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Year 9

The last days of the Second World War

I can write a narrative account of the events which turned the tide in the story of the Second World War.

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Year 9

The last days of the Second World War

I can write a narrative account of the events which turned the tide in the story of the Second World War.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In August 1945 the USA dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, leading to the end of the Second World War.
  2. The tide of WW2 began to turn with the Battle of Britain, Nazi Germany's invasion of the USSR and the USA's entrance.
  3. As the Nazis were forced back in the USSR, the D-Day landings and the use of atomic bombs led to the war's end.
  4. A good narrative will describe the events of WW2 in chronological order.
  5. A good narrative will identify and describe turning points leading to the end of WW2, explaining their role.

Keywords

  • Atomic bomb - an extremely powerful bomb that uses the explosive power resulting from splitting the atom

  • Radiation - a form of energy that, when it comes from a nuclear explosion, can be very dangerous to health

  • D-Day - the day during WW2 when the Allies began their invasion of Europe by attacking the coast of northern France; Operation Overlord

Common misconception

The atomic bombs dropped on Japan only had immediate impacts.

The bombs had unprecedented destructive power. They sent out a shock wave that incinerated everything within a four-mile radius and in the weeks that followed, people died from radiation poisoning despite having survived the initial blast.


To help you plan your year 9 history lesson on: The last days of the Second World War, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Divide students into groups and assign each a major turning point (e.g., Battle of Stalingrad, D-Day, atomic bombings). Each group will create and present a short presentation on their event's significance.
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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes the policy or practice of showing interest only in your own country and not being involved in international activities or war?
Correct Answer: isolationism
Q2.
What was the name of the day during WW2 when the Allies began their invasion of Europe by attacking the coast of northern France?
Correct Answer: D-Day
Q3.
Why did the Japanese treat prisoners of war particularly brutally during the Second World War?
They had superior numbers.
They had advanced military technology.
Correct answer: They viewed surrender as dishonourable.
They wanted to punish the US for joining the war.
Q4.
Which events led to Germany's surrender in May 1945?
Correct answer: the capture of Berlin by Soviet forces
the assassination of Mussolini
their ally, Japan, had already surrendered
Correct answer: they were being pressed from the east and west
Q5.
Complete the sentence with the correct figure: 7000 ships carrying more than men stormed the beaches of Normandy as part of Operation Overlord.
15 000
130 000
Correct answer: 150 000
Q6.
Why did forces from the British Empire fight Italian and German forces in the deserts of North Africa for two years during WW2?
Egypt was important as Britain wanted to protect Ancient Egyptian artefacts.
Correct answer: Egypt was strategically important because of the Suez Canal.
Egypt was important as it was producing lots of weapons for the Allies.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes an extremely powerful bomb that uses the explosive power resulting from splitting the atom?
Correct Answer: atomic bomb
Q2.
Which word describes a form of energy that, when it comes from a nuclear explosion, can be very dangerous to health?
Correct Answer: radiation
Q3.
Why in late 1940 did it look like Germany would be victorious?
Germany had defeated the Soviet army.
Correct answer: The German army had dominated most of Europe.
Correct answer: Britain stood alone against Germany.
The German air force had destroyed all of Britain's cities during the Blitz.
Q4.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - Germany invaded Poland.
2 - Mussolini entered the war as an ally of Germany.
3 - France officially surrendered to Germany.
4 - The Battle of Britain happened.
5 - Japan joined the Axis powers.
6 - Hitler launched an invasion of the Soviet Union.
Q5.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - German troops were forced to retreat from Moscow.
2 - The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour.
3 - The Soviet victory in the Battle of Stalingrad.
4 - The US Navy stopped Japanese expansion at the Battle of Midway.
5 - D-Day
6 - Soviet forces surrounded Berlin.
7 - The Americans dropped two super weapons on Japan.
Q6.
Why did President Truman give the order for the super weapon to be used against Japan on 6th August 1945?
Japan told the US they would drop a super weapon on them so the US acted first.
Correct answer: The US was convinced that it was the only way to force a Japanese surrender.
Correct answer: The super weapon could end the war and avoid more casualties and POWs.

Additional material

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