New
New
Year 6

A global war fought by an imperial army

I can explain why the global nature of the Second World War had an impact on Britain.

New
New
Year 6

A global war fought by an imperial army

I can explain why the global nature of the Second World War had an impact on Britain.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Second World War was fought across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
  2. During the war, soldiers from all over the British Empire and Commonwealth fought against Nazi Germany and their allies.
  3. Before the war, most people in Britain would only rarely travel abroad or meet people from other countries.
  4. With large numbers of British soldiers mixing with Empire and Commonwealth troops this changed.
  5. In Britain itself, many people travelled from across the Empire to assist the war effort, bringing ethnic diversity.

Keywords

  • Empire - a group of countries ruled by one country or leader is called an empire

  • Allied Forces - the Allied Forces included Britain and those countries that fought with Britain in WWII

  • Ethnic diversity - ethnic diversity refers to many people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds

Common misconception

Some pupils may think that the fighting in the Second World War only happened in Europe.

Discuss how the fighting was global and happened across three different continents with millions of people worldwide involved.

You could include geographical knowledge by using maps or an atlas to let students find some of the places mentioned.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Complete the sentence. Forcing people to join the armed forces is known as ...
Correct Answer: conscription, Conscription
Q2.
When did the British government introduce conscription for women?
Correct answer: 1939
1940
1941
1942
Q3.
Select the correct statements.
Correct answer: Before the war many women's jobs included being in domestic service.
By 1943, most women remained in jobs including being in domestic service.
Correct answer: By 1943, between 80-90% of women were employed in essential war work.
Conscripted women could only do jobs such as cleaning or working in shops.
Q4.
What were some of the roles women could do in the The Auxiliary Territorial Service?
Correct answer: operate radars
use weapons
fight enemies
Correct answer: tank mechanics
Q5.
What is the correct acronym for The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force?
ATS
Correct answer: WAAF
WRNS
RAF
Q6.
The WRNS was the women's branch of the ...
Correct Answer: Royal Navy , royal navy, Navy , navy

6 Questions

Q1.
The Second World War was only fought in Europe.
True
Correct answer: False
Q2.
What did Britain have at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939?
a collection of a few small islands
only land in Europe
Correct answer: an empire with lands all around the world
only the land inside the United Kingdom
Q3.
Select the correct statements about who fought joined the British military service during the Second World War.
Correct answer: 8.5 million men joined military service to fight together.
Correct answer: The British and those who fought with them were know as the Allied Forces.
The Allied Forces was a term given to men who lived in England who fought.
Correct answer: Men joined from countries such as India and Australia.
Q4.
How many Indian men volunteered for service during the Second World War?
two and half thousand
Correct answer: two and a half milliion
two hundred fifty
two hundred and fifty thousand
Q5.
What does 'ethnic diversity' refer to?
many people sharing their different backgrounds
Correct answer: many people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds
many peple learning different languages
many people from the same ethnic and cultural backgrounds
Q6.
Approximately how many languages were spoken in ‘The Fourteenth Army’?
4
24
Correct answer: 40
14

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