Name: Whitchurch High School History Department A-level Nazi Germany 1933-1945 HY3 - coursework The July Bomb Plot, 1944 ‘A very small clique of ambitious, conscienceless, criminal and stupid officers.’ How valid is this assessment of the men who plotted against Hitler in 1944? For this unit you are required to write an essay in answer to the question below: A very small clique of ambitious, conscienceless, criminal and stupid officers.’ How valid is this assessment of the men who plotted against Hitler in 1944? Worth 20% You will be assessed on: A01a – Historical knowledge and understanding (10 marks) detailed and relevant knowledge A01b – Explanation, analysis and judgement of issue (10marks) arguing for and against each aspect of the interpretation put forward in the question sustained judgement throughout the question A02a – Analysis and evaluation of sources (28 marks) sources used to support/contradict a view analysis of the usefulness of the sources A02b - Analysis and evaluation of interpretations (32marks) discussion of at least two historiographical interpretations of the July Bomb Plot analysis of the context of these interpretations to assess reliability Total marks – 60 All work must be kept (including rough notes) as evidence that work has been completed independently. This work can be called for by the Exam Board if there is any doubt. Word limit – 3500 You must use 12-15 sources (no more than 1-2 from the internet). You must find most of these sources yourself. You must look for a variety of sources, which contain more than one interpretation and that are primary and secondary. Your work must be word processed and include the following:1. Sources that are labelled (with their attributions) clearly in the body of the essay 2. Additional sources and school sources must be clearly identified 3. Numbered pages 4. Word count 5. Bibliography Timeline for completion By start of Year 13 – Read about the July Bomb Plot and start gathering evidence for and against the interpretation. Particularly read two different historian’s accounts of the Bomb Plot and summarise the main interpretations ready to feedback to class By October Half Term – Hand in your source pack of 12-15 sources which you will use in your coursework. Sources should be lettered (A.B.C etc). They should be set out using the same format as the school document pack. Clearly indicate which sources are from the school document pack. Sources should be between half and a full side of A4. Make sure the attributions are complete – author, title, date, indication of interpretation After October Half Term – Tutorials on progress so far. By Christmas – First draft completed. After Christmas – Tutorials on progress so far. By February Half Term – Coursework completed! HISTORIOGRAPHY TASK Research using the internet to find out what interpretations of resistance and the July Plot the following historians hold: Hans Mommsen Sir Ian Kershaw Martin Broszat Tim Mason Detlev Pekert Joachim Fest Include in your notes their nationality, their area of specialism, when they were at the foreground of the debate, and any other significant information. JULY PLOT TASKS Use the following notes taken from www.joric.com (Resource Booklet) to complete the following tasks. 1. As you read through the notes, keep a ‘Glossary’ to write down the meaning of any words and a ‘Questions’ sheet to write down any questions the notes makes you want to ask. 2. Complete a spider diagram on ‘Who was Involved’. 3. Complete a spider diagram on the various ‘Reasons for Conspirators’ Involvement’. 4. Make notes explaining ‘The Relationship between Hitler Germany Military’. 5. Makes notes explaining the ‘Background to the July Plot : previous assassinations attempts and the involvement of Stauffenberg (why, how)’. 6. Make notes explaining ‘The Plan’. 7. What do you think of the plan? 8. Draw a flow diagram to show ‘The Events of 20th July, 1944’. 9. Complete a table showing ‘Successful/Unsuccessful aspects of the Plot’. Complete the following table to analyse the usefulness of the film Valyrie for finding out about the July Bomb Plot. USEFUL CONTENT ORIGIN PURPOSE LIMITED ‘A very small clique of …officers’ AGREE HISTORIANS’ INTERPRETATIONS EVIDENCE USEFUL SOURCES Who were the conspirators? What individuals/groups were involved? How widespread was the conspiracy? DISAGREE ‘Ambitious, conscienceless’ AGREE HISTORIANS’ INTERPRETATIONS EVIDENCE USEFUL SOURCES What were the conspirators’ motivations – personal ambition, conscience, morality, hatred of Hitler? What were their aims – democracy, nationalism? DISAGREE ‘Criminal’ Did they commit a criminal act? Can it be justified? Were they traitors? AGREE HISTORIANS’ INTERPRETATIONS EVIDENCE USEFUL SOURCES DISAGREE ‘Stupid’ Why did the plot fail? Was it badly planned? Was it badly executed? Is this evidence that they were stupid? Were they stupid for believing it might work? AGREE HISTORIANS’ INTERPRETATIONS EVIDENCE USEFUL SOURCES DISAGREE Bibliography Texts Bracher, K. The German Dictatorship, pp. 450-483 & 533- 569, the Bomb Plot is at pp. 549-569. (This is a leading German historiographical interpretation of opposition within the Third Reich.) Bullock, A. A Study in Tyranny, pp733-752 (Classic biographical account of Opposition and Bomb plot). Burleigh, M. The Third Reich, pp 665-671 Ch. 9 (British historian favourable to opposition) Collier & Pedley, Germany 1919-45, pp 135-141 (AS style overview) Craig. G, Germany 1866-1945, pp 663-673 (Classic General narrative overview of events) Evans & Jenkins, Years of Weimar & The Third Reich, pp 305-322, Bomb Plot at pp 312-318 (Course textbook style overview) Fest . J, Plotting Hitler’s Death (general text on assassinations on Hitler’s life including Bomb Plot) Haffner .S, Defying Hitler: A Memoir, (one leading historian’s view of what it was like to an opponent in Nazi Germany) Hildebrand, K. The Third Reich, pp 82-90 & 152-157 (Leading German historiographical debate about value of opposition) Hoffman, P. The History of German Resistance Housden, M. Resistance and Conformity in the Third Reich, CH 5 is on the Bomb Plot (Key text book which is solely on opposition within the Third Reich) Kershaw, I. Hitler Nemesis 1936-45 Ch 14 & 15 on Bomb Plot (Classic best-selling recent biography of Hitler) Kitchen, M. Nazi Germany at War, Ch. 10 on opposition and pp 251-260 on Bomb Plot (Good example of book which examines the success of different sections of opposition) Laffen, M. (Ed), The Burden of German History, pp192-204 with the Bomb Plot on p202 (Essay style analysis of Nazi opposition) Layton, G. The Third Reich pp 140-153 (Key textbook style overview) Lee, S. Hitler and Nazi Germany, pp 54-58 (Basic essay style analysis of Nazi opposition) McDonough, F. Opposition and Resistance in the Third Reich, (text book for AS/A2 based solely on opposition - course text) Mommsen, H. Alternatives to History ( Marxist interpretation of opposition with the Bomb Plot at Ch 6 pp 181-193 and Ch 11 pp 238-252) Moorehouse, R. Killing Hitler, ch7 (up to date overview of the attempts to kill Hitler Bomb plot described in detail in chapter 7) Niven, W. Facing the Nazis Past, ch3 (historiographical debate about the role of the Third Reich on German post war society, a difficult read but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it) Simpson, W. Hitler and Germany, pp 132 -140 with Bomb Plot at pp136-140 (Document style interpretation) Williamson, D. The Third Reich, pp 75-82 (useful overview analysis of opposition) Periodicals Housden, M. Germany's Conservative Elite's and their resistance to Hitler, MHR, Vol 9 issue 2, Nov 1997. Housden, M. The Diversity and Vigour of Opposition in the Third Reich is readily Overlooked, New Perspectives, Vol. 3 no 3, March 1998. McDonough, F. Resistance in German Society, New Perspectives, Vol 8. no 3, March 2003. Moorhouse, R. Killing Hitler, BBC History Magazine, April 2006 Lang, S. Nazi- Soviet Pact, 20th Century Review, Vol 1.no1, Sept 2005. Housden, M. Appeasement, 20th Century Review, Vol 1.no1, Sept 2005. Overy, R. Nuremburg Trials, BBC History Magazine, October 2006. Museum guides The German Resistance Museum guide Plotzensee Memorial guide Internet www.historylearningsite.co.uk/july_bomb_plot.htm (A good general starting point) www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERjuly.htm (A good general starting point) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3909635.stm (An article entitled ‘Honouring a would-be assassin’) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3908431.stm (An article entitled ‘Hitler plot 'heroes' commemorated’) http://www.worldwar2database.com/html/julyplot.htm (A very useful site) http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/jul/11/germany.secondworldwar (An article entitled 'Why my friends felt they had to kill Hitler’) http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_revie ws/article5424086.ece (An article entitled ‘Valkyrie: The Plot to Kill Hitler by Philipp Von Boeselager; Germans Against Hitler by Hans Mommsen; Luck of the Devil by Ian Kershaw’) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/tim_hames/article458783.ece (An article entitled ‘Remember, tomorrow, the brave patriots who almost saved Germany from Hitler’) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_resistance (Not usually recommended as an academic resource, but contains some useful information on the historiography of resistance) www.joric.com/Conspiracy/Conspiracy.htm (This seems to have been removed from the net recently but keep an eye out for it because it is a frighteningly detailed account of the bomb plot will keep you out of trouble for hours) http://valkyrie-plot.com/ (A hugely detailed website – definitely worth a look!)