How far could the Axis Powers go in their quest to dominate Europe without drawing the United States into the fray? This curriculum guide follows America's involvement in the European theater from the isolationism of the 1930s through the Roosevelt administration's halting assistance to the Allies, and then into open conflict from 1942 until the end of the war. Students can study the Normandy invasion, the Battle of the Bulge, and the daily lives of prisoners at Auschwitz, and other crucial aspects of the war through oral histories, decision-making scenarios, and other rich resources.
Image: 
Volume: 
2
Video: 
File wie189_web.mp4
Resource Page Description: 
Essays, lesson plan, and multimedia resources exploring World War II in Europe and the Mediterranean, focusing on strategy, immense challenges, and the experiences of everyday American soldiers. Curriculum volume authored and prepared by Dr. Joshua Goodman.
CDN: 
https://97916db31d3f8d31521d-17e6c1c95411550ed2b3eaa2dd647dfd.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/videos/Europe%20Curriculum_OC.mp4
Oral History
Leon Grunte Oral History
Description:
During World War II, Leon Grunte was recruited to join the German air force and later was captured by the Soviet army. After the war ended, Grunte was sent to a displaced persons camp in Germany and later immigrated to the United States. In this clip, Grunte describes his experiences living in a displaced persons camp and moving to America.
Teaching Aids
Picturing The War In Europe, Photos, Datelines & Captions
Description:

Photos, Datelines & Captions for use with the Picturing The War In Europe Lesson Plan

Teaching Aids
Evaluating Historic Decisions Scenarios
Description:

Scenario Cards for use with the Evaluating Historic Decisions Lesson Plan

Maps
Bomber Range Map
Description:

This map shows the principal Allied bomber bases in England, Italy, and North Africa, as well as the operational range for bombers flying out of those locations.

Maps
German Resistance Stiffens
Description:

With the Allies closing in on the German homeland, Hitler's forces retreated behind the Siegfried Line, a dense belt of bunkers, barbed wire, and other obstacles along the German border.

Maps
The Battle of the Bulge
Description:

In December 1944, Hitler launched his final offensive campaign, a surprise attack against the Allies in the thinly defended Ardennes Forest. Although the Germans initially succeeded in creating a deep "bulge" in the Allied lines, these gains were reversed by the end of january 1945, and the Allies proceeded into the German homeland on the road to Berlin.

Maps
The North Africa Campaign
Description:

This map illustrates the Allies' 1942 effort to drive the Axis Powers from the African continent.

Maps
Red Cross Map of Paris
Description:

The American Red Cross distributed this map to soldiers and civilians who visited the city after it was liberated by the Allies in 1944. For a higher resolution version of this map, download the PDF version.

Videos
The Axis Powers in Europe
Description:

This film sets the stage for World War II in Europe with an animated map showing the expansion of the Axis Powers across the continent.

Videos
D-Day Invasion
Description:

On June 6, 1944, the Allies launched the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare, successfully breaching Hitler's Atlantic Wall and powering their way into Nazi-occupied France.