D-Day at Pointe-du-Hoc

1944 | War in Europe

THE FILM:

Narrated by David McCallum. The incredible story of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Ranger Battalion, led by Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder, who climbed and assaulted the 100-foot-high cliffs of Pointe-du-Hoc on June 6, 1944, where 6 German cannons were supposed to be located. The 155mm guns, situated roughly halfway between Omaha and Utah Beach, had to be taken out if Operation Overlord was to be a success. It was called D-Day’s most important and also its most suicidal mission. However, when the Rangers fought their way to the top of the cliff the guns weren’t there. That’s when their fight really began. Where were the guns? Could the outnumbered Rangers hold off German counterattacks? Was the mission a lost cause just minutes into the fight? An amazing story of adversity, mystery, and courage on June 6, 1944. Narrated by David McCallum.

CLASSROOM RESOURCES:

Each of our documentary films has a corresponding quiz or essay question for use in the classroom by teachers and educators.

We encourage you to choose one of the PDFs below that is the best match for your students. It’s up to each educator if you would like to offer either the exam or the one-question essay. An answer sheet corresponds with each quiz.  Our goal is not to overwhelm students with dates, treaties, and strategy. Instead, we would rather focus their attention on the individual stories of the subjects of our documentaries. We find these visual stories to be inspiring, impactful, and educational.

We hope that after viewing one of our films, students will want to learn more about the personal stories of World War II generation. Maybe they do this by reading a book, watching another documentary, or perhaps a full-length film.  Maybe our films will inspire your students to ask an older family member about their role, or inquire about another relative’s story, in World War II.

We recommend the below curriculum for grades 7-12 and college.

TEACHER MATERIALS

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