‘Less Nonsense’, by Sir Alan Herbert Lesson plan Introduction Look at the following photos: © Education Umbrella, 2015 1 These photos were taken in different parts of the UK on the same day in 1945. What do you think these people are celebrating? Do you know the date? Development Watch the video ‘World War II in Europe: Every day’. Answer the following questions. 1. Who invaded Finland and when? 2. When did the Allies invade North Africa (present day Morocco and Algeria)? 3. When did the Allies invade Italy? 4. When did the Allies invade France? 5. Which countries remained neutral throughout the conflict? Read the poem ‘Less Nonsense’, written by Sir Alan Herbert in January 1944. Answer the questions, citing line(s) of the poem to support your answer where necessary. 1. Who is ‘we’, as in the line ‘when we bore the brunt’? 2. What is meant by a ‘Second Front’? Who was asking for this? 3. Why in 1940 did Russia ‘not think it right to act’, i.e., attack Germany? 4. Was Russia strong or weak? 5. Who helped Russia and how? 6. Why was it difficult for the country from question five to help Russia? © Education Umbrella, 2015 2 Complete the table below: Event 1940, Germany conquers Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Denmark and Norway. Line(s) of the poem August 1939, Germany and the USSR, having fought against each other in WWI, sign a non-­‐aggression pact, giving each an equal share of Poland and guaranteeing neither would invade the other. September 1940 – May 1941, the German air force, the Luftwaffe, bombs 16 major British cities, killing approximately 40,000 civilians. August 1941 – May 1945, British merchant ships, known as the Arctic Convoys, deliver supplies to the Soviet Union via Iceland to help it defeat Nazi Germany. Over 3,000 British sailors are killed during the convoys. June 21, 1941, Germany launches Operation Barbarossa, a secret invasion of the Soviet Union. © Education Umbrella, 2015 3