The Night Before D-Day

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 Primary Source Details” 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.

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.