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DocsTeachThe online tool for teaching with documents, from the National Archives National Archives Foundation National Archives

The Night Before D-Day

Focusing on Details: Compare and Contrast

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The Night Before D-Day

About this Activity

  • Created by:National Archives Education Team
  • Historical Era:The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)
  • Thinking Skill:Historical Analysis & Interpretation
  • Bloom's Taxonomy:Analyzing
  • Grade Level:Middle School
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Please use a tablet or desktop computer to use this activity.
In this activity students will analyze two documents written by General Dwight Eisenhower before the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. Students will compare and contrast these documents to gain a better understanding of the mindset of Allied leaders on the eve of the invasion.

This activity is adapted from an article formerly published on www.archives.gov/education by David Traill, a teacher at South Fork High School in Stuart, FL.
https://docsteach.org/activities/student/the-night-before-dday

Suggested Teaching Instructions

This activity is intended to be used in a unit focused on World War II in grades 6-12. Approximate needed time is 15–20 minutes.

Direct students to read Eisenhower's public "D-Day Statement" and his private "In Case of Failure Message." Model careful document analysis. If needed, direct students to click on "View Entire Document" and then scroll down to read a transcript of Eisenhower's handwritten note.

Ask students to focus on the similarities and differences in the style, tone, audience, and message of these documents. After reading, discuss these differences. Specific questions to discuss include:

• How does Eisenhower describe the invasion?
• How does Eisenhower describe the troops?
• How does Eisenhower describe the enemy?
• How does Eisenhower describe his role in the invasion?

Based on their analysis of these two documents, ask students to imagine how General Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander of the Allied forces in Europe during WWII, felt the night before the attack.

Documents in this activity

  • "In Case of Failure" Message
  • General Eisenhower's Order of the Day

CC0
To the extent possible under law, National Archives Education Team has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to "The Night Before D-Day".

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