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The Home Front in Tredegar during the Second World War A Key Stage 2 Educational Resource Pack Part 1—Introduction
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Contents Part 1—Introduction Part 2—Evacuation Part 3—The Home Front & Civil Defence …………………………..…….. Part 4—Food & Rationing Part 5—Fuel & Clothes Rationing Part 6—Salvage, Fund Raising & Savings ……………………………….. Part 7—Health, Morale & Entertainment Part 8—Peace and Remembering Part 9—Museum Activity Pack ……...……………………………………... Part 10—Local Studies Activity Pack Part 11—Teacher’s Notes
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Introduction The Second World War, which begun in 1939, was one of the bloodiest periods in British history. Unlike the First World War, which had only ended 21 years earlier, many civilians were killed during the Second World War as well as soldiers on the battlefield. The Second World War lasted for 6 years and for people that lived through it, the war affected almost every part of their lives even if they lived a long way from the fighting and bombing. This is the story of what life was like for ordinary people living in Tredegar during the Second World War.
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One of the most terrible weapons used during the First World War was poison gas. Gas attacks killed and inflicted terrible injuries upon thousands of soldiers. After the end of the First World War most countries agreed to never use chemical weapons such as poison gas in wartime again. In 1933 Adolph Hitler, leader of the Nazi party, took charge of Germany, which had been defeated in the First World War. Hitler and the Nazis ignored many of the agreements and promises that had been made at the end of the First World War, which many Germans felt were very unfair on their country.
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Over the next few years, preparations were made in Britain for war, which people feared would involve the bombing of cities for the first time with poison gas. In 1938, Hitler made Austria and Germany one country and later that year, the German speaking part of Czechoslovakia became part of Germany too. But in March 1939, Germany invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia breaking an earlier agreement. As Hitler had broken many promises, it was believed in Britain that he would not hesitate to use chemical weapons in a future war.
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Next, Hitler’s attention turned to Poland. Finally, on 1st September 1939, German troops invaded Poland too.
Britain and France had promised to defend Poland from attack and 2 days later, Britain declared war on Germany.
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