Adventures Online: A Look at WWII in London & Normandy

As we meet our staff, we will have a brief overview on how to use Zoom, the program’s topic, guidelines, and the daily schedule.

From the summer of 1940 onwards, Allied planners pondered how they might one day liberate Europe from the Nazis. Numerous options were considered and rejected, exposing a rift between American aggression and British caution. We will learn about this difficult planning process and examine why the Allies eventually agreed on the Normandy landings. The lecture will be followed by Q&A.

Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.

We’ll say hello to one another during group introductions facilitated by our Group Leader.

In Britain’s center of monarchy and political power, we will learn about the role of the royal family, where key decisions were made, and the experiences ordinary Londoners had lived through since the outbreak of war. Among the highlights we will see are Buckingham Palace; Guards’ Chapel; Queen Anne’s Gate; Churchill War Rooms; Horse Guards Parade; the Women at War Memorial; Parliament Square; the Palace of Westminster; and Westminster Abbey. We’ll also have Q&A.

We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.

From 1942 onwards, the Germans had considered how to defend occupied Europe from an Allied seaborne invasion. This resulted in the construction of Hitler’s vaunted “Atlantic Wall” that ringed the coast of France, and the deployment of mobile forces to resist any landings. Yet German preparations were hampered by infighting and Hitler’s frequent interference. Dr. Jones will examine the strengths and weaknesses of German defenses on the eve of D-Day. The lecture will be followed by Q&A.

Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.

The D-Day landings were the greatest seaborne invasion in history, in a location that was the “least worst” option, but far from ideal. We will look at the geography of the Normandy beaches and surrounding countryside, examine strategic sites such as Pegasus Bridge, and discuss the logistics of the operation in greater detail. We’ll also explore the consequences of D-Day for the landscape and “visit” some of the monuments to that heroic day. We’ll also have Q&A. 

We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.

D-Day itself was merely the beginning of a much larger and decisive operation. Three months after the landings, Allied forces marched into Paris and liberated the city from German control. We will learn about these events and the path to Paris. We’ll also examine the divisive yet heroic figure of Charles de Gaulle and see some key sites in Paris that still bear the memory of August 1944. Q&A follows.

Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.

Interactive discussion on wartime Britain and the Normandy landings with Spencer Jones, Ruth Polling, and Nettah Yoeli-Rimmer. Our discussion will end with Q&A. 

We will recap what we’ve learned over the past few days and say farewell. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!