The Sicilian Campaign
  • Summary
  • Standards/Objectives
  • Directions 1
  • Directions 2
  • Overview
  • Materials

In this lesson plan,* students will learn about the geographical and terrain difficulties which impacted soldiers in World War II, use a map to calculate the rate of travel for soldiers in the Sicilian campaign, and discuss strategies involved in landing soldiers in various geographical regions.

*This series of oral history lessons was created by Curtis Odom, a graduate student Stephen F. Austin State University, as part of his thesis work for a Masters Degree in Public History. The series was edited by Michael Raines, a teacher of Geography at Center High School, Center, Texas.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
§ 113.32 United States Since Reconstruction
(C) Knowledge and skills.

(1) History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history from 1877 to the present. The student is expected to: (C) explain the significance of the following dates: 1898, 1914-1918, 1929, 1941-1945, and 1957.

(9) Geography. The student understands the impact of geographic factors on major events. The student is expected to: (A) analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major events. The student is expected to: (A) analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors on major events including the building of the Panama Canal.

(25) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social studies terminology correctly; (B) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation; and (D) create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
113.33 World Geography Studies
(C) Knowledge and skills.

(21) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (C) construct and interpret maps to answer geographic questions, infer geographic relationships, and analyze geographic change.

Part One: Calculating Distances

  1. Students will calculate math problems based on information from the following map.  Click on the following link to view the map. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/sicily_fight_1943.jpg

A. Problem One
Students will calculate the distance that the Allies traveled on August 15, 1943 in the geographic area around Mount Etna. Students will use the scale on the map to determine how far the Allies traveled (approximately 15 miles).

B.  Problem Two
Assuming that a division of troops can travel 2.5 miles per hour, how many hours did it take for the Allies to march 15 miles on August 15th?  If the division marched at a rate of 4.5 miles per hour, how long would it take the division to march 15 miles?

C.  Problem Three
Assume that the Allies could travel at 20 miles per hour using tanks. How long would it take the division to travel 70 miles traveling at a rate of 12 miles per hour? (3.5hours) At 15 miles per hour? (4.7 Hours)

D.  Problem Four
Assume that the soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division could travel 4.5 miles per hour with 25 lbs of equipment in the backpack of each soldier. Also assume that the 1st Infantry could travel at 2.5 miles per hour with 50lbs of equipment in the backpack of each soldier. How many miles could a soldier carrying 25 lbs of equipment travel in 5 hours? (22.5 miles)  How many miles could a soldier carrying 50 lbs of equipment travel in 5 hours? (12.5 miles)

Part Two: (Audio clips coming soon)
      Click here to view a transcript version of Perry Bonner's Oral History interview

  1. In this exercise students will learn about geographical factors that often limit the mobility of troops during an invasion.


  2. Students will determine what factors slowed the advance of the Allies on August 15th in the area around Mount Etna.


  3. The class will discuss the factors adversely affecting the speed of the Allies. (The terrain was mountainous and enemy resistance in the area was formidable.)

  4. During this early phase of the Sicilian Campaign, the 1st Infantry Division encountered little resistance early on from the enemy. Why?


  5. Later in the Sicilian Campaign the fighting was becoming very intense. Play Clip D [2:16 Minutes] and allow the students time to listen closely.
    • What was Bonner’s reaction to the fighting that his division faced?
    • Is Bonner’s reaction consistent with what you have heard from other troops that have come back from war?
    • How would you feel if you were in a situation similar to Bonner?
    • Does the reality of battle affect how you view political decisions about war?

  6. Students will listen to clips from the Perry Bonner Oral History that describes Bonner’s movement in Africa and Europe during World War II. Students will then plot his movements on maps provided in the links below (outline maps). Resource maps are also provided for further resources for teachers.

Sicilian Campaign Overview

The purpose of the Sicilian Campaign was to open up the Mediterranean Sea for Allied shipping purposes and to create a direct route for an Allied invasion into Italy. The American assault force, including the Big Red One, invaded Sicily on the beaches of Gela on July 10, 1943. According to the Naval Historical Center, “the beach was defended by machine guns on its flanks, batteries 7,000 yards inland, another battery just west of the town, and another 18,500 yard north-northwest. Wire, pillboxes, and antitank guns defended the town itself.”¹ In addition to the fortification issues, the U.S. army was forced to navigate around sand dunes and mountainous conditions as it marched toward the town of Gela. Despite these obstacles, the Americans, along with the British forces, were able to take the beaches around Gela without much direct resistance from the Axis forces. The Axis forces did not mount an effective resistant effort because of leadership problems that crippled the strategic effectiveness of the Axis powers. Specifically, Axis military leaders did not coordinate the movement of the two army divisions (the Italian Mobile E and the Hermann Goering Division). Moreover, the Axis armies were forced to drive tanks through the mountainous regions from Caltagirone, Sicily to Niscemi, Sicily where the Axis and Allied forces met in battle. Although the Axis forces were able to inflict numerous casualties on the Allies, the Allies succeeded in holding their position in Sicily.

 

            ¹ Office of Naval Intelligence, The Sicilian Campaign: 10 July-17 August 1943, (Washington D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 1993), 61.

Computers with Internet Access
Sicilian Campaign Overview
Transcript of Perry Bonner’s Oral History interview

Audio Clips from Bonner Interview: (Coming soon)

  • Clip D [24 seconds] Bonner landing in York, Scotland.
  • Clip E [29 seconds] Bonner landing in Oran, Algeria.
  • Clip F [25 seconds] Bonner in the Kasserine Pass.
  • Clip G [22 seconds] Bonner at Tunis.
  • Clip H [26 seconds] Bonner in Sicily.
  • Clip I [44 seconds] Bonner travels from Messina to Alscerano and then back to Messina.
  • Clip J [38 seconds] Bonner travels to the Sahara Desert.
  • Clip K [29 seconds] Bonner in St. Lô, France.
  • Clip L [36 seconds] Bonner landing on Omaha Beach.
  • Clip M [42 seconds] Bonner in Aachen.
  • Clip N [17 seconds] Bonner in Czechoslovakia.

Maps

Bibliography for Perry Bonner Oral History Lessons