World War II timeline

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Annex A, World War II, the European War, Discussion, Study, and Examination Questions:

  1. What is history? Define history. What are the historian’s tasks? What is historiography? Is history a science? How is history like and unlike science? Delineate the major problems in writing history. Who are the authors of the books used in this class? Given their backgrounds what problems might they have in writing an accurate narrative, and explanation for events?
  2. What is war? Are humans by nature warlike? Are men by nature warlike? Is it possible to end war? What is Hobbes’ thesis on human nature? Do you agree or disagree with his thesis? What is Rousseau’s thesis on human nature? Do you agree or disagree with his thesis? See handout on the causes of war.
  3. Who was Carl von Clausewitz? Explain his concept of the total and limited war? World War II was the most total war in human history. Why? Explain Clausewitz’ thesis on the “remarkable trinity” in war. How do you win a war? Explain Clausewitz’ thesis on “center of gravity.” World War II was a watershed event. Why?
  4. What were the causes of World War II? Delineate the various arguments. Which argument do you believe is the most accurate? Why? Trace the events that led up to the Second World War.
  5. What is doctrine? What is the relationship between doctrine and technology? What was Germany’s ground, operational doctrine at the start of World War II? How did it influence strategy? What was the French operational doctrine at the start of World War II? How did it influence strategy?
  6. What is policy? What is strategy? How are policy and strategy related? What was Hitler’s domestic and foreign policy in 1939? What was Hitler’s strategy in the late 1930’s? Did he plan to start a World War? How did World War II start? What was British policy and strategy, and how did it influence the march towards war in the late 1930’s? What was French policy and strategy and how did it influence the march towards war in the late 1930’s?
  7. Trace the evolution of technology from World War I to World War II. What were the most significant technological developments during the inter-war period? Explain the relationship between technology and doctrine. How did these technological developments influence the conduct and outcome of the war? What were the most significant doctrinal developments during the inter-war period? Which nations were the most forward looking in the development of new doctrine? Why?
  8. What are “Joint Operations?” What are “Combined Operations?” Delineate the problems involved in conducting joint and combined operations.
  9. Explain the fall of France in the spring of 1940. Delineate the various explanations. Which explanation do you believe is most accurate? Why? Describe the German plan for the battle of France. Who developed the plan, and why was the plan successful? Describe the French and British plan for the battle of France. Why did the plan fail? Develop and delineate a comprehensive argument.
  10. Describe and characterize the British retreat at Dunkirk. Explain why the British were able to save over 300,000 British and Allied soldiers when German panzer divisions wereso close. Delineate several explanations. Which explanation do you believe is most accurate? Why?
  11. Describe and characterize the Battle of Britain. Explain why the British won the battle, and the Germans lost. Explain how technology influenced the battle. What were the technological innovations that influenced the battle? Develop a comprehensive argument.
  12. Who was the father of modern strategic bombing doctrine? What exactly was his thesis on the role of the bomber in modern warfare? How did the British, Americans, and Germans incorporate air doctrine into their practices of war? Why did the British and Americans adopt strategic bombing doctrine, and why did the Germans fail to adopt this doctrine? Which national airpower doctrine do you believe was most effective? Why? Which doctrine do you believe was morally correct? Why?
  13. Why did Hitler decide to invade the Soviet Union? Delineate at least three explanations. Which explanation do you believe is most accurate? Develop a comprehensive explanation.
  14. Describe and characterize Operation Barbarossa. Hitler and his generals disagreed on the plan for the conduct of the operation. Why? Delineate the argument of the German generals and Hitler’s argument. Which strategy do you believe had the best chance for achieving German objectives? Why? Explain why Operation Barbarossa failed. Delineate the historical arguments on the causes of German defeat in Russia in the fall and winter of 1941 and ’42. Develop a comprehensive explanation.
  15. Who was Adolph Hitler? What qualities of character made him the leader of the German people? Discuss the various arguments on Hitler’s system of command and control in Nazi Germany. Delineate the two major schools of thought. Which argument do you believe is most accurate? Why? What qualities of Hitler’s character led to the destruction of Nazi Germany?
  16. Who was Stalin? What qualities of character made him the leader of the Russian people and the peoples of the Soviet Union? What was his strategic doctrine and strategy for the conduct of World War II? How did Stalin save the Soviet Union from defeat in World War II?
  17. Delineate at least two explanations for the cause of the Holocaust. Which explanation do you believe is most accurate? Why? Explain the behavior of the German people. Was their behavior unique? Was the Holocaust a unique event in human history? If so, in what ways? Explain the behavior of Jews. Delineate the events that lead up to the Holocaust. Describe the German process of exterminating the Jews.
  18. Who is Christopher Browning? What is his purpose? Why did he write this book? What is his thesis? How does he prove his thesis? Did he convince you? Do you agree or disagree with his thesis? Explain your answer.

Identify and state the significance of the following terms:

  • Blitzkrieg
  • Barbarossa
  • Doctrine
  • Strategy
  • Operations
  • Tactics
  • War
  • Dunkirk
  • The Final Solution
  • Phony war
  • Battle of Britain
  • Remarkable Trinity
  • Denmark
  • Strategic Bombing doctrine
  • Hugh Trenchard
  • Giulio Douhet
  • Midway
  • Sedan
  • Ardennes
  • Maginot Line
  • Battle of the Atlantic
  • British “indirect approach”
  • or “indirect grand strategy”
  • Command of the Air
  • Wehrmacht
  • Ideology
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau
  • Treblinka
  • Hitler’s war objectives
  • Einsatzgruppen
  • The American “direct approach”
  • Zyklon B (hydrogen cyanide)
  • “Bataille Conduite” the Methodical Battle
  • The Influence of Seapower upon History
  • Joseph Stalin
  • Adolf Hitler
  • Winston Churchill
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt
  • Bernard L. Montgomery
  • Omar N. Bradley
  • George S. Patton
  • Erich von Manstein
  • Heinz Guderian
  • Carl von Clausewitz
  • Operation Sealion
  • Christopher Browning
  • Alfred Thayer Mahan
  • BG William Mitchell
  • George Marshall
  • Hugh Dowding
  • Hurrican
  • Spitfire
  • Heinrich Himmler
  • Tonnage Strategy
  • Wilhelm Keitel
  • Franz Halder
  • Chelmno
  • Lebensraum

Annex B, World War II, American, European Theater of Operation, Discussion, Study, and Examination Questions:

  1. What is policy? What is strategy? What is the relationship between policy and strategy? How is strategy formulated? Delineate Anglo-American strategy for the conduct of World War II. How did the British practice of war influence Allied strategy? How did the American practice of war influence Allied strategy? Which nation exerted the dominant influence over Allied strategy? Why?
  2. Describe and characterize the Armed Forces of the United States during the inter-war period 1918 to 1939. What was the state of the Army, Navy, Army Air Force, and Marine Corps? Delineate each service’s vision for the conduct of the next war. Were they correct in their assessments of the future of warfare in their particular environment, ground, sea, and air? How prepared was the United States for war in 1939? Explain why the Armed Forces were in the state you delineated.
  3. Delineate Allied strategy for the conduct of World War II. What was the policy upon which this strategy was built? What was the American way of war, and how did it influence American strategy? What was the British way of war, and how did it influence strategy?
  4. Describe and characterize operations in the Mediterranean theater. Why were these operations undertaken? What contribution did they make to win the war? What was the nature of the disagreement between the British and Americans? What did the Russians want the Anglo-Americans to do in 1943? Why did the Anglo-American team fail to keep its promise to the Russians? What do the Russians believe? What do you think?
  5. Who is Admiral H. Kent Hewitt? What are combined operations? What are joint operations? Explain the nature of the conflict between Admiral Hewitt and the U.S. Navy on one side, and the U.S. Army and British Army on the other side. Based on your readings and understanding of argument between the U.S. Army and Navy, which service do you believe had the most military effective doctrine? Why?
  6. Describe and characterize the Battle of the Atlantic. Explain why the Allies won and the Germans lost. What was the German “tonnage strategy,” and how was it defeated? Describe and characterize the key technology with which the battle was fought. Why was the Battle of the Atlantic significant? How did it contribute to the war effort? Delineate the historical debate. What do you think?
  7. Describe and characterize the Normandy invasion. Why did the Allies succeed in this campaign? Analyze the German defensive plans and the Allied offensive plans. Explain victory and defeat. Why was the Normandy invasion significant?
  8. Why was the battle for Omaha Beach a “flawed victory?” Explain why the American 1st Infantry Division suffered heavy casualties. Analyze Allied plans for the invasion and Allied, combined amphibious doctrine. What were the strengths and weaknesses of the plan and the doctrine?
  9. Discuss and analyze the Strategic Bombing Campaign. Why did the British and Americans adopt the vision of the proponents of air power? Did the Strategic Bombing Campaign achieve all that the proponents of air power claimed it would? What were the successes of the campaign and what were the failures? Delineate the reasons for both success and failure. Compare and contrast the British and American strategic air doctrines. Which doctrine do you believe was most successful? Why? Explain the bombing of Dresden and Hamburg.
  10. Discuss and analyze the Battle of Stalingrad. What was strategically important about Stalingrad? Why did one side lose and the other side win? What did the battle of Stalingrad mean to the overall war effort?
  11. Discuss and analyze the Kursk campaign--Operation Citadel. Why did one side lose and the other side win? How did the outcome of the campaign influence the war? Consider both the Soviet and Anglo-American perspective.
  12. Who is Omar Bartov? What is his purpose? Why did he write this book? What is his thesis on Hitler’s Army? Delineate Bartov’s argument. Do you agree or disagree with his thesis? Explain your answer. Why is this important?
  13. Discuss and analyze Eisenhower’s “broad front strategy.” What were the strategic visions of Eisenhower, Montgomery, and Patton; and how did they differ? Whose strategic vision do you believe was most correct given the conditions and circumstances? Why did Eisenhower select a broad front strategy? Was it for military reasons, or for political reasons, e.g., the sake of the coalition?
  14. Discuss and analyze the Battle of the Bulge. What were Hitler’s objectives? Why were the Allies caught by surprise? Delineate the major arguments on the intelligence failure. Why did Hitler’s plan fail? What did the battle mean to the overall war effort?
  15. Who was Winston Churchill? What qualities of character made him the leader of the British people during World War II? What was his strategic doctrine and strategy for the conduct of the war? Why was he successful? Characterize and describe the leadership of Winston Churchill during World War II.
  16. Who was Franklin D. Roosevelt? What qualities of character made him the leader of the American people? What was his strategic doctrine and strategy for the conduct of the war? Why was he successful? Describe and characterize the leadership of FDR during World War II.
  17. What was the racial composition of the US Army in World War II? What part did African-Americans play in the war? What was Jim Crowism and how did it influence the behavior of whites and blacks? How did total war influence the employment of black soldiers? Why did black people fight for America when they were denied full citizenship?

Identify and state the significance of the following terms:

  • B-17
  • Kammhuber Line
  • Carl Spaatz
  • Arthur Harris
  • Combined Chiefs of Staff
  • The British Way of War
  • Sir Alan Brooke
  • H. Kent Hewitt
  • Omar Bradley
  • George Patton
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • The Blitz
  • Battle of the Atlantic
  • Henry H. Arnold
  • Stalingrad
  • Kursk
  • The Battle of the Bulge
  • Montgomery vs. Eisenhower
  • Clarence R. Huebner
  • Sicily
  • H. Kent Hewitt
  • Morocco
  • Salerno
  • Defend and delay
  • Operation Torch
  • Operation Husky
  • Operation Avalanche
  • Amphibious Warfare Doctrine
  • Antwerp and Scheldt River
  • Single thrust vs. Broad Front
  • Field Marshal Rommel
  • Malmedy Massacre
  • Strategic Bombing Campaign
  • Audie Murphy
  • LCVP
  • SHAEF
  • Operation COBRA
  • Operation GOODWOOD
  • The Falaise Pocket
  • Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • The American Way of War
  • Sir John Dill
  • John Lesslie Hall
  • Operation Market-Garden
  • Intelligence
  • Logistics
  • Main Attack
  • ASW
  • Supporting Attack
  • T 34
  • St. Lo
  • Normandy
  • Omaha Beach
  • Karl Doneitz
  • Salerno
  • Alexander Gela
  • Anzio
  • Italy
  • Lend-Lease
  • The Second Front
  • Field Marshal von Kluge
  • Field Marshal Model
  • M4 Sherman
  • Mediterranean Strategy
  • Field Marshal von Rundstedt
  • James Doolittle
  • Mark Clark
  • Amphibious Force Atlantic Fleet
  • DUKW

Annex C, World War II, American, Pacific Theater Operations, Discussion, Study, and Examination Questions:

  1. What were Japan’s political objectives in World War II? Why did Japan attack the United States? What caused the Japanese-American war?
  2. What were the strengths and weaknesses of Japan in 1941? Given its strengths and weaknesses of Japan was it reasonable for its Japanese military leaders to believe they could defeat the United States? Explain the thinking of Japanese military leaders.
  3. What was the Japanese strategy for the conduct of the war against the United States? On what assumptions was this strategy based?
  4. Describe and analyze the Japanese plan for the attack on Pearl Harbor. What were the objectives? Did the plan and conduct of the operation achieve those objectives? What were the flaws in the Japanese plan and thinking about war?
  5. What was the American strategy for the conduct of World War II? What was the American strategy for the conduct of the war in the Pacific? Divide the Pacific theater into sub-theaters. What was the reasoning behind this division of command? Did the United States violate the principle of unity of command?
  6. What were the three major technological and doctrinal developments evinced in the Pacific theater? Discuss the influence of each development on the course, conduct, and outcome of the war, and on future wars.
  7. Analyze the battle of Midway. Explain why and how the Americans won and the Japanese lost. Delineate the Japanese plan and the mistakes they made. Delineate the American plan and the luck they had. Explain how the battle of Midway fit into the Japanese strategy and American strategy.
  8. Describe Marine Corps amphibious doctrine. Analyze the Marine battles for Tarawa and Iwo Jima. Explain why and how the Americans won and the Japanese lost. Delineate the lessons learned by the Marine Corps at Tarawa. Were those lessons applicable at Iwo Jima? Describe, characterize, and analyze the American Central Pacific campaign. Why was it successful?
  9. Who is John Dower? What is his thesis on the conduct of the war in the Pacific? Do you agree or disagree with his thesis? What are the strengths and weaknesses in his argument? Develop another explanation to account for the conditions he seeks to explain. Compare and contrast Dower’s thesis with Omar Bartov’s and Christopher Browning’s theses? What do you think? Which authors present the most persuasive and comprehensive argument?
  10. Describe, characterize, and analyze the Southwest Pacific campaign of General Douglas MacArthur. How did U.S. Army battles and campaigns in the Southwest Pacific differ from Marine Corps battles and campaigns in the Central Pacific? Which service developed the most effective operational and tactical doctrine for the conduct of amphibious operations against the Japanese? Why were MacArthur’s campaigns successful?
  11. Describe, characterize, and analyze the strategic bombing campaign against Japan. What was American air doctrine? Explain how and why it evolved over the course of the war. Was the campaign successful? What did it achieve? Who was Curtis LeMay, and how did he contribute to the campaign?
  12. Discuss and analyze President Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japanese cities. Delineate America’s plan for winning the war in the Pacific at the conclusion of the Central Pacific and the Southwest Pacific campaigns. Delineate the argument for and against the employment of the atomic bomb. Which argument do you believe is most valid? Why? What did the atomic bomb achieve? What did the atomic bomb mean for the future of Japan? What did the atomic bomb mean for the future of the United States?
  13. Describe, characterize, and analyze the American submarine campaign in the Pacific. Was it successful? What contribution did it make to the war effort? What was the operational doctrine for submarines? What role did intelligence play in the submarine campaign?
  14. Explain the outcome of the war in the Pacific. Why did the Americans win and the Japanese lose?
  15. Why did the Allies win World War II? Why did the Axis Powers lose World War II? Delineate the major historical arguments. Which thesis do you believe is most accurate? Why? Develop a comprehensive explanation for the outcome of World War II.
  16. What was the significance of World War II? What did the war achieve? How did it influence the post-war world? What influence did World War II have on the US, USSR, Britain, France, Germany, Eastern Europe, Japan, China, Asia? Could the “Cold War” have been avoided?

Identify and state the significance of the following terms:

  • Ernest J. King
  • Chester W. Nimitz
  • Douglas MacArthur
  • Curtis E. LeMay
  • Alfred Thayer Mahan
  • Husband E. Kimmel
  • Walter C. Short
  • Hideki Tojo
  • Non-Aggression Pact, April 1941
  • Enola Gay
  • Yamato
  • Yorktown
  • Akagi
  • Hiroshima
  • Raymond A. Spruance
  • B-29
  • Operation DOWNFALL
  • OLYMPIC and CORONET
  • Atomic Bomb
  • Submarine warfare
  • Lexington
  • Tarawa
  • Iwo Jima
  • Midway
  • Marshall Islands
  • Okinawa
  • Pearl Harbor
  • Guadalcanal
  • Philippine Islands
  • Coral Sea
  • Enterprise
  • Musashi
  • James Doolittle
  • Bataan
  • Marianas
  • Solomon Islands
  • Kyushu
  • Honshu
  • Manhattan Project Magic
  • Isoruku
  • Yamamoto
  • Ranger
  • Peleliu
  • Holland Smith
  • William Halsey
  • Richmond Kelly Turner
  • Chuichi Nagumo
  • Isorolu Yamamoto
  • Rape of Nanking
  • Naplam

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