Topic title: Did “All Hell Let Loose”?  The world at war 1939-1945

Year group: 9

When taught: February/ March

What are we learning?

• Why the world went to war in 1939
• Why the Germans were so successful in the initial stages of the war
• What life was like in Britain during WW2 including what evacuation was really like.
• What happened at Dunkirk and whether it was a success or failure
• The importance of the Battle of Britain
• The reasons for the USA joining the war
• What D-Day was and why it was successful
• How WW2 ended and the impact of the dropping of the atomic bomb.

Why is this important to know?

• To understand the causes, events and consequences of one of the most catastrophic events in world history
• To understand the political landscape of the world in the second half of the 20^th century

Where does this link to our past and future learning?

• Understanding of the impact of WWI on Germany and Russia
• Importance of the Russian Revolution and the importance of the inter-war dictators.
• Links to future studies on the Holocaust and the Cold War

How will we be assessed on this topic?

• An end of topic knowledge test

What makes a strong piece of work in this topic?  What are teachers hoping to see?

• To be able to explain the social and political impact of war
• To be able use key terms accurately
• To consider complex moral debates and arguments
• Attention to detail and the use of specific and detailed evidence
• To give balanced answers considering different viewpoints.

What key words are there in this topic?

Quizlet, click here 

What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?

• Consider the stories of individuals
• Research and investigate the French Resistance
• Consider the role women played in the war effort
• Think about the long-term impact on British society
• What was the impact of WWII on the Cotswolds?
• What role did RAF Little Rissington play?

What wider reading can be done on this topic?

• ‘World War Two’ by Dominic Sandbrook
• ‘All Hell Let Loose’ by Max Hastings
• ‘To Hell and Back’ by Ian Kershaw

There is also a huge volume of historical fiction for young adults including some of the following:

‘All the light I cannot see’ by Anthony Doerr

‘Goodnight Mr. Tom’ by Michelle Magorian

‘Carrie’s War’ by Nina Bawden

‘D-Day dog’ by Tom Palmer

Useful online links for wider reading

• A summary of World War Two – World War Two – 3rd level History Revision – BBC Bitesize
• The outbreak of war and its impact – World War Two and Germany, 1939-1945 – AQA – GCSE History Revision – AQA – BBC Bitesize

Supporting documents/ links

• Students will be given a knowledge organiser at the end of the topic to revise for the end of topic assessment.