DOCSLIB.ORG

THE DAMS RAID 75 YEARS on Sponsor REVIEWING OPERATION CHASTISE

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
THE DAMS RAID 75 YEARS on Sponsor REVIEWING OPERATION CHASTISE CONFERENCE PROGRAMME Air Power / Historical Conference THE DAMS RAID 75 YEARS ON Sponsor REVIEWING OPERATION CHASTISE LONDON / 17 MAY 2018 08:30 Registration & Refreshments 08:55 INTRODUCTION: THE SCOPE OF THE CONFERENCE THE ISSUES OF OPERATION CHASTISE There are many factors to consider when analysing the Dams Raid and some of the issues and assessments remain contentious to this day. This presentation will highlight the major differences between the general view of the mission (based on the 1955 film) and reality. It will question the assignment of priority and aircraft numbers to the dams. The widely varying assessments of the scale and importance of the results achieved will be outlined. A timeline of the mission will also be offered listing the fortunes (and misfortunes) of the three waves of aircraft, the losses and the attacks on the dams. Conference Chairman: Paul Stoddart FRAeS 09:45 THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE DAMS RAID AND 617 SQUADRON Speaker: Dr Peter Gray FRAeS, Senior Research Fellow in Air Power Studies, University of Birmingham 10:30 Networking Break 10:50 STRATEGIC CONTEXT Speaker: Seb Cox, Head of the Air Historical Branch, Royal Air Force 11:35 CHASTISE IN CONTEXT – A SERIOUS DIVERSION OF STRATEGIC STRENGTH? PERSPECTIVES FROM A NAVAL HISTORIAN To understand the significance of the Dams raid one must understand the situation in the war against Germany as a whole including the maritime. Did Bomber Command’s demand for long range aircraft risk jeopardising the Atlantic communications upon which the entire war effort depended? Was the situation in the Atlantic really an overriding priority in British perceptions? How serious were the mercantile losses and what were the real challenges to Allied shipping? Elsewhere, the gamble of Operation Torch was vindicated in May with final victory in North Africa. This would open up more Mediterranean opportunities that would contribute to Soviet victory. At this time, the Red Army was recovering from defeats at Rzhev and Kharkov. The best way to assist them was to attempt to inflict serious damage on Germany’s industrial base. Speaker: Eric Grove, Naval Historian and International Security Analyst 12:20 Networking Lunch 13:20 THE MEANS - THE TOOLS FOR THE JOB This paper will cover the early schemes proposed for breaching the dams including the one by Barnes Wallis that the Air Ministry rejected. The context will be that of the RAF’s bombing capability in the late 1930s and Bomber Command’s results as assessed in 1941. It will cover the development of the Upkeep ‘bouncing bomb’ including the contributions of the National Physical Laboratory and the Road Research Laboratory. The two types of dam design will be outlined: the masonry gravity type of the Mohne and Eder and the concrete core earth embankment type of the Sorpe. The effectiveness of upkeep against these very different dam types will be assessed and a proposal for a Sorpe specific attack method will be offered; a method that was available at the time. The factor of bomber escort and defence suppression will also be covered. Speaker: Paul Stoddart FRAeS CONFERENCE PROGRAMME Air Power / Historical Conference THE DAMS RAID 75 YEARS ON Sponsor REVIEWING OPERATION CHASTISE LONDON / 17 MAY 2018 14:05 GREAT EXPECTATIONS AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES Critics claim that the results of Operation Chastise failed to meet the expectations of the planners and that the operation was an extravagant and costly one-off side show. Further criticism is levelled at the failure to capitalise on the damage and disruption caused by conducting follow-up attacks. This paper looks at the extent to which the operation achieved the aspirations of its instigators and places the operation in the broader context of the Battle of the Ruhr. In doing so it also examines additional resulting factors and consequences which further contributed to an undermining of the German war machine. Supplementary operations to interfere with repair work and exacerbate the disruption caused by Chastise are also considered, as are the implications of Air Marshal Harris’s decision to retain No. 617 Squadron as a specialist precision bombing squadron. Speaker: Dr Robert Owen, Official Historian, No.617 Squadron Association 14:50 Networking Break 15:10 ASSESSMENT Speaker: Dr David Jordan, Senior Lecturer in Defence Studies, King’s College London 15:55 INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES Much of the debate about Operation Chastise focuses on British perceptions of the raid. In this presentation, I intend to examine how the Germans reacted to the mission and how they adapted their defensive preparations as a consequence of the ongoing threat posed by Upkeep. In addition, the presentation will explore the reactions of our principal allies. Did the raid influence Stalin’s perception of the West? Did the mission influence, Soviet technical programmes? In contrast, in the United States, was the mission seen as an example of British ingenuity or as a decisive contribution in the ongoing campaign against German industry? Speaker: Paul Strong, Independent Research Professional 16:30 PANEL DISCUSSION - Q&A 16:50 CONCLUSION 17:00 CLOSE .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Tribute to Bomber Command Cranwellians
    RAF COLLEGE CRANWELL “The Cranwellian Many” A Tribute to Bomber Command Cranwellians Version 1.0 dated 9 November 2020 IBM Steward 6GE In its electronic form, this document contains underlined, hypertext links to additional material, including alternative source data and archived video/audio clips. [To open these links in a separate browser tab and thus not lose your place in this e-document, press control+click (Windows) or command+click (Apple Mac) on the underlined word or image] Bomber Command - the Cranwellian Contribution RAF Bomber Command was formed in 1936 when the RAF was restructured into four Commands, the other three being Fighter, Coastal and Training Commands. At that time, it was a commonly held view that the “bomber will always get through” and without the assistance of radar, yet to be developed, fighters would have insufficient time to assemble a counter attack against bomber raids. In certain quarters, it was postulated that strategic bombing could determine the outcome of a war. The reality was to prove different as reflected by Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris - interviewed here by Air Vice-Marshal Professor Tony Mason - at a tremendous cost to Bomber Command aircrew. Bomber Command suffered nearly 57,000 losses during World War II. Of those, our research suggests that 490 Cranwellians (75 flight cadets and 415 SFTS aircrew) were killed in action on Bomber Command ops; their squadron badges are depicted on the last page of this tribute. The totals are based on a thorough analysis of a Roll of Honour issued in the RAF College Journal of 2006, archived flight cadet and SFTS trainee records, the definitive International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) database and inputs from IBCC historian Dr Robert Owen in “Our Story, Your History”, and the data contained in WR Chorley’s “Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume 9”.
    [Show full text]
  • The Origins of Mad: a Short History of City-Busting
    CHAPTER 1 THE ORIGINS OF MAD: A SHORT HISTORY OF CITY-BUSTING Richard R. Muller INTRODUCTION The 20th century was the age of total war, and nothing symbolized that dreadful era more than the bombardment of civilian populations from the air. From its halting beginnings in the First World War, in which 1,141 Britons lost their lives, strategic bombing evolved into the mass air raids of the Second World War, in which some 52,000 British, 330,000 Japanese, and anywhere from 300,000 to 1,000,000 German civilians perished. Nations poured scarce blood and treasure into the development and manning of vast bomber fl eets capable of carrying the war directly to enemy economic and population centers in the hope that this investment would prove decisive in modern warfare.1 The underlying rationale for strategic air warfare predates the reality of manned powered fl ight. Before the arrival of the machine age, wars were fought primarily between the armed forces of the belligerents. The 19th century Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz noted that, while the “center of gravity . the hub of all power and movement” of an enemy state was normally its army, it could also be the capital, a key ally, or even public opinion.2 National power, therefore, could not be measured solely in terms of traditional military capability. Political will, economic productivity, transportation, commerce, and communications became increasingly important factors in struggles between the great powers. The advent of the commercial, fi nancial, and industrial revolutions brought with it the rise of the modern urban center, in which many of these elements were concentrated.
    [Show full text]
  • Raf Bomber Command and No. 6 (Canadian) Group
    ANGLO-CANADIAN WARTIME RELATIONS, 1939-1945: RAF BOMBER COMMAND AND NO. 6 (CANADIAN) GROUP By (£) WILLIAMS. CARTER, B.A., M.A. Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy McMaster University April 1989 ANGLO-CANADIAN WARTIME RELATIONS, 1939-1945: RAF BOMBER COMMAND AND NO. 6 (CANADIAN) GROUP DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (1989) McMASTER UNIVERSITY (History) Hamilton, Ontario TITLE: Anglo-Canadian Wartime Relations, 1939-1945: RAF Bomber Command and No. 6 (Canadian) Group AUTHOR: Williams. Carter, B.A. (York University) M.A. (McMaster University) SUPERVISOR: Professor John P. Campbell NUMBER OF PAGES: viii, 239 ii ABSTRACT In its broadest perspective the following thesis is a case study in Anglo-Canadian relations during the Second World War. The specific subject is the relationship between RAF Bomber Command and No. 6 (Canadian) Group, with emphasis on its political, operational (military), and social aspects. The Prologue describes the bombing raid on Dortmund of 6/7 October, 1944, and has two purposes. The first is to set the stage for the subsequent analysis of the Anglo­ Canadian relationship and to serve as a reminder of the underlying operational realities. The second is to show to what extent Canadian air power had grown during the war by highlighting the raid that was No. 6 Group's maximum effort of the bombing campaign. Chapter 1 deals with the political negotiations and problems associated with the creation of No. 6 Group on 25 October, 1942. The analysis begins with an account of how the Mackenzie King government placed all RCAF aircrew graduates of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan at iii the disposal of the RAF and then had to negotiate for the right to concentrate RCAF aircrew overseas in their own squadrons and higher formations.
    [Show full text]
  • Royal Air Force Historical Society Journal 28
    ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL 28 2 The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributors concerned and are not necessarily those held by the Royal Air Force Historical Society. Photographs credited to MAP have been reproduced by kind permission of Military Aircraft Photographs. Copies of these, and of many others, may be obtained via http://www.mar.co.uk Copyright 2003: Royal Air Force Historical Society First published in the UK in 2003 by the Royal Air Force Historical Society All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. ISSN 1361-4231 Typeset by Creative Associates 115 Magdalen Road Oxford OX4 1RS Printed by Advance Book Printing Unit 9 Northmoor Park Church Road Mothmoor OX29 5UH 3 CONTENTS A NEW LOOK AT ‘THE WIZARD WAR’ by Dr Alfred Price 15 100 GROUP - ‘CONFOUND AND…’ by AVM Jack Furner 24 100 GROUP - FIGHTER OPERATIONS by Martin Streetly 33 D-DAY AND AFTER by Dr Alfred Price 43 MORNING DISCUSSION PERIOD 51 EW IN THE EARLY POST-WAR YEARS – LINCOLNS TO 58 VALIANTS by Wg Cdr ‘Jeff’ Jefford EW DURING THE V-FORCE ERA by Wg Cdr Rod Powell 70 RAF EW TRAINING 1945-1966 by Martin Streetly 86 RAF EW TRAINING 1966-94 by Wg Cdr Dick Turpin 88 SOME THOUGHTS ON PLATFORM PROTECTION SINCE 92 THE GULF WAR by Flt Lt Larry Williams AFTERNOON DISCUSSION PERIOD 104 SERGEANTS THREE – RECOLLECTIONS OF No
    [Show full text]
  • Bombing the European Axis Powers a Historical Digest of the Combined Bomber Offensive 1939–1945
    Inside frontcover 6/1/06 11:19 AM Page 1 Bombing the European Axis Powers A Historical Digest of the Combined Bomber Offensive 1939–1945 Air University Press Team Chief Editor Carole Arbush Copy Editor Sherry C. Terrell Cover Art and Book Design Daniel M. Armstrong Composition and Prepress Production Mary P. Ferguson Quality Review Mary J. Moore Print Preparation Joan Hickey Distribution Diane Clark NewFrontmatter 5/31/06 1:42 PM Page i Bombing the European Axis Powers A Historical Digest of the Combined Bomber Offensive 1939–1945 RICHARD G. DAVIS Air University Press Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama April 2006 NewFrontmatter 5/31/06 1:42 PM Page ii Air University Library Cataloging Data Davis, Richard G. Bombing the European Axis powers : a historical digest of the combined bomber offensive, 1939-1945 / Richard G. Davis. p. ; cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-58566-148-1 1. World War, 1939-1945––Aerial operations. 2. World War, 1939-1945––Aerial operations––Statistics. 3. United States. Army Air Forces––History––World War, 1939- 1945. 4. Great Britain. Royal Air Force––History––World War, 1939-1945. 5. Bombing, Aerial––Europe––History. I. Title. 940.544––dc22 Disclaimer Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Air University, the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other US government agency. Book and CD-ROM cleared for public release: distribution unlimited. Air University Press 131 West Shumacher Avenue Maxwell AFB AL 36112-6615 http://aupress.maxwell.af.mil ii NewFrontmatter 5/31/06 1:42 PM Page iii Contents Page DISCLAIMER .
    [Show full text]
  • THE CANADIAN BOMBER COMMAND SQUADRONS -Their Story in Their Words
    www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca THE CANADIAN BOMBER COMMAND SQUADRONS -Their Story in Their Words- www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca Bomber Command Museum of Canada Nanton, Alberta, Canada www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca 429 Squadron Halifax and airmen at Leeming THE CANADIAN BOMBER COMMAND SQUADRONS -Their Story in Their Words- www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca Dave Birrell BOMBER COMMAND MUSEUM OF CANADA Copyright 2021 by Dave Birrell. All rights reserved. To reproduce anything in this book in any manner, permission must first be obtained from the Nanton Lancaster Society. Published by The Nanton Lancaster Society Box 1051 Nanton, Alberta, Canada; T0L 1R0 www.bombercommandmuseum.ca The Nanton Lancaster Society is a non-profit, volunteer-driven society which is registered with Revenue Canada as a charitable organization. Formed in 1986, the Society has the goals of honouring all those associated with Bomber Command and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The Nanton Lancaster Society established and operates the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta which is located seventy-five kilometres south of Calgary. ISBN: 978-1-9990157-2-5 www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca 426 Squadron Halifax at Linton-on-Ouse CONTENTS Please note that the contents are arranged, for the most part, in chronological order. However, there are several sections of the book that relate to the history of Bomber Command in general. In these cases, the related documents may not necessarily be in chronological order. Introduction 7 1939, 1940 10 1941 12 1942 22 1943 39 1944 81 1945 137 www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca 431 Squadron Halifaxes at Croft 5 www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca 429 Squadron personnel at Leeming 6 INTRODUCTION There are at least two books that comprehensively tell the story of the Canadians who served with Bomber Command during the Second World War -notably ‘No Prouder Place -Canadians and the Bomber Command Experience’ by David Bashow and ‘Reap the Whirlwind’ by Spencer Dunmore.and William Carter.
    [Show full text]
  • The Blitz Companion: Aerial Warfare
    CHAPTER 4 European Cities Under the Bomb: Nazi and Allied Bombing Campaigns, 1939–45 Introduction During the Second World War the Germans bombed most of their neighbouring countries to the east, north and west. In 1941 the relatively forgotten air raids on Soviet cities began following the collapse of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, and the failure of the Blitz on Brit- ain. For their part, the USSR also engaged in attacks on the allies of Nazi Germany at various times during the war. The British began bombing German cities in August 1940 and stepped up the Allied bombing campaigns from 1942, assisted by the United States Army How to cite this book chapter: Clapson, M. 2019. The Blitz Companion. Pp. 77–95. London: University of Westminster Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.16997/book26.d. License: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 78 The Blitz Companion Air Force (USAAF). Significant bombing raids were also mounted by British and American air forces on Nazi- occupied European countries, notably France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Italy was also bombed both by the Allies and the Nazis. Much of this has been covered by Overy in his peerless histories of the bombing war in Europe. Furthermore, a convenient short cut into his and others’ work on the effects of bombing on cities and civilians can be found on the webpages of the Centre for the Study of War, State and Society at Exeter University, where Overy is based. Drawing upon these materials and other sources, this chap- ter focuses upon the experiences of European urban populations as the bombs rained down.
    [Show full text]
  • The Economic Cost of Strategic Bombing
    BRITAIN 1939 – 1945: THE ECONOMIC COST OF STRATEGIC BOMBING By John Fahey UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY ABSTRACT BRITAIN 1939-1945: THE ECONOMIC COST OF STRATEGIC BOMBING By John Fahey Supervisor: Dr. Judith Keene Department of History The strategic air offensive against Germany during World War II formed a major part of Britain’s wartime military effort and it has subsequently attracted the attention of historians. Despite the attention, historians have paid little attention to the impact of the strategic air offensive on Britain. This thesis attempts to redress this situation by providing an examination of the economic impact on Britain of the offensive. The work puts the economic cost of the offensive into its historical context by describing the strategic air offensive and its intellectual underpinnings. Following this preliminary step, the economic costs are described and quantified across a range of activities using accrual accounting methods. The areas of activity examined include the expansion of the aircraft industry, the cost of individual aircraft types, the cost of constructing airfields, the manufacture and delivery of armaments, petrol and oil, and the recruitment, training and maintenance of the necessary manpower. The findings are that the strategic air offensive cost Britain £2.78 billion, equating to an average cost of £2,911.00 for every operational sortie flown by Bomber Command or £5,914.00 for every Germany civilian killed by aerial bombing. The conclusion reached is the damage inflicted upon Germany by the strategic air offensive imposed a very heavy financial burden on Britain that she could not afford and this burden was a major contributor to Britain’s post-war impoverishment.
    [Show full text]
  • Part Four: the Bomber War of Smoke and Dust Covering the Target Area, with I Second Overshoot' As In­ Structed by the Master Bomber
    Part Four: The Bomber War of smoke and dust covering the target area, with I second overshoot' as in­ structed by the master bomber. Even so, a few bombs fell short, fortunately into open country. 57 The group that attacked Aisy had rather more difficulty. Although there was 'no cloud over the target ... vertical visibility [was] poor due to dust and smoke from earlier attacks.' Moreover, some could not make out the master bomber's broadcast clearly. In the end, because of the debris in the air, he apparently called off the attack on 'Tis Y[ ell ow],' asking them instead to aim (like those to the north) for the 'centre of smoke and dust .. with a one second overshoot. ' 58 On the whole, results were good. All seven targets were struck hard and the Canadian troops were able to advance with light casualties past enemy positions that had previously held them up. 59 A few bombs did not fall in the proper area, however, and the master bomber ' was heard to stop some crews from bombing a quarry short of the target, and there were a number of undershoots, 3 or more miles short of the aiming point.' In fact, 126 crews, including forty-four from No 6 Group, had bombed the quarry in question, which was being used as a staging area by the I 2th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. All told, sixty-five soldiers were killed, 241 wounded, and ninety-one were missing. In addition, according to Major-General George Kitching, the commander of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, 'the radios in the tanks and on the jeeps were badly affected at the most critical time.
    [Show full text]
  • Barbara Erickson:From “Rosie the Riveter” to B–17 Pilot the Dam
    SUMMER 2005 - Volume 52, Number 2 Barbara Erickson:From “Rosie the Riveter” to B–17 Pilot Sarah Byrn Rickman 4 The Dam Busters’ Raid: Success or Sideshow T. M. Webster 12 The Dawn of Aviation in the Middle East: The First Flying Machines over Istanbul Gary Leiser 26 The Fog of War: Lt. Kenneth M.Taylor on December 7, 1941 George R. Farfour 42 Book Reviews 52 American Combat Planes of the 20th Century by Ray Wagner Reviewed by George Cully 52 Splendid Vision, Unswerving Purpose: Developing Air Power for the Untied States Air Force during the First Century of Powered Flight by Aeronautical Systems Center History Office Reviewed by Christopher A. Waln 52 Today’s Best Military Writing: The Finest Articles on the Past, Present, and Future of the U.S. Military by Walter J. Boyne Reviewed by John D. Sherwood 52 The First Space Race: Launching the World’s First Satellites by Matt Bille and Erika Lishock Reviewed by Rick W. Sturdevant 53 Air Fare: Stories, Poems & Essays on Flight by Nickole Brown and Judith Taylor, eds Reviewed by Bruce Ashcroft 54 Mario Calderara Aviator and Inventor: The First Italian Pilot Pupil of Wilbur Wright by Lodovico Calderara and Attilio Marchetti. Reviewed by Roger G. Miller 54 Taming Liquid Hydrogen: The Centaur Upper Stage Rocket, 1958-2002 by Virginia P. Dawson and Mark D. Bowles Reviewed by James A. Painter 57 Thatch Weave: The Life of Jimmie Thatch by Steve Ewing Reviewed by Robert W. Covey 57 The Ploesti Raid: Through the Lens by Roger A. Freeman Reviewed by Ramsey Gorchev 58 Ask the Chief: Backbone of the Navy by J.F.
    [Show full text]
  • None but the Brave
    None but the Brave None but the Brave provides a fresh look at the Allied bombing but campaign against the European Axis powers during the Second None the Brave World War. This bombing of the Third Reich and its allies was THE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF RAF BOMBER COMMAND part of Britain’s overall war strategy to take the offensive to TO ALLIED VICTORY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR the enemy. In doing so, it created a ‘second front’ that bled off resources from the enemy’s campaign against the Soviets, and it required massive amounts of manpower and materiel to be diverted from the primary war efforts to both confront the threat and to address the damage sustained. It dealt telling blows to the Axis economic and industrial infrastructure, forcing the decentralization of its war industries. Finally, it helped pave the way, through destruction of enemy air defence assets, oil resources, and transportation networks, for a successful invasion of Germany through northwest Europe. The book is also a celebration of the aircrew experience and the essential resolve and fortitude that was demonstrated by these campaigners throughout the conflict, in the face of frequently daunting perils and odds against survival. Bashow David L. Bashow but None the Brave but None the Brave THE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF RAF BOMBER COMMAND TO ALLIED VICTORY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR BY DAVID L. BASHOW Copyright © 2009 Her Majesty the Queen, in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence. Canadian Defence Academy Press PO Box 17000 Stn Forces Kingston, Ontario K7K 7B4 Produced for the Canadian Defence Academy Press by 17 Wing Winnipeg Publishing Office.
    [Show full text]
  • International Studies in Peace and Conflict Conflict in Europe 1935-45
    International Studies in Peace and Conflict Conflict in Europe 1935-45 HSC Study Day 2016 Dr Michael Molkentin Shellharbour Anglican College & University of New South Wales Canberra www.michaelmolkentin.com/resources [email protected] 1 Option B: Conflict in Europe 1935–1945 Principal focus: Students investigate key features and issues in the history of the conflict in Europe 1935–1945. Key features and issues: causes of the conflict aims and strategies of the Allied and Axis powers turning points of the war impact of war on civilians origins, nature and impact of the Holocaust reasons for the Allied victory Students learn about: 1 Growth of European tensions – dictatorships in Germany and Italy – the League of Nations and collapse of collective security: Abyssinia, the Spanish Civil War – Britain, France and the policy of appeasement: an assessment – significance of the Nazi–Soviet Non-Aggression Pact 2 Course of the European war – German advances: the fall of Poland, the Low Countries and France – the air war and its effects: The Battle of Britain and the Blitz, the bombing of Germany – Operation Barbarossa, the Battle of Stalingrad and the significance of the Russian campaign* – Battle of El Alamein and the significance of the conflict in North Africa to the European War 3 Civilians at war – social and economic effects of the war on civilians in Britain and EITHER Germany OR the Soviet Union – Nazi racial policies: the Holocaust and the persecution of minorities 4 End of the conflict – ‘D’ Day and the liberation of France – Russian counter offensives 1944 – final defeat 1944–1945 – Nuremburg War Crimes trials 2 To what extent was the Russian campaign a turning point in the European War? Introduction Turning points are campaigns or battles deemed to be significant because of a discernable strategic impact.
    [Show full text]