Video summary
This short film offers an overview of the events that led to Britain declaring war on Germany in 1939.
We hear from an eye-witness called Moya, who recalls practicing being evacuated and being issued with a gas mask the year before war was declared.
Moya鈥檚 account of her childhood should be particularly interesting for children of the same age.
The 鈥楧id You Know鈥 section looks at how people prepared for war.
Created in partnership with Imperial War Museums.
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Teacher Notes
This short film contains a number of great starting points for writing:
- Your pupils could write a diary entry from the point of view of a British child during the war.
- They could write their own announcement informing the country that Britain is at war.
- Your class could prepare a newspaper article for the day after war was announced.
These were the words Neville Chamberlain, who was UK Prime Minister at the time, spoke when announcing the war:
- 鈥淚 am speaking to you from the cabinet room at 10 Downing Street. This morning the British ambassador in Berlin handed the German government a final note stating that unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.鈥
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This short film is relevant for teaching history at Key Stage 2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 2nd Level in Scotland.
More from World War Two:
Rationing in the UK. video
This short film explains rationing in simple terms, offering a glimpse of a world that pupils may not be accustomed to.
Geography of World War Two. video
This short film provides insight into the scope of the war and how many countries were involved.
How propaganda was used during World War Two. video
This short film explains how people were persuaded to join the war effort, and the importance of motivational campaigns.
The Blitz. video
This short film offers a digestible insight into the blitz and how the British people responded.
The Battle of Britain and beyond. video
This short film explains what the Battle of Britain was, who was involved and how radar was used throughout the battle.
Machines of the military. video
This short film highlights the importance of technology in the war effort and the key roles that tanks, planes and ships played.
D-Day. video
This short film explores the significance of D-Day as well as highlighting what took place that day.
Codebreaking during World War Two. video
This short film explains how cracking Nazi Germany's coded messages helped win World War Two.
VE Day. video
This short film explains what VE Day and VJ Day were, and the events that led to the end of the war.