March 2012 Unit 7 World History Review

Here is the Cinch Cast for Unit 7. This one was made last year. I mention picking up a crossword puzzle to use for term definitions, but this year we are using quizlet.com for help and our study sessions.

Also when this recording was made Japan had just suffered its worst disaster ever with the earthquake and Tsunamis that followed afterwards. As you listen you will hear that event being referred to.

If this recording is not playing from this blog then you are should use this link (click here) to go to the cinch.fm and my recording there.

Battle of Britain

It seems that one thing through out time keeps repeating. Whenever a country tries to over-run or attack the United Kingdom, they usually lose. Of course the UK has had internal problems like every other nation, but it is amazing what obstacles they have over come through out history.

Researching The Battle of Britain on the internet one can find that even though Germany failed in its attempts to conquer the UK in World War 1, they figured they could do it in World War 2. The Battle of Britain proved them wrong once more.

This website listed here, http://www.secondworldwarhistory.com/battle-of-britain.asp has an interesting time line.

In WWI it was torpedoes and U-boats. Now with WW2 the battles were being fought with air planes and Germany thought they had the edge over the UK. Did they? What happened in the Battle of Britain? What did the British learn from this? What did the Germans learn?

The following quote is taken from the website listed above.

The Germans thought very little of the British mainland, thinking it could be overtaken through a strategic air campaign followed up by a massive land assault. When weeks of strategic bombing failed to produce the desired results, London and her citizens themselves were struck by a ferocious bombing campaign of terror.

To the skies went the brave RAF, helped along by elements of the Royal Navy, the Fleet Air Arm and ground-based radar installations. Chief among the participants became the Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires against the Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt Bf 109. Hundreds of aircraft made up of bombers and fighters could be called into the skies at a moment's notice.

In the end, the efficiency and bravery of RAF pilots and ground crews along with radar personnel and a stalwart leader in Winston Churchill, brought about the end to the Nazi dream of a conquered England. Perhaps even more important throughout this ordeal was the resolve of the average British citizen - who proved that there was nothing average about him and her at all.