those codes.  Once those codes were cracked Germany’s greatest weapon was turned into Germany’s greatest liability.  This documentary is a first-hand account of what went on in Bletchley Park. *This is recommended documentary for a world history classroom.  Highly Recommended for independent study students.*

Leopoldville - YouTube (50:43)
An allied troop ship lies in ruins.  It is here that nearly 800 American soldiers lost their lives.  It is evidence of a forgotten tragedy.  Secrecy and mystery surround this shipwreck.  It sunk on Christmas Eve bringing over troops to France.  Why did so many men die in this wreck?  What were the mistakes that were made that delayed the rescue of these men?  A new dive on the wreck reveals new details about the sinking.  What went so horribly wrong on this wreck?  *Recommended for a history classroom and independent study students.*

Queen Mary and Curacoa - YouTube (51:52)
It is the height of World War II and the RMS Queen Mary has been converted into a troop ship.  She is carrying US Troops to Europe to fight in the war.  When she gets to the Irish Coast, she is met by the escort ships that will escort her through the Irish Seas.  Unfortunately, Queen Mary rams one of her escort ships the Curacoa.  The light cruiser sinks in six minutes and only ninety-nine sailors survived the shipwreck.  What happened to cause this ramming?  What will the wreck divers discover about the ramming?  Who is to blame for this tragedy? *Recommended for a history classroom and independent study students.*