The American Invasion

Gr 8–12—It's 1941, and Britain has survived the Blitz, but the war is not going well for the nation. As the narrator puts it, "Shortly thereafter, Britain was invaded, but it was by the American Eighth Air Force." Vintage footage, black-and-white and color, tells the story of the combined efforts of the Royal Air Force and the American forces to gain control of the skies over Western Europe in the fight against Nazi Germany. Filmed on location at Podington in northern England, the documentary features American veterans and locals of that era reminiscing about their experiences during one of the most costly campaigns of World War II. Dramatizations interspersed throughout help tie together the relationships between the Americans and the local residents. Segments such as "Escaping the Bombing," "Life in Britain," and "Control of the Air" can be viewed independently, making them ideal for classroom use. Other subjects of interest mentioned include the segregation of U.S. troops, the Americans' after-hours courtship of the local population ("Finding a Lady"), and the B-17, the Mustang P-51, and the German Messerschmitt Me 262 aircrafts.