What I Did During The War

1. What I Did During The War By, Karly Steele and Chelsey Franco

2. Timeline 1942 May 8, 1942 - German summer offensive begins in the Crimea. Jan 1, 1942 - Declaration of the United Nations signed by 26 Allied nations. Dec 16, 1942 - Soviets defeat Italian troops on the River Don in the USSR. Sept 13, 1942 - Battle of Stalingrad begins. July 1-30 -1942 First Battle of El Alamein. Oct 18, 1942 - Hitler orders the execution of all captured British commandos. April 23, 1942 - German air raids begin against cathedral cities in Britain. June 21, 1942 - Rommel captures Tobruk. Aug 12, 1942 - Stalin and Churchill meet in Moscow.

3. Timeline 1943 Dec 24-26 -1943 Soviets launch offensives on the Ukrainian front. Jan 2/3 – 1943 Germans begin a withdrawal from the Caucasus. May 13, 1943 German and Italian troops surrender in North Africa. March 15, 1943 - Germans re-capture Kharkov. July 19, 1943 - Allies bomb Rome. Oct 13, 1943 - Italy declares war on Germany; Second American air raid on Schweinfurt. Feb 2, 1943 - Germans surrender at Stalingrad in the first big defeat of Hitler's armies. April 6/71943 Axis forces in Tunisia begin a withdrawal toward Enfidaville as American and British forces link. June 11, 1943 - Himmler orders the liquidation of all Jewish ghettos in Poland.

4. Timeline 1944 Jan 6, 1944 - Soviet troops advance into Poland. Nov 24, 1944 - French capture Strasbourg. March 15, 1944 - Second Allied attempt to capture Monte Cassino begins. Sept 4, 1944 - Finland and the Soviet Union agree to a cease-fire. May 15, 1944 - Germans withdraw to the Adolf Hitler Line. Dec 27, 1944 - Soviet troops besiege Budapest. Feb 15-18 -1944 Allies bomb the monastery at Monte Cassino. April 8, 1944 - Soviet troops begin an offensive to liberate Crimea. Aug 7, 1944 - Germans begin a major counter-attack toward Avranches. Oct 10-29-1944 - Soviet troops capture Riga.

5. Historic photographs July 1-30 -1942 First Battle of El Alamein. Gunners of 2/8th Australian Field Regiment firing a 25-pounder during the July battle. Artillery was used at El Alamein on a massive scale, supporting the infantry when they went forward, and protecting them when they were attacked.(AWM 024513) The Battle of El Alamein, fought in the deserts of North Africa, is seen as one of the victories of World War Two. The Battle of El Alamein was fought between two of the outstanding commanders of World War Two, Montgomery, who succeeded the dismissed Auchinleck, and Rommel. The Allied victory at El Alamein lead to the retreat of the Africa Korps and the German surrender in North Africa in May 1943. Rommel studying maps during the battle at El Alamein So many heroes: British soldiers advance as a German Panzer III crewman surrenders during the battle of El Alamein, 1942

6. Historic Photographs June 21, 1942 - Rommel captures Tobruk. General Erwin Rommel with the Africa Korps before the Battle for Tobruk by Chris Collingwood. The Libyan port of Tobruk, 50 miles from the Egyptian frontier, was captured from the Italians by British forces January 22 1941. Axis forces under Rommel defeated the British, but it was decided to hold Tobruk. The siege of Tobruk began on April 10 1941, and the port was relieved by the British on December 10 1941. Tobruk was captured by Rommel on June 21 1942 and finally retaken by the British following the battle of ElAlamein in November 1942. HMAS Tobruk, one of the two "Battle" Class destroyers to serve in Korea. The Battle class destroyer HMAS Tobruk wasconstructed for the Royal Australian Navy at Cockatoo Island Dockyard as ship number 185. The last all-riveted warship built at Cockatoo Island Dockyard,it was based on a British Admiralty design and modified by the Navy Office. A Tobruk 'in business'

7. Historic Photographs General Eisenhower Speaking to Paratroopers before the D-Day Invasion • June 6, 1944- D Day Invasion • June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end on June 6, the Allies gained a foot hold in Normandy. The D-Day cost was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but more than 100,000 Soldiers began the march across Europe to defeat Hitler. U.S. troops and equipment lined up “somewhere in England” prior to embarking on the Normandy Invasion, Medium bombers of the Ninth Air Force striking Pointe du Hoc on June 4, 1944, the beginning of two days of intense bombardment and naval shelling leading up to the assault on D-Day. Smoke streams from a landing craft hit by machine-gun fire as it approaches Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

8. News Clippings These are loose news clippings of items relating to the involvement of the World War II efforts at home or at war.

9. Letter From My Sweetheart • April, 12, 1944 My Darling, I hope, and feel that Ill get home before this letter does, but thought I’d better write anyway in case of any delay. Right now there are a few of us here in a hospital waiting for hospital airplanes to take us to England. Probably right now you are worried about my condition after reading about whats happening in Stalags. Its ok, I am not suffering from malnutrition, and don’t look like the pictures you’ve seen. I don’t know if any of my letters from prison reached you. After I was wounded the Germans amputated my right foot. I promise it was necessary, because it was practically off anyway. I shall have to have another operation on the leg when I get home, but that is normal. I have enough to tell you to fill a book, and want to be with you when I do it, so I’ll just tell you a little now. Its pretty bad here but as you can see by the way they treated there prisoners it could have been a thousand times worse. I expect it’s been just as bad for you, with all the worrying, but it’s all over now. I was shot down in Yugoslavia . I volunteered for the mission. Then I was involved in the German evacuation from Greece through Yugoslavia. We were liberated by the Red Army after the capitulation, on May 10th. One of my greatest moments was waking up one morning and watching Soviet artillery come to the camp. I think we were the last Americans to be liberated in Europe, about 140 of us. A greater moment will be when I see you again, my darling, and it won’t be long. So cheer up and don’t worry about me. I’m alive and very much okay. Love, Matt

10. Letter From Me • May, 5, 1944 • Darling, I miss you so much. Every night I have nightmares of something terrible happening to you. In the morning, I cry because I have no one to eat breakfast with. Being a Rosie the Riveter is a lot of work. Doing a mans jobs is scary. I worked on a cockpit shell a few weeks ago and I cut up my hand. Its sad that I have to take care of myself when I get hurt or if I am sick. You use to do all that for me. Oh yea I forgot to tell you something. I am pregnant. It is a girl! Hopefully you will be there for the birth. If not I understand. I think we should name her Chanler. What do you think? A lady next door got notice a few weeks ago that her husband died at war. Please don’t let me get one of those letters. I love you so much. Write everything down that you do in a day, so its like I am right with you all the time. The authorities out here are teaching everyone how to be involved with their home fronts, how to protect themselves, and their country. Write back soon, I love you. Be safe.

11. Letter From My Sweetheart • June, 8, 1944 • You are pregnant! That is wonderful!! I wish I was their to take care of you. I think I am coming home soon, I know I said this earlier in my letters, but this time I am positive. They told me because of my foot they think I am going to have to come home, which is a relief. That is terrible to here about the neighbors husband died, do you know what unit he was in? I have lost so many friends up here, I lost count. My good buddy has been captured, I pray every night that they either just kill him, or he escapes. Enough about me, How are you? How is your hand? Oh yea Chanler is an amazing name. I will be their for the birth, I promise. Do not think about me to much before you go to sleep, because those nightmares will never come true. I know its hard throughout the days, but you are strong. We can get through this. I have to go now, this is the only time I have to catch up on some sleep. I love you so much. Love, Matt.

12. My Experience This is one of my friends working on the A-31 Vengeance bomber. My experience being a Rosie is hard work. My neighbors who have someone at war, including me, are all nervous wrecks. I see a lot of tears daily. Everyone is teaching everyone how to protect themselves incase if something happens, It is very scary.

13. My Experience I realize that since I have someone at war, everything us girls make at work has to be perfect. Everything I have to build at work is very hard. I cry almost every time I come in contact with another project, because there is a chance that my boyfriend, matt will be using it. It really is very upsetting. Sometimes I regret meeting someone that is constantly at war, but then I remember his face before he left. He really does love me. All I can do is hope and pray that he will be home soon. Also I have to do my best at my job so I have money.

14. Artifacts • Weapons • A WWII-period photo showing a US soldier surrounded by an assortment of weapons systems available to him.

15. Artifacts • Ships • Dixmude (A-609) • The American-built Dixmude served with British forces through World War 2 via Lend-Lease then with French forces before being returned to the US in 1966.

16. Artifacts • Posters • A poster reminding people to always carry their gas masks.

17. Artifacts • Tanks • The sheer number of Sherman tanks in WWII gave the Allies a distinct advantage, but the quick response, maneuverability, reliability, and ease of maintenance proved the greatest basic assets.

18. Artifacts • Political Cartoons • America's splendid isolation as seen by Dr.Seuss - famous US cartoonist. Cartoons of 1940-42.

19. Story About A Man At War What a joy and blessing to think you are free at last. I don't know if you heard about it yet, but mom died in the camp at Singapore on Sept. We don't know the exact date. Poor Uncle John died at the hands of the Japs in Singapore on November 12th 1944. He had a terrible death but we will tell you more later. Please don't mention this in front of Aunt Cindy because she does not know how he died. Aunt Judy has been here for 2 years living with us. Timmy has been missing for awhile, I think he tried to escape. Where and when did you hear of him last? Let us know if you find any information on him. He may be lying sick somewhere in Thailand so please let us know if you can. Well we do look forward to seeing you, Jake, Mary, Katie and Michael are dying to see you. Take care of yourself , Betty and Aunt Carol should be home soon now.

20. Work Cited Page • http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/ww2time.htm • http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=images%20of%20worldwar%202&oq=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_the_Riveter • http://www.world-war-2.info/facts/ • http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=news%20clippings%20from%20world%20war%202&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi • AccuNet/ AP Photo Archive • ProQuest Historical Newspapers