The Great Escapes of WWII Review
The Great Escapes of WWII Feature
- No walls could hold them. No punishment could scare them. No enemy could stop them.In this unforgettable collection, former POWs, resistance fighters, soldiers and guards tell the incredible stories of their thrilling adventures. Through dramatic re-creations, rare photographs and films, you'll race for the last train out of Paris, risk certain death in Europe's underground railroad, and c
No walls could hold them. No punishment could scare them. No enemy could stop them. In this unforgettable collection, former POW's, resistance fighters, soldiers and guards tell hte encredible stories of their thrilling adventures. Through dramatic re-creations, rare photographs and film, you'll race for the last train out of Paris, risk certain death in Europe's underground railroad, and crawl through the tunnels of the real-life breakout now known as
The Great Escape.
The Great Escape- This fascinating program tells the complete account of the legendary escape, from the designs of "tunnel king" Wally Floody to the actual flight of 76 men in 1944.
Escape From Arizona- The story of the largest escape from a U.S. WWII POW camp - a 25-man breakout lead by a resourceful German U-boat commander.
Escape From Dunkirk- Trapped on the coast by the German Army, an overwhelmed British force manages to escape destruction by crossing the English Channel.
Escape from the Oklahoma- Pearl Harbor survivors recall their 36 hour ordeal trapped in the sunken battleship Oklahoma, where 404 men drowned or suffocated.
Great Escapes of World War II
No walls could hold them. No punishment could scare them. No enemy could stop them. In this unforgettable program, former POWs, resistance fighters, soldiers and guards tell the incredible stories of their thrilling adventures. Through dramatic recreations, rare photographs and films,
The Great Escapes of World War II explores some of the most daring escapes of the war.
The Great Escapes of World War II would be useful for classes on American History, European History, American Culture, Military History and Geography. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.
Part 1
Part 1 tells the complete account of the breakout from Germany’s Stalag Luft III, the escape immortalized by Steve McQueen in the movie The Great Escape. Rare photographs and interviews with surviving escapees recall the complexity of the operation and “tunnel king” Wally Floody’s designs, which took 600 men more than a year to execute. Leading historians reveal the shocking details of the Nazis’ ultimate response to the break.
Vocabulary• Gestapo
• apprehension
• chivalry
• claustrophobic
• confidante
• culmination
• decimated
• dehumanize
• elaborate
• excruciating
• implement
• infamous
• ingenious
• objective
• obsessed
• qualms
Discussion Questions 1. World War II was a global war that included the world’s greatest powers in the mid-twentieth century. What were some of the causes of World War II? Why was the war on a global scale? What was the outcome of the war? How did the outcome influence history?
2. Discuss the global divisions and alliances of the Axis and the Allies in World War II.
3. Human beings exhibit a wide array of emotions and reactions. Each may respond to the same situation differently. Discuss the different responses of the men who were imprisoned at Stalag Luft III.
4. Why did the Germans consider Stalag Luft III “escape proof?”
5. Discuss the Great Escape and its surprising success. How was an operation that involved over 600 men kept secret? How was Stalag Luft II the perfect environment for an escape operation?
6. What are some of the problems and conditions faced by people who are imprisoned?
7. What were the conditions faced by the Allied soldiers in Stalag Luft III?
8. What did the prisoners of Stalag Luft II do for recreation? How did they fill their days? How did they employ their recreation pastimes for the escape?
9. How did the X Organization overcome the logistic problems of tunneling under Stalag Luft III?
10. What were the consequences for some of the escapees? How did some of them manage to escape Hitler’s wrath?
Extended Activities 1. View the movie The Great Escape and compare the Hollywood version with the actual event. What are the differences? What compromises were made to bring the story to the screen? How much “literary license” was used in the production of the film?
2. John Cordwell kept a visual diary and remembrance of his days in captivity. Create a visual diary for an important event in your life.
Part 2
Part 2 focuses on the escape efforts of Allied airmen with the assistance of the French Resistance and on the escape attempt of German POWs. German POWs led by U-boat commander Jurgen Wattenburg executed once of the largest and most spectacular escapes from a US camp.
Vocabulary• accelerate
• cassock
• clandestine
• collaborator
• cordon
• extract
• horrific
• illusions
• interrogate
• momentous
• notorious
• operatives
• proliferate
• sabotage
• solidarity
• specter
• vanquished
• vicarage
Discussion Questions 1. The French Resistance provided Allied airmen with food and assistance when they were shot down behind enemy lines. But who were the French Resistance? Who made up the membership?
2. How did the French Resistance operate?
3. What was the contribution of the Resistance to an Allied victory in Europe?
4. Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of England, authorized the assembly of a special operations unit, the 161 Flight Squadron. What was the job of this squadron? How did this squadron enable Allied airmen to help the Resistance held their downed brothers?
5. Why was there such secrecy among Resistance fighters?
6. Discuss how the Nazis tried to gain control of the Resistance. Why were the Nazis generally unsuccessful at this?
7. Members of the Resistance differ in their opinions on the contribution of the Resistance to the Allied victory. Why do they have different opinions? Compare some of the opinions expressed by former Resistance members.
8. The United States Army transported German POWs across the Atlantic to the United States. Why did the United States bring German POWs to the US? Why didn’t they establish camps for them in Allied occupied territory in Europe? How did the US treat its prisoners?
9. If German POWs were treated relatively well, why did they attempt to escape? 10. How did the American guards and American Army capture the escaped POWs?
Extended Activities 1. Imagine that you a Resistance fighter during World War II. Keep a diary or a journal of your clandestine activities and explain how your activities helped the war effort.
2. Design a monument to the French Resistance that effectively conveys the courage and sacrifice of those brave men and women.
