Center of Military History. D-Day the 6th of June: Normandy 1944. Map. Washington, DC 1993. From Library of Congress, Map Collections. g5833n ct001239 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g5833n.ct001239 (accessed August 6, 2009).
Maps are always a great way to illustrate military strategy. This will take the abstract thoughts of the Allied plans and put into focus exactly what areas were thought to be critical points of the war zone. Normandy was the site of intense struggle but also great importance. America’s success on its beaches were necessary for victory over the Axis powers. Striking points are indicated, with descriptions of each beach.
Hollem, Howard, photographer. Times Square and Vicinity of D-day. Photograph. Washington, DC. From Library of Congress, America from the Great Depression to World War II, 1935-1945. fsa 8d36271 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsa.8d36271 (accessed August 6, 2009).
Photographs are very powerful for displaying emotions that sometimes cannot be easily put into words.
This is especially true for emotional events such as D-day. As the photo demonstrates people were gathering in store windows to watch what was occurring. An international event such as this one does not come along very often, so it definitely captured the public’s attention.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. The President’s D-Day Prayer. Pamphlet. From Library of Congress, Printed Ephemera Collection. rbpe 24204200 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.24204200 (accessed August 6, 2009).
This article would be of great use for a lesson on D-Day. This event is one of the most important events in American history. By having a direct reference of the president’s thoughts, I would give students an opportunity to understand the importance of this date, what kinds of emotions were felt by our country’s leader, and how he tried to give our nation confidence at such a critical stage in history.
Twelfth Army Group. Twelfth Army Group situation map. Map. England. From Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division. g5701s ict21038 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g5701s.ict21038 (accessed August 6, 2009).
This map is good for comparison to others. A close examination of military positioning can provide insight to strategy, including why certain areas/terrain may be more important than others. Normandy was a pivotal point in the Western front. Strong positioning was needed to succeed. With this map students can see where forces where positioned.
nited States Navy. Utah Beach, Normandy, France. Map. Camp Bradford, VA. From Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division. g5833n ct002437a http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g5833n.ct002437a (accessed August 6, 2009).
As stated before, I love the way maps help visual learners understand exactly what is being talked about. To have a military map present, gives a clear vision of what challenges soldiers faced. Utah Beach was one of the points where Allied forced landed during their invasions, so it played a role in their defeat over the Germans.