Activities

Examining Effectiveness: The Strategic Air Campaign in World War II
Guiding Question:
Overview:
Using interactive campaign maps from the American Battle Monuments Commission, short text selections, photographs, and primary and secondary sources, students will develop and support a claim on the effectiveness of the Allied strategic bombing campaign in the European Theatre of World War II.
Activity
Historical Context
World War II was a major global event that brought the world into the modern age, using weapons of war that had been developed or upgraded since the end of World War I. Improvements in aviation technology gave Allied and Axis commanders more aerial military options. One of the more controversial decisions of the war was the bombardment of German cities and industrial centers in an attempt to break German will and hasten the end of war. The morality and effectiveness of strategic bombardment (especially the intentional targeting of civilians) was a source of debate when the campaign was launched and intensified after the American decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan.
Objectives
At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to
- Describe the role the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) Bomber Command played in the overall war effort; and
- Assess the role of strategic bombing in ending the war.
Standards Connections
Connections to Common Core
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.9 Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1.A Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1.B Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
Connections to C3 Framework
D2.His.3.6-8. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to analyze why they, and the developments they shaped, are seen as historically significant.
Materials
- Sets of Strategic Bombing Campaign Picture Cards
- Photograph Analysis Worksheet
- Strategic Bombing Campaign Interactive Worksheet
- Strategic Bombing Campaign Assessment
- Strategic Bombing Campaign Assessment Rubric
- Computer with internet capability and projector to access Strategic Bombing Campaign Interactive
- Speakers to listen to the interactive videos
- Computer lab time for students to work on the assessment
- Headphones for individual student use while listening to the interactive videos
Lesson Preparation
- Create one set of the Strategic Bombing Campaign Picture Cards for each group of four to six students.
- Print one copy of the Photograph Analysis Worksheet for each student.
- Print one copy of “The Role of Air Power” and “Various Graphics” from the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey for each student.
- Print one copy of the “Conclusions” excerpt from the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey for each student to read after completing his or her assessment.
- Set up classroom technology.
- Test all online resources before class.
- Divide students into groups of four to six students each.
Procedure
Activity One (30 minutes)
- Hand each group of four to six students one set of Strategic Bombing Campaign Picture Cards.
- Give each student one copy of the Photograph Analysis Worksheet.
- Project the following questions on the screen for students to discuss as they examine the picture cards:
- What is the purpose of bombing in war?
- Imagine that an enemy were to bombard our hometown from the air. What would that be like?
- What sort of targets would an enemy want to target if they were bombing our town? Why would those targets be important?
- Push students to understand the material and psychological costs of aerial bombardment.
- Ask each student to select one image and complete the Photograph Analysis Worksheet. This can be completed for homework if needed.
Activity Two (60 minutes)
- Give each student a copy of each the following:
- "The Role of Air Power", U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey
- "Various Graphics", U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey
- Strategic Bombing Campaign Interactive Worksheet
- Pull up the Strategic Bombing Campaign Interactive online and watch the first clip that explains how strategic bombing developed after World War I. This could be done in a whole class setting or by student with individual devices.
- Direct students to answer the questions on the Strategic Bombing Campaign Interactive Worksheet.
- Instruct students to watch the next video in the series and continue answering the questions. Stop and check for understanding as needed.
- Teacher Tip: Students can use the briefings and map features in the interactive to complete the questions in addition to the videos.
Assessment Materials
- Review the Strategic Bombing Assessment as a class.
- Review the Strategic Bombing Assessment Rubric and solicit questions from students to provide clarity.
- Introduce the excerpts from the Strategic Bombing Survey. Have the students read “The Role of Airpower” for discussion.
- Instruct students to read silently and then discuss excerpts in their table groups.
- Provide time with computers and additional supports as needed.
- Use the rubric and the scoring guide to evaluate the project.
Methods for Extension
- Students with more interest in the U.S. Air Force can learn more about the Army Air Forces in World War II and compare and contrast their role with that of the modern Air Force.
- Students can explore the role air power plays in modern military campaigns, such as the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Students could research and add information to their projects comparing the bombing campaign in Germany to the bombing campaign in Japan.
- Students who are interested in reading fiction relating to this topic could read Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5 (with parental permission).
Adaptations
- Teachers can adapt this activity to struggling readers (or younger grade levels) by allowing the students to complete a graphic organizer before writing the essay. Teachers could also increase the number of picture cards to provide additional materials to help them grasp the importance of the air campaign.
- Teachers can provide sentence stems to help ESL students.
Sources
Primary Sources
“Conclusion,” United States Strategic Bombing Survey, United States Department of War, September 30, 1945
Hathi Trust Digital LibraryPainting, Fire Over Ploesti
Air Force Historical Support DivisionPhotograph, The aftermath of the bombing shows an apocalyptic scene as the city residents attempt to pick through the rubble..., 1945
Air Force Historical Support DivisionPhotograph, Alfred T. Palmer, Part of the cowling for one of the motors for a B-25 bomber is assembled in the engine department of North American [Aviation, Inc.]'s Inglewood, California, plant., October 1942
U.S Office of War Information, Library of CongressPhotograph, B-17s from 8th Air Force were the other arm of the Dresden attacks…, 1945
Air Force Historical Support DivisionPhotograph, The first big raid by the 8th Air Force was on a Focke Wulf plant in Marienburg…, 1943
National Archives and Records Administration (535972)Photograph, Howard R. Hollam, Production. B-24E (Liberator) Bombers at Willow Run…, 1942
Library of Congress (LC-USE6- D-008769)Photograph, Last Moments of a Flaming B-24 Liberator after Raid over Austria…, c. 1942-1945
Library of Congress (LC-USZ62-43778)Photograph, Production. B-24E (Liberator) Bombers at Willow Run…, July 1942 - February 1943
Library of Congress (LC-USE6- D-008769)Photograph, The B-17 Flying Fortress The Memphis Belle..., June 9, 1943
Air Force Historical Support DivisionPhotograph, View from B-17 Flying Fortress U.S. Army 8th AF Bomber command…, December 31, 1944
Library of Congress (LC-USZ62-64814)Photograph, War Theatre #12 (Italy), June 21, 1944
National Archives and Records Administration (A22763)Photograph, War Theatre #12 (Italy), February 2, 1944
National Archives and Records Administration (A22756)Photograph, War Theatre #12 (Italy) Airplanes…, December 20, 1944
National Archives and Records Administration (A22778)Photograph, War Theatre #12 (Italy) Wrecks, July 18, 1944
National Archives and Records Administration (A24579)Photograph, War Theatre #12 (Genoa, Italy) Bombing
National Archives and Records Administration (A25185)Photograph, Waves of Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the 15th AAF Fly over the Target Area, the Concordia Vega Oil Refinery, Ploești, Romania, Unmindful of Bursting Flak, after Dropping Their Bomb Loads on the Oil Cracking Plant, on 31 May '44…, May 31, 1944
Library of Congress (LC-USZ62-97497)“The Role of Air Power,” United States Strategic Bombing Survey, United States Department of War, September 30, 1945
Hathi Trust Digital LibraryVarious graphics, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey, United States Department of War, September 30, 1945
Hathi Trust Digital Library
Secondary Sources
Strategic Bombing Campaign Interactive
American Battle Monuments Commission