World Wars and the Media, Tuesday
Once everyone had entered the class, Mitchell closed the door. Rather than saying anything, he leaned over his laptop, hitting one button-- and then hitting several others with an annoyed, frustrated look on his face-- "--Hold on, sorry." -- but eventually, a recording began to play.
"Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."
"That was General Eisenhower of the Allied Forces. Luckily," Mitchell started, "The Germans weren't the only ones who knew how to speech. Or wage a war on the old continent. On the sixth of June, 1944, a hundred thousand allied soldiers found their way to a fifty mile shore in Normandy, France. It was one of the most ambitious military maneuvers of the century - after all, the Germans were certain that Hitler's propaganda about the so-called untouchable Atlantikwall," and with that, he reached up to indicate the shoreline of Europe on the map drooped over the back wall, "D-Day. They came by boat and by air drop. Over nine thousand soldiers gave life or limb during a twenty-four hour period. But they succeeded. This would be the start of the liberation of Europe."
He pointed at a poster. "Back at home, the propaganda machines were running overtime. Everything became about the war. The men left, leaving the women behind to tend to the jobs, giving them an important taste of freedom. But also there were sons leaving their parents, husbands leaving their wives, fathers who would never see their families again. Everyone pitched into the war, but that just meant there was a massive cost."
He flicked on to the next sheet on his computer. "This was the area where they landed," he pointed out, "Struggled for hours upon hours. The paratroopers sent there were scattered across the land, for one thing; most of them lost sight of each other and had to scramble back together while hoping they wouldn't be tricked by a kraut on the way. Nevermind the enormous amounts of men who lost their lives simply getting onto the beach itself."
He took a breath. "After D-Day, troups began their real work. The first major offensive they went about was Operation Market Garden. That one wasn't thought through as well, and they were forced to stop at the infamous 'Bridge Too Far' at Arnhem. One thing was for sure, though. The tide of the war had changed. While Germany continued to spew out more films and posters and even TV - they considered the television the great uniter - to keep their people convinced they were going to win it, the Allies were making friends across the countryside." He smiled at the class. "And after all that, you get two bits of cinema for the price of one today. Compare and contrast, if you want. What can they tell you about the allied strategies? What went wrong, what went right, what simply-- jumps out?"
He turned off the computer. "Also, we're not at the end yet, but this Thursday, there's going to be a showing of Downfall at the movie theatre just for the occasion. It's... a heavy film, definitely not for the faint of heart, so it's not... part of the class curriculum, but it might give you some insight into Hitler's descent, which can only aid your final exam, right?" A pause. "Anyone's invited, not just you lot. But that's all. Have fun."
"Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened, he will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking."
"That was General Eisenhower of the Allied Forces. Luckily," Mitchell started, "The Germans weren't the only ones who knew how to speech. Or wage a war on the old continent. On the sixth of June, 1944, a hundred thousand allied soldiers found their way to a fifty mile shore in Normandy, France. It was one of the most ambitious military maneuvers of the century - after all, the Germans were certain that Hitler's propaganda about the so-called untouchable Atlantikwall," and with that, he reached up to indicate the shoreline of Europe on the map drooped over the back wall, "D-Day. They came by boat and by air drop. Over nine thousand soldiers gave life or limb during a twenty-four hour period. But they succeeded. This would be the start of the liberation of Europe."
He pointed at a poster. "Back at home, the propaganda machines were running overtime. Everything became about the war. The men left, leaving the women behind to tend to the jobs, giving them an important taste of freedom. But also there were sons leaving their parents, husbands leaving their wives, fathers who would never see their families again. Everyone pitched into the war, but that just meant there was a massive cost."
He flicked on to the next sheet on his computer. "This was the area where they landed," he pointed out, "Struggled for hours upon hours. The paratroopers sent there were scattered across the land, for one thing; most of them lost sight of each other and had to scramble back together while hoping they wouldn't be tricked by a kraut on the way. Nevermind the enormous amounts of men who lost their lives simply getting onto the beach itself."
He took a breath. "After D-Day, troups began their real work. The first major offensive they went about was Operation Market Garden. That one wasn't thought through as well, and they were forced to stop at the infamous 'Bridge Too Far' at Arnhem. One thing was for sure, though. The tide of the war had changed. While Germany continued to spew out more films and posters and even TV - they considered the television the great uniter - to keep their people convinced they were going to win it, the Allies were making friends across the countryside." He smiled at the class. "And after all that, you get two bits of cinema for the price of one today. Compare and contrast, if you want. What can they tell you about the allied strategies? What went wrong, what went right, what simply-- jumps out?"
He turned off the computer. "Also, we're not at the end yet, but this Thursday, there's going to be a showing of Downfall at the movie theatre just for the occasion. It's... a heavy film, definitely not for the faint of heart, so it's not... part of the class curriculum, but it might give you some insight into Hitler's descent, which can only aid your final exam, right?" A pause. "Anyone's invited, not just you lot. But that's all. Have fun."