Question
History of World War II HIST 137
Research Paper Project Topic Proposal Assignment
You may choose your own topic on World War II to write on for your final project. This project takes the place of a final exam. The reason I ask for a Topic Proposal is to set you up for success in this final project. Since it is such a short paper (5 – 7 pages, see below) it is highly recommended that you do NOT choose a topic that is too broad. What is an example of a topic many students submit as a topic proposal that is too broad? The holocaust, D-Day, and many others! There are volumes of books written on the holocaust and D-Day, so please, narrow it down a bit. I will not approve topics on entire aspects of the war such as the European theater of war. Narrow it down a bit! How about just a battle, or a person, or an event such as one of the conferences held: Placentia Bay, Trident, Casablanca, Tehran, Yalta, or Potsdam. The strategic bombing campaigns, codebreaking, submarine warfare, espionage, resistance fighters. Or weapons: a particular ship, or V-1/V-2 rockets, the B-29 bomber, the type 21 U-boat, the ME 262 – the first jet fighter, the development of the atomic bomb. Something narrow and easily written in 5 – 7 pages but that requires you to do research.
This proposal will be graded as an assignment. So not turning one in at all will be a zero grade in the assignment category.
About the Research Paper Project:
THIS RESEARCH PAPER IS YOUR FINAL PROJECT – THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM FOR THIS COURSE – THIS VERY IMPORTANT PAPER IS YOUR FINAL! DO WELL ON IT!
25 % of your grade is based on a research paper on a topic on the history of the Second World War.
The paper must be 5 – 7 (full) pages in length, double spaced, and font size 12. The 5 – 7 pages do NOT include the required title (cover) page and references page or pages. At least five traditional (non-electronic) references must be used. Parenthetical (in-text) citations and works cited page may be in MLA style. But you may use Chicago citation style if you so choose (mostly used for history papers).
*Journal articles located through database search engines such as academic libraries make available (i.e.: Academic Search Complete, JSTOR, LexisNexis, etc,) do not count as electronic sources since they exist in hard copy somewhere.
Solution
Topic Proposal
In my research paper project, I will work on the thesis: At the start of the Siege of Bastogne, it seemed almost certain that the Germans would capture Bastogne, but some of their mistakes and weaknesses helped the Allied forces turn the tide in this battle.
At first, the paper will cover how Hitler planned a surprise attack on Allied troops in Bastogne that seemed impossible to the Allied Commanders. On the other hand, I will show how the Allied commanders considered Ardennes as the last place the Germans could launch an attack; thus, they were not well prepared for a large-scale attack. Moreover, the paper will highlight how the German side at Bastogne was well prepared with over 100,000 soldiers and how they started the Siege…………for help with this or any other assignment contact us via Email Address: consulttutor10@gmail.com
Research Paper Project
Battle of Bastogne
The Battle of Bastogne, part of the larger operation, the Battle of the Bulge, was a battle between the Nazis and the American troops Bastogne. Also known as the Siege of Bastogne, the battle took started and 20 December 1944 and ended after seven days (Mitchell 20). In this siege, the Germans attempted to get to Antwerp harbor, but their plan was to do it before the American forces and add more troops to capture it and overcome the nearing American troops. Bastogne was so important and appealing to the German forces because all Ardennes mountains’ roads met at this place. The Germans had created a bulge into the American troops’ lines, but the siege ended on 27 December 1944 after Patton’s 3rd Army arrived to reinforce the Allied forces holding the town. This siege is important because if the German forces won this battle, the overall outcome of World War II would have changed in favor of the Germans (Barron 311). This paper will discuss that even if the Germans had a good plan and at the start of the Siege of Bastogne, it seemed almost certain that they would capture Bastogne, some of their mistakes and weaknesses helped the Allied forces turn the tide in this battle.
At first, Adolf Hitler came up with a good plan of a surprise attack on Allied troops in Bastogne that the Allied commanders least expected (Marshall 5). If the plan had succeeded, it could have increased the German’s chances of winning World War II. The plan came after the push to France and the Invasion of Normandy, as the Allied forces had expanded their lines. Furthermore, after the push, the Allies had captured Antwerp, which had a helpful port, and held the German territory near Aachen by winter. Therefore, after these Allied forces’ breakthroughs, the Germans had been on retreat, and they desperately needed to slow or stop the Allies’ advance towards Germany. As a result, it would have given them time to reorganize and strengthen their forces. Additionally, to solve the situation, the German forces would carry out an all-out armored and infantry from Ardennes, northwestern Belgium. In Hitler’s plan, they would carry out a surprise attack on the Allied troops near Belgium to cross the Meuse River and also capture Bastogne (Mitchell 4). According to Mitchell, the German forces planned to first attack through the Ardennes forest because this was a place Allied commanders had placed a light defense because they were convinced no offensive could come through this place (4). The Germans’ primary concern was the speed in this attack in order to give the Allied forces less time to regroup and fight back. Despite some protests from various German commanders, Hitler was convinced that it was a good plan…………for help with this assignment contact us via Email Address: consulttutor10@gmail.com