World War II: Britain at War
An interactive KS2 history adventure
It is 1939 and the whole country is getting ready for a very different way of life. Become a history detective: open the timeline, pack an evacuee’s suitcase, plan meals with a ration book, track aircraft on a radar screen and investigate historical sources to discover how people in Britain lived through the Second World War.
Hello, history detective! I will be your guide. Open each card, answer the questions, and stamp every section as complete. You can stop and come back later — I will remember where you got to on this device.
Your mission progress
0 of 11 sections complete
Interactive timeline
Chronology matters! Historians put events in order to see how one thing led to another. Open every card on the timeline. Each one has a “Think about it” question.
Why did the war begin?
Big question, careful answer. Historians talk about many causes. Here is a simple, honest outline for your age group.
Germany and its leader
In 1933 Adolf Hitler became the leader of Germany. His Nazi Party turned Germany into a dictatorship, which means ordinary people could not vote freely or disagree safely. The Nazi government wanted Germany to take over land belonging to other countries and treated Jewish people, and many other groups, cruelly and unfairly. Before the war, Germany took over Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia. Other countries hoped to avoid another terrible war.
The invasion of Poland
On 1 September 1939 German forces invaded Poland. Britain and France had promised to help Poland and asked Germany to withdraw. Germany did not, so on 3 September 1939 Britain and France declared war on Germany. Later that month Soviet forces also entered eastern Poland. This was the start of the war in Europe. The decisions to invade and begin the war were made by the Nazi government and its leaders.
Explore the map
This is a simplified diagram, not an accurate map, and the shapes are not to scale. Tap each country to read about its part in September 1939, then press the button to colour the sides.
Tap a country on the diagram to find out what it was doing in 1939. The red arrow shows the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939.
Axis or Allies?
Axis and Allies were the two main sides. The Axis were led by Germany, Italy and Japan. The Allies began with Britain, France and Poland. Later the Soviet Union (from June 1941), the United States (from December 1941), China and many other countries joined them. The countries of the British Commonwealth and Empire, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India, also played huge parts. Choose a side for each country:
Remembering the Holocaust
During the war, the Nazi government and its collaborators carried out the Holocaust, the systematic persecution and murder of six million Jewish people and millions of other victims. This is a very sad and important part of history. We remember the victims with respect. If you have questions or feel upset, please talk to a teacher or trusted adult.
Children’s experiences in Britain also included refugees: between late 1938 and September 1939, around 10,000 mostly Jewish children from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia travelled to safety in Britain on the Kindertransport.
Life on the Home Front
The Home Front means everyday life in Britain while the war was going on. Open each card, then try the question or activity inside.
Pack an evacuee’s suitcase
Your turn! An evacuee could only take what they could carry. Pack up to 8 items into the suitcase. Drag items with a mouse or finger, or select an item and press Enter or Space to move it in or out. Then press “Check my suitcase”.
On the hall table
Your suitcase
0 of 8 packed
Ration-book challenge
Can you feed a family of four? Plan three evening meals using your ration-book counters. Choose a meal, then tap foods to add them. Tap a food in a meal to take it out again.
Ration book
Family of four · three evening meals1. Choose a meal
2. Add foods to the chosen meal
The Battle of Britain
A turning point in British history. In the summer and autumn of 1940 the fight was about who controlled the skies. You will become a radar plotter in a calm, safe operations room.
Why did the skies matter?
Germany had taken over much of western Europe. To invade Britain across the sea, it needed to control the air first, so that its ships and troops would not be stopped. If the RAF could keep the skies from being controlled by Germany, an invasion was too risky.
RAF and Luftwaffe
The RAF (Royal Air Force) is Britain’s air force. The Luftwaffe was the German air force. From July to October 1940 they fought over southern England and the English Channel. Ground crews, mechanics, plotters and many women in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) kept the RAF working.
Radar and the Observer Corps
Radar uses radio waves to spot aircraft far away, before anyone could see or hear them. A chain of radar stations along the coast gave early warning. Radar was less good over land and at low heights, so the Observer Corps, thousands of volunteers on rooftops and in fields, watched, listened and reported by telephone.
Many nations, one effort
The air battle was not fought by Britain alone. Pilots and crews came from Britain, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Belgium, France, Ireland, the United States and other countries. Pilots became known as “The Few”, a nickname from a speech by Winston Churchill in August 1940.
Why was it significant?
Germany did not win control of the skies, so its plan to invade Britain was put off. Britain could carry on in the war and, over time, work with allies. Historians call it an important turning point, though the war went on for almost five more years.
Radar room training
Select a glowing contact on the radar screen. Read the clue, then decide what a plotter should do. This is a thinking game: there is no fighting and nothing is shot at.
Contacts checked: 0 of 6
Select a contact (A to F) to begin.
Explore an air-raid shelter
Look closely! Select each numbered button in the picture to find out more. The green ones are the ones you have already explored.
Select a numbered button to explore the scene. 0 of 7 explored.
Siren sounds demonstration (optional)
⚠ Volume warning: these are synthetic sounds made by your device, and they can be loud or startling. Turn your device volume down first, and tell a teacher or parent before playing. Nothing plays automatically. Some pupils may find sirens upsetting, so please feel free to skip this.
Historical sources detective
Evidence time! Historians use sources to find out about the past. Every source below is a recreated classroom example written for this resource. None of them is a genuine primary source. Answer the five detective questions for each one.
Myth or fact?
Spot the myth! Many people believe things about the war that are not quite right. Decide whether each statement is a myth or a fact, then read the explanation.
Score: 0 of 13 answered
Knowledge quiz
15 questions, one at a time. You will get feedback after every answer. At the end you can retry any you missed. Your medal is based on your first-try score.
Glossary
Word wizard! Type in the box to search for a word or part of a meaning.
Teacher and parent section
Open the adult section (guidance, activities and answer key)
Printable resources
Each button prints a clean black-and-white version for A4. Pupil worksheets never include answers. The answer sheet prints separately, only when you choose it. You can also use the chalkboard-rubber PRINT button at the bottom of the screen at any time.