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INTRODUCTION!
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Under each respective “discussion topics” section, is at least one question (per episode), that
requires more research information/material then that which is provided in this study guide. This
was done with the intent of fostering a greater and more in-depth understanding and
appreciation of the subject matter as each student does the research. As such, in this goal we
hope to expand their general knowledge, and thus develop a respect and interest in the subject
matter. Nonetheless, each of these questions were designed to be fairly uncomplicated. !
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We at One Eighty Films hope that you enjoy this guide as much as we did creating it for you. It
is also our sincere hope, that it enriches your knowledge of World War Two and that you find the
information, as relevant and important today, as was it to the world 70 plus years ago. !
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THE “COMBAT REPORT” WWII STUDY GUIDE
1)!
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Episode #1 “A Prevailing Wind” - Show Clip - 4:40 (Lt. Col & Dakks Speech)!
Special forces have played an important role throughout the history of warfare whenever the
aim has been to achieve disruption by "hit and run" and sabotage, rather than more traditional
conventional army combat. Other significant roles lay in reconnaissance, providing essential
intelligence from close to or among the enemy, and increasingly in combating irregular forces,
their infrastructure and activities. !
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Thus in wartime, there are many ways in which to wage war. There are methods that are
considered acceptable and those which are not. These are called the “Rules of Engagement”
and/or “Rules of Warfare”. Often time, men are asked to push the limit of these rules in order to
accomplish their missions. Special weapons, tactics, and methods that “push the envelope” are
often employed. Terms and Organizations that encompass or utilize these methods are, but not
limited to the following: !
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Discussion Topics!
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Covert - Intelligence, Counterintelligence and Military Deception during the wartime is !
“an operation that is so planned and executed as to conceal the identity of or permit !
plausible denial by the sponsor." It is intended to create a political effect which can have !
implications in the military, intelligence or law enforcement arenas. Covert operations !
aim to fulfill their mission objectives without any parties knowing who sponsored or !
carried out the operation.!
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Clandestine - Is an intelligence or military operation carried out in such a way that the !
operation goes unnoticed by the general population or military personnel of the enemy.!
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OSS - Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was an intelligence agency created during !
WWII by the United States and the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The OSS was formed in order to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines for !
all the branches of the United States Armed Forces. Other functions of the OSS included
the use of propaganda, subversion, and post-war planning.!
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Rangers - are a special branch of the US Army that are a lethal, agile and flexible force, !
capable of conducting many complex, special operations missions. Ranger battalions !
are always combat ready, mentally and physically tough, and prepared to fight. Their !
capabilities include highly risky operations, seizing key terrain (such as airfields), !!
destroying strategic facilities, and capturing or killing specific enemies of the nation. !
Rangers are capable of conducting squad through regimental size operations and are !
resourced to maintain exceptional proficiency, experience and readiness. Rangers are !
an all-volunteer force with an intensive screening and selection process followed by !
intense combat-focused training. !
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SAS - The Special Air Service (SAS) is a regiment of the British Army founded in 1941. !
Originally called "L" Detachment, and the Special Air Service Brigade, it was conceived !
as a commando force to operate behind enemy lines. It was tasked with parachute !
operations behind the German lines in Europe and carried out operations supporting the !
Allied advance. It served as a model for special forces units around the world. The unit !
undertakes a number of roles including covert reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, direct !
action and human intelligence gathering.!
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1SSF - 1st Special Service Forces was an elite American-Canadian commando unit !
that operated from 1942-1944.!
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QUESTIONS!
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I) ! The terms clandestine and covert are not synonymous. If so, which is correct?!
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a. In a clandestine operation the identity of the sponsor is concealed!
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b. In a covert operation the identity of the sponsor is concealed!
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c. In a clandestine operation the operation itself is concealed!
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d. In a covert operation the operation itself is concealed!
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e. b & c!
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f. a & d!
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II)! The OSS was the WWII forerunner of the modern CIA. The agency was non-!
uniformed although its ranks included some military personnel. Of the many !
types of missions they performed, which the following was common for them to !
do?!
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a. Aid the escape of downed allied pilots from behind enemy lines!
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b. Gather intelligence on enemy military forces!
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c. Aid in the delivery of weapons, ammunition, money, and medical !
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supplies to partisan groups!
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d. All of the above!
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e. None of the above!
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III)! The British SAS (Special Air Service) was conceived as a commando force to !
operate behind enemy lines. One of its units was tasked with parachute ! !
operations behind enemy lines in occupied France and carried out operations !
supporting the allied advance through Belgium, Holland, and eventually into !
Germany.!
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b. False!
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IV)! A U.S. Army Ranger was strictly a volunteer, chosen on his physical strength, !
intelligence, merits, and endurance. Rangers were highly and rigorously trained.
They were expected to act independently and survive on nothing more then their !
wits, while accomplishing covert operations many miles behind enemy lines. !
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a. True!
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b. False!
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V)! Although the title “Ranger” dates from the time of the American Revolution, the !
US Army did not formally designate the Rangers units until the onset of WW2. !
The new Ranger battalions were formed as an elite unit modeled after the British !
commandoes. Some of their specialized training included? !
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a. Speed Marches (infiltrating deep into enemy territory, on foot, often as !
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much as 30 miles)!
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b. Cliff Climbing!
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c. Amphibious Landings!
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d. Attacking the enemy in the dead of night, from the least likely route!
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e. None of the above!
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f. All the above.!
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VI)! The 1st Special Service Forces was an elite American-Canadian commando unit !
that operated from 1942-1944. Much of their training specialized in mountain !
warfare (skiing, climbing, & winter training), airborne, and weapons & demolitions
to name a few. Their reputation earned them the nickname of?!
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a. The Devil’s Brigade!
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b. The Black Devils!
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c. Freddie’s Freighters!
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d. All the Above!
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e. None of the above!
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Members of the cast of “Combat Report” on set during a break in the action.!
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THE “COMBAT REPORT” WWII STUDY GUIDE
2) !
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Episode #2 “Trust” - Show Clip - 3:30!
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants such as
armed civilians or irregulars (non-standard military) use military tactics including ambushes,
sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics, and mobility to fight a larger and less-mobile
traditional military. Some groups that waged war in France during WW2, utilizing these methods
or organized personnel that fall under this category were, but not limited to, the following:!
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Discussion Topics!
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Vichy - Refers to the wartime government based in the city of Vichy, south of Paris. The !
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government lasted from July 1940 to 1944, when the Allied liberation took place. The !
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roots of Vichy France can be found in the initial German invasion of France, in 1940. !
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Within a very short period of time, the French realized that they could not combat the !
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invading German forces, and ultimately an armistice agreement between the two nations
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was reached. Under the terms of the armistice, the Germans fully occupied the Northern !
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Region of France, leaving the French government to administer the Southern region of !
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France. The unoccupied zone of Vichy, comprised the southeastern two-fifths of the !
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country, from the Swiss frontier near Geneva to a point 12 miles (19 km) east of Tours !
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and thence southwest to the Spanish frontier, 30 miles (48 km) from the Bay of Biscay.!
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SOE - Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a British World War II organization. !
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Following Cabinet approval, it was officially formed in July 1940, to conduct espionage, !
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sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe against the Axis powers, and to aid !
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local resistance movements.!
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French Resistance - French Resistance (French: La Résistance française) is the name !
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used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the !
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Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during !
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World War II. Résistance cells were small groups of armed men and women (called the !
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Maquis in rural areas), who, in addition to their guerrilla warfare activities, were also !
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publishers of underground newspapers, providers of first-hand intelligence information, !
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and maintainers of escape networks that helped Allied soldiers and airmen trapped !
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behind enemy lines. Most of their weapons came from the allies or those captured from !
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German stocks and/or personnel. !
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Maquis - A rural guerrilla band of French Resistance fighters, called maquisards, !during !
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the Occupation of France in World War II. Initially, they were composed of men who had !
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escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail !
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obligatoire (STO) to provide forced labor for Germany. To avert capture and deportation !
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to Germany, they became increasingly organized into active resistance groups.!
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Free France and its Free French Forces - (French: France Libre and Forces ! !
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françaises libres) were the government-in-exile led by Charles de Gaulle during the !
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Second World War and its military forces that continued to fight against the Axis powers !
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as an Ally after the fall of France. It was set up in London in June 1940 and also ! !
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organized and supported the Resistance in occupied France. De Gaulle, a French !
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government minister who had escaped to Britain, rejected the armistice (concluded by !
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Marshal Philippe Pétain), exhorted the French to resist in his BBC broadcast.!
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FFI - The French Forces of the Interior (French: Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur) refers !
to French resistance fighters in the later stages of WW2. Charles de Gaulle used it as a !
formal name for the resistance fighters. The change in designation of these groups to !
FFI occurred as France's status changed from that of an occupied nation to one of a !
nation being liberated by the Allied armies. As regions of France were liberated, the FFI !
were more formally organized into light infantry units and served as a valuable ! !
manpower addition to regular Free French forces. !
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QUESTIONS!
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I) ! After the French military was defeated and the government surrendered, a new !
government that cooperated with the Germans was formed. Many French !
citizens did not like this state of affairs and armed resistance was soon seen in !
many parts of the country. This French Resistance movement was made up of:!
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a. Former French soldiers paroled by the Germans after the surrender!
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b. Women with no military training !
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c. Veterans of the Great War (WW1)!
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d. Spanish Republican soldiers who fled to France after defeat in 1939!
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e. All of the above!
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II) ! The French Resistance required weapons, ammunition, & money to fight the !
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Germans. These items usually came from:!
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a. Stolen from the German military!
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b. Dropped by parachute from US & UK aircraft!
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c. Delivered by US & UK aircraft during risky night time landings in France!
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d. Carried over the mountains from Spain!
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e. All of the above!
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III)! On the 18th of June, 1940, _______________ called on the French people to !
continue fighting against the Germans!
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a. Maréchal Pétain!
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b. Emmanuel d’Astier de la Vigerie!
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c. Charlemagne!
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d. Charles de Gaulle!
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e. None of the above!
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f. All of the above!
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IV) !Special Operations Executive (SOE), was a British clandestine organization established
to conduct what type of operations in WW2?!
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a. Espionage !
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b. Sabotage!
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c. Irregular Warfare!
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d. All of the above!
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e. None of the above!
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V) ! Maquisards, some of the first resisters, were men who: !
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a. opposed the German occupation of France.!
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b. had fled to the mountains to avoid capture and being sent to slave !
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labor in Germany.!
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c. initially determined to avoid conscription into the Vichy France’s !
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Service du travail obligatoire (STO).!
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d. All of the above!
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e. None of the above!
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VI)! The unoccupied zone of southern France (from 1940 until 1942) was known as:!
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a. Free France!
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b. Vichy France!
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c. The Free Zone!
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d. All of the above!
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e. None of the above!
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Men from 1st and 2nd Squads, 1st Platoon, “B” company, rush a building previously containing an
enemy machine gun nest on a fictional French avenue film set. (Portland, Oregon)!
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THE “COMBAT REPORT” WWII STUDY GUIDE
3) !
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Episode #3 “Tunnel” - Show Clip - TBD!
The United States and Germany were both famous for their development of special weapons in
WW2. However, many nations pursued development of these weapons (for decisive combat) to
improve their military situation. These weapons included biological, chemical, and advanced
conventional weapons. A cross section of weapons that fall under this category are, but not
limited to, the following: !
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Discussion Topics!
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Secret Weapons projects - Like the development of the German V-1, which used a !
pulse-jet engine fueled by 75 octane gasoline. Its characteristic buzzing sound gave rise
to the colloquial British names of "buzz bomb" or "doodlebug" (a common name for a !
wide variety of insects). It was also known in Germany as Maikäfer (May bug) and the !
Krähe (Crow). The V-2 a liquid-propellant rocket (world's first long-range ballistic and the
jet fighter plane such as the the Me262 “Schwalbe” ("Swallow") which was the world's !
first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft and the Me163 “Komet” (“Comet”) but !
sometimes called the flea for its shape) came too late to put Germany on top. But had !
they been perfected sooner, they would have likely turned the tide of the war in their !
favor. !
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Atomic Weapons (Allied & Axis) - Manhattan Project was a US research and ! !
development project that produced the first atomic bombs during World War II. ! !
Nonetheless, both Germany and Japan were attempting to produce their own Atomic !
Bomb. At the end of WW2, a shipment of weapons-quality uranium was discovered on a
surrendered German submarine on its way to Japan. A recent discovery in Austria, !
revealed a massive secret underground complex, with high levels of radiation, being !
used for the German weapons program. !
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Super or Advanced Weapons - “Wunderwaffe” or “wonder-weapon”, as it was termed !
by the Nazi propaganda ministry. These projects produced near invincible super tanks, !
the world’s first assault weapons, advanced submarine technology, the first military night !
vision technology (Nacht Jager) for vehicles and tanks as well as a man-portable system
for infantrymen (called “Vampir” = Vampire) used on assault rifles and machine guns, in !
addition to many other advancements still being used today. Most of these weapons !
however, remained prototypes, or reached the front lines far too late, and in too ! !
insignificant numbers to have had a decisive military effect on the outcome of the war.!
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Radar - At the start of the war in Europe in September 1939, both Great Britain and !
Germany had begun the deployment of these systems. In Great Britain this technology !
was called RDF, standing for Range and Direction Finding, while in Germany the name !
Funkmessgerät (radio measuring device) was often used. The acronym RADAR (for !
RAdio Detection And Ranging) was coined by the U.S. Navy in 1940, and the ! !
subsequent name "radar" was soon widely used.!
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Enigma machine - Is the name of a family of related electro-mechanical rotor cipher !
machines (code) used in the twentieth century for enciphering and deciphering secret !
messages. Enigma was invented by a German engineer in 1918. Its design made it !
nearly impossible to break a code, without the machine itself and the settings. Though !
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Enigma had some cryptographic weaknesses, in practice it was German procedural !
flaws, operator mistakes, laziness, failure to systematically introduce changes in !!
encipherment !procedures, and Allied capture of key tables and hardware that, during !
the war, enabled Allied cryptologists to succeed. The system was so important, the effort
to break the Enigma was not disclosed until the 1970s.!
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Ho-229 “Horten” - Was a German prototype fighter/bomber with a 1000kg payload, and
1000 kilometer speed (620 mph - faster then any allied plane at the time) that brought !
about many firsts; advanced swept-back wings, a jet-powered flying wing design and !
radar absorbing stealth technology. It was of mixed construction, with the center pod !
made from welded steel tubing and wing spars built from wood. Its “flying wing” design !
and lightweight allowed it to reach high speeds and an altitude of nearly 50,000 ft. The !
wings were made from two thin, carbon-impregnated plywood veneer panels glued !
together with a charcoal and sawdust mixture. These characteristics, and similar !!
appearance to the US B2 Stealth Bomber, have led to the Ho 229 being described the !
as "the first stealth bomber”. Positive results in its development and flight tests, ! !
prompted the idea for a much larger version of the Horten, the “Amerika-Bomber” to be !
put into development. The project’s goal was to obtain a long-range strategic bomber for
the German Luftwaffe (Air Force) that would be capable of striking the mainland of the !
United States from Germany, a distance of about 3,600 miles. It never got past the !
drawing board. !
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QUESTIONS!
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I) ! The German Messerschmitt 163 was world’s first operational rocket powered !
fighter aircraft. It was small, agile, armed with two 30mm cannons, had a top !
speed of 596 miles per hour, and landed as a glider. Its official name was the !
Komet (Comet) but it was given what nickname by its pilots and ground crews?!
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a. Adler (eagle)!
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b. Floh (flea)!
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c. Stern (star)!
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d. None of the above!
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II) ! The Horten 229 was a jet powered light bomber designed by the Germans during
WWII. It never went into full production but was a very advanced design. Which !
of the following is true?!
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a. It was almost unseen by 1940s radar (used Stealth technology)!
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b. It could carry 1000 kilograms (2200 pounds) of bombs!
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c. Its top speed was 1000 kilometers per hour (620 miles per hour)!
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d. It could reach 15,000 meters (49,000 feet) in altitude!
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e. It was partially made of wood veneer (plywood)!
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f. All of the above!
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g. None of the above!
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III) ! The German V1 was a pulse-jet powered, pilotless flying bomb. It was launched !
from a catapult and flew until it ran out of fuel at which time it fell to earth and !
exploded. It carried 8500 kilograms (1870 pounds) of explosives and flew at 640 !
kilometers per hour (400 miles per hour). The British gave it this nickname due to
the unique sound of pulse-jet engines? !
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a. Crow!
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b. Cherrystone!
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c. May Bug!
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d. Buzz bomb !
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e. None of the above!
IV) !The German V2 rocket was the world’s first ballistic missile. It carried 1000 !
kilograms (2200 pounds) of explosives and could reach the edge of the ! !
atmosphere before falling back to earth at supersonic speed. The fuel it used !
was?!
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a. Solid!
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b. Powder!
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c. Liquid!
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d. None of the above!
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The German military deployed the world’s first night vision system for tanks and !
infantry rifles. The equipment used infrared lights and optics to allow targeting !
even in absolute darkness and was called?!
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a. Fledermaus (Bat)!
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b. Wolf (Wolf)!
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c. Vampir (Vampire)!
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d. Kobra (Cobra)!
VI) !In 1940, French front line tanks had much thicker armor than those used by their
German counterparts. In addition, the heavier French tank guns could destroy !
any enemy tank they encountered. Nonetheless, the critical German advantage !
was that they had twice as many tanks as the French and every German tank !
had a ___________ while only 20% of French tanks were so equipped. !
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a. spare crewman!
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b. two way radio!
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c. refrigerator !
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d. headlight for night driving!
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e. None of the above!
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f. All of the above!
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Episode #4 “Letters from Home” - Show Clip - TBD!
All soldiers are in need of taking a break from the tense conditions that serving in the armed
forces sometimes engenders from time to time. The military calls these breaks “R&R”, which is
the slang for “rest and recuperation” (or sometimes mistakingly defined as rest and relaxation or
rest and recreation). As such there are many things a soldier can do in his free time while
serving in the military. Staying in touch with family or friends is very important, yet they are
often too far away to travel home and/or visit. As such the remaining options to a soldier can
come in many forms, but are not limited to the following: !
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Discussion Topics!
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Letters/Mail - V-mail, short for Victory Mail, is a hybrid mail process used during the !
Second World War in America as the primary and secure method to correspond with !
to and from soldiers stationed abroad. To reduce the logistics of transferring an original !
letter across the military postal system, a V-mail letter would be censored, copied to film,
and printed back to paper upon arrival at its destination. It was the only form of contact !
with home for the lonely GI (average age 17-21 years old). The standard military field !
phone !like the GI EE-8 or the German Feldfernsprecher 33 (FF33) only reached as far !
as the hard wire they was connecting them to each other. The range of radios of the !
time was often even less. The range of the unit varied with terrain; the walkie-talkie !
(back mounted model) and the handie talkie (which could be held entirely in the hand) !
ranged from a few hundred feet, to approximately one mile over land, and 3 miles over !
water. The telegraph was still the farthest reaching consistent technology of the time. It !
used electrical signals, usually conveyed via dedicated telecommunication lines or radio !
to transmit coded messages. These electrical signals were sequences of short and long!
signals!called "dots" and “dashes" called Morse Code (invented in 1836). The entire !
process to convey lengthy messages was timely and required a dedicated line. Thus, !
they were used primarily for important communications. Civilian’s used telegrams (the !
written version of a telegraph communication). !
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USO - The United Service Organization, became the G.I.'s "home away from home" and !
began a tradition of entertaining the troops that continues today. The organization !
became particularly famous for its live performances called Camp Shows, through which
the entertainment industry helped boost the morale of its servicemen and women. !
Hollywood in general was eager to show its patriotism, and many famous celebrities !
joined the ranks of USO entertainers. They entertained in military bases at home and !
overseas, sometimes placing their own lives in danger, by traveling or performing under !
hazardous conditions. !
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Hollywood Canteen - Was a club operated in Hollywood, Calif., offering food, dancing !
and entertainment for servicemen, usually on their way overseas. Even though the !
majority of visitors were U.S servicemen, the club was open to servicemen of allied !
countries as well as women in all branches of service. A serviceman's ticket for ! !
admission was his uniform, and everything at the club was free of charge. The Club was
operated and staffed completely by volunteers from the entertainment industry. Stars !
volunteered to wait on tables, cook in the kitchen and clean up. One of the highlights for !
a serviceman was to dance with one of the many female celebrities volunteering at the !
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Canteen. The other highlight was the entertainment provided by some of Hollywood's !
most popular stars, ranging from radio stars to big bands to novelty acts.!
Military Leaves, Passes, and Liberty - Leave is paid vacation from duty for recreation !
and relief from the pressures of job-related duties. You may also take leave for personal !
reasons and emergency situations. A "pass" (called "liberty" in the Navy, Coast Guard, !
and Marine Corps) is time-off, not chargeable as leave. While leave is a right, that !
doesn't necessarily mean you can take it whenever you wish. As with all things, "military !
necessity" determines when you can take your leave.!
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Smoking - “Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em” was the saying in the war. Americans in WW2 !
loved to smoke cigarettes. Who could blame them? Movie stars smoked. The president !
smoked. The heroes fighting the enemy overseas smoked. No one quite knew the extent
of the dangers of inhaling all that tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide from those nifty little
sticks of shredded tobacco rolled neatly in paper and sold in such handsome and handy !
packages. The tobacco business was doing very well. A lot of people thought that as !
good—good for tobacco companies and their investors, and for the American economy !
as a whole.!
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Alcohol/drugs - There was heavy use of coffee, Coca-Cola and nicotine with the !
troops, all tending to keep them awake and stimulated. The British, Japanese and !
Germans supplied amphetamines to their troops. The Germans experimented with a !
drug called D-IX, which was a cocaine-based experimental drug cocktail developed in !
1944 for military application. Nazi doctors found that equipment-laden test subjects who !
had taken the drug could march 55 miles without resting before they collapsed. Each !
tablet contained 5 mg of oxycodone, 5 mg of cocaine and 3 mg of methamphetamine !
(then called Pervitin). German officers would also distribute alcohol to their troops as a !
reward, and schnapps was routinely sold in military commissaries, a policy that also had !
the happy side effect of returning a soldiers' pay to the military. The British offered rum !
rations to their troops until 1970, Canada until 1972, and New Zealand until 1990. !
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Cards/Gambling - One of the many things a soldier could do with his free time to get his
mind off the war, was card games. The types of games varied from each country, but !
wherever one had a deck of cards or dice, it often was followed by gambling. A soldier’s !
pay was only about $50 a month (US Army) in WW2. Often times the fear of loosing your
life was greater then loosing some money. !
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Rations - Comfort in wartime can be sought out in a number of ways. The quality and !
availability of Army food was often a very strong factor in the making of a happy soldier. !
Types, !qualities, and quantities varied for each nation. However the basic food ration !
for the typical GI in WW2 were divided into five primary groups. They were as follows:!
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A Ration: fresh, refrigerated, or frozen food (prepared in field kitchens)!
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B Ration: packaged unprepared food (also prepared in field kitchens)!
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C Ration: individual canned, pre-cooked, and prepared wet ration (self heated)!
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D Ration: emergency chocolate ration bar (temp resistant, high in food energy)!
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K Ration: individually packaged daily combat food ration !
The major criticism of the K-ration was its inadequate caloric and vitamin content!and !
the D ration bar was almost universally detested for its bitter taste by U.S. troops.!
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Page 11
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Communication - Is as critical to the operations of any military, as it was for the ! !
individual soldier. Regardless of the sophistication of technology, sometimes it had be !
done by men themselves serving as company messengers, military couriers, or runners.!
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QUESTIONS!
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I)! During the war, radios were used more affectively by some nations, more then !
others. Many used them only at the higher levels, while the Americans, !!
recognizing the importance, used them at the most fundamental minimal unit !
levels. As such the WW2 GI, used communication equipment called?!
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a. The Handie Talkie!
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b. The Walkie Talkie!
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c. The EE-8 Field Phone!
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d. All of the above!
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e. None of the above!
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II)! V-mail was the way for soldiers and families back home in the USA to !
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communicate. It involved writing on a special form letter, which was then ! !
supposed to transferred to microfilm to save space and weight for transport !
overseas. After the film arrived at the other end the letters were printed out and !
delivered.!
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a. True!
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b. False!
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III)!
In wartime, critical communications can be severed by a number of reasons !
(artillery explosions, wires cut by the enemy, power loss, etc), as such the human
factor, requires that someone manually, transport crucial and pertinent ! !
information in person…..these men are called?!
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a. Runners!
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b. Couriers !
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c. Messengers!
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d. All the above!
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e. None of the above!
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IV)! Samuel Morse developed a code that still bears his name. It converted the !
alphabet into a series of dots and dashes for transmission by telegraph. It was !
very common for Naval Forces to use Morse code, via signal lights. This !
technique could even be used by soldiers with flashlights if no other form of !
communication was available. This form of signal communication, was invented !
in what year?!
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a. 1836!
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b. 1860!
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c. 1906!
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d. 1935!
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e. None of the above!
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Page 12
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V)!
With the need for a perfect and unbreakable code, Native Americans, speaking in
a never recorded or published tongue, were used by the US military to transmit !
secure radio communications within radio range of the enemy, by simply ! !
speaking their own language. These men were known as “code talkers”, and !
their conversations were NEVER translated by the enemy! What tribe, were !
recruited from?!
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a. Sioux!
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b. Navajo!
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c. Blackfoot!
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d. Mohawk!
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e. All of the above!
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f. None of the above!
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VI)! In the case of a soldier being wounded or killed in action, the family or next of kin,
was usually notified by the military, using what civilian method?!
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a. Radio!
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b. Telephone!
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c. Telegram!
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d. Email!
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e. Morse Code!
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Some of our cast during “Mail Call” on set!
Page 13
THE “COMBAT REPORT” WWII STUDY GUIDE
5) !
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Episode #5 “Gambit” - Show Clip - TBD!
For most of us, espionage or spying implies using key intelligence, covert methods, dirty tricks,
and clandestine techniques, in order to gain an upper hand on our enemies and to give our
forces the advantage. When it comes to that kind of spying, the agents of World War II did
amazing things to tip the balance in favor of their respective forces. It is not a stretch to say that
we ourselves, could not have prevailed against such a stubborn and difficult enemy without the
extraordinary work our espionage network did to learn the secrets of the Japanese and the
Germans. Spying and carrying out espionage is inherently clandestine, dangerous, and is often
punishable by death. Nonetheless, it is often considered worth the risk, in the hopes of winning
the war. Groups that utilize these methods are briefed in the relevant issues that face them
when carrying out such missions or objectives. Just some of these would be, but not limited to,
the following: !
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Discussion Topics!
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Intelligence Services - Are a government agencies responsible for the collection, !
analysis, and exploitation of information and intelligence in support of police, military, !
national security, defense and foreign policy objectives. The respective names for these
groups are; Abwehr (German Military/OKW) and Sicherheitsdienst (SD = Security !
Service), Naval Intelligence (US Navy Intelligence) and the OSS (Office of Strategic !
Services), MI5 (British = Military Intelligence, Section 5) which is domestic and MI6 !
(Military Intelligence, Section 6) which operates internationally, NKGB (Russian - !!
People’s Commissariat for State Security). !
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POW’s - prisoner of war (POW, PoW, PW, P/W, WP, PsW, enemy prisoner of war (EPW)
or “missing-captured" is a person, whether combatant or non-combatant, who is held !
in custody by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ! !
Belligerents hold captured combatants and non-combatants of hostile powers in custody !
for a range of legitimate and illegitimate reasons. Prisoners of war are held to isolate !
them from enemy combatants still in the field, to release and repatriate them in an !
orderly manner after hostilities, to demonstrate military victory, to punish them, to !
prosecute them for war crimes, to exploit them for their labor, to recruit or even conscript !
them as their own combatants, to collect military and political intelligence from them, and
to indoctrinate them in new political or religious beliefs.!
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Guerrillas/Spy - Uniforms and/or badges are important in determining prisoner-of-war !
status; !and so terrorists, saboteurs, mercenaries, and spies do not qualify because they !
do not always follow the laws and customs of war and therefore they fall under the !
category of unlawful combatants. In practice, these criteria are rarely interpreted strictly. !
Guerrillas, for example, usually do not wear a uniform or carry arms openly, but captured
guerrillas are sometimes granted POW status. A general rule is if found out of uniform or
wearing the uniform of your enemy, you could (likely) be executed as a spy.!
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Commandeer - To commandeer is to take possession or control of something, or to take
control of something for a military or political purpose, or to make someone help you. In
a sense its a military’s justification for the taking of the personal property of someone. If !
it is enemy property, its sometimes referred to as “Liberated” by the liberator. !
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Page 14
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Geneva Conventions - Article 4 of the Third Geneva Convention protects captured !
military personnel, some guerrilla fighters, and certain civilians. It applies from the !
moment a prisoner is captured until he or she is released or repatriated. One of the main
provisions of the convention makes it illegal to torture prisoners and states that a !!
prisoner can only be required to give their name, date of birth, rank and service number !
(if applicable). To be entitled to prisoner-of-war status, captured persons must be lawful
combatants entitled to combatant's privilege—which gives them immunity from ! !
punishment for crimes constituting lawful acts of war such as killing enemy combatants. !
To qualify under the Third Geneva Convention, a combatant must be part of a chain of !
command, wear a "fixed distinctive marking, visible from a distance” (such as a uniform, !
armband, or badge), bear arms openly, and have conducted military operations ! !
according to the accepted laws and customs of war. War Crimes were defined ! !
under the Hague Convention of 1907. !
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Commando Order (Kommandobefehl) - Was an order issued by Hitler on 18 Oct, 1942
stating that all Allied commandos encountered by German forces in Europe and Africa !
should be killed immediately without trial, even in proper uniforms or if they attempted to !
surrender. Any commando or small group of commandos or a similar unit, agents, and !
saboteurs not in proper uniforms, who fell into the hands of the German military forces !
by some means other than direct combat (through the police in occupied territories, for !
instance) were to be handed over immediately to the Sicherheitsdienst (SD = Security !
Service). The order, which was issued in secret, made it clear that failure to carry out !
these orders by any commander or officer would be considered to be an act of ! !
negligence punishable under German military law. The Commando Order mentioned !
violations of the Geneva Conventions by Allied commando troops and cites these !
violations as justification for the order. Shortly after World War II, at the Nuremberg !
Trials, the Commando Order was found to be a direct breach of the laws of war, and !
German officers who carried out illegal executions under the Commando Order were !
found guilty of war crimes.!
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Sabotage - In war, is the activity of an individual or group not associated with the military
of the parties at war (such as a foreign agent or an indigenous supporter), in particular !
when actions result in the destruction or damaging of a productive or vital facility, such !
as equipment, factories, dams, public services, storage plants or logistic routes. Like !
spies, saboteurs who conduct a military operation in civilian clothes or enemy uniforms !
behind enemy lines are subject to prosecution and criminal penalties instead of ! !
detention as prisoners of war. !
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QUESTIONS!
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I) !
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The Abwehr was the military intelligence gathering organization for the Germans !
before and during WWII. It dealt strictly with human sources and reported !
directly to: !
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a. Heinrich Himmler – Head of the SS and Chief of all German Police.!
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b. the RSHA or Reich Main Security Office (Reichssicherheitsdienstamt).!
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c. the High Command of the Armed Forces (OKW).!
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d. Adolf Hitler (German Führer).!
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e. All the above!
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f. None of the above!
Page 15
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II) !
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In normal conflicts, troops caught wearing the enemy's uniform lose all of their !
protections under the Geneva Conventions and can legitimately be considered !
spies and executed (if that was the penalty laid down by that army's military code
of justice). !
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a. True!
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b. False!
III) ! Although the geneva conventions provide for the ethical treatment of POW’s, !
which of the following could exclude them from the rights and protections to !
provided by the capturing force?!
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a. If found he committed an unlawful act (war crime)!
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b. If captured out of uniform (sabotage or spy)!
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c. If proven that he is otherwise (i.e.: not a soldier)!
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e. All of the above!
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f. None of the above!
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IV) !
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Under the Third Geneva Convention, prisoners of war (POW) must be:!
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a. treated humanely with respect for their persons and their honor!
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b. able to inform their next of kin of their capture!
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c. given adequate food, clothing, housing, and medical attention!
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d. not compelled to give any information except for name, age, rank, !
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and service number!
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e. All of the above!
V)!
The British intelligence services MI 5 & MI 6 are comparable to the American !
government agencies of the CIA and the FBI. If so, its !
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a. MI 5 that is similar to the CIA.!
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b. MI 5 that is similar to the FBI.!
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c. MI 6 that is similar to the FBI.!
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d. MI 6 that is similar to the CIA.!
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e. a & c!
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f. b & d!
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VI) ! A person captured in civilian clothing, in the act of blowing up a Power station, !
could be subject to which of the following: ! !
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a. Criminal penalties!
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b. Execution! !
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c. Arrest!
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d. Prison time!
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e. None of the above!
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f. All of the above!
Page 16
THE “COMBAT REPORT” WWII STUDY GUIDE
6) !
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Episode #6 “A Leap of Faith” - Show Clip - TBD!
Every country has a “code of conduct” that applies to its own men in arms. However, the
German’s had several organizations that made up the German military, para-military, police, and
political branches in WW2. Some operated under totally different internal and external rules and
regulations. German politics and law afforded each group with a different interpretation of
international law. Thus, affording them more latitude in how they chose to deal with the enemy. !
Some of these organizations and topics are, but not limited to, the following:!
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Discussion Topics!
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SS - The SS (Schutzstaffel = Protective Squadron) was a major paramilitary organization
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under Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP = National Socialist German Workers Party). !
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Waffen-SS - (Armed SS) was created as the armed (militarized) wing of the SS and !
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gradually developed into a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of Nazi Germany.
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The Waffen-SS grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions during World War II, and !
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served alongside the Heer (regular German army) but was never formally part of it. !
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Hitler resisted integrating the Waffen-SS into the army, as it was to remain the armed !
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wing of the Nazi Party and to become an elite police force once the war was won.!
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SD - The Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service), full title Sicherheitsdienst des !
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Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the administrative intelligence agency of the SS, the !
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police, and the Nazi Party in WW2 Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party !
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intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister ! !
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organization" with the Gestapo. Together they had near unlimited power and ruthlessly !
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arrested and destroyed any actual or perceived enemies of the government and nation.!
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The SD was headed by Reinhard Heydrich until his murder, when he was replaced by !
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the president of the ICPC (later to become Interpol), Ernst Kaltenbrunner.!
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GESTAPO - (acronym for Geheime Staatspolizei = "Secret State Police") was the official
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secret police of Nazi Germany and German-occupied Europe. !
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Deutsche Reichsbahn - German National Railroad was the name of the German !
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national railway created from the railways of the individual states of the German Empire !
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following the end of World War I. During World War II, the Reichsbahn was an essential
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component of German military logistics, providing essential transportation services for !
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the Reich throughout the occupied lands of Europe. In addition, the Reichsbahn's !
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participation was crucial to the effective implementation of the "Final Solution of the !
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Jewish Question”. The Reichsbahn was paid to transport Jews and other victims of the !
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Holocaust from thousands of towns and cities throughout Europe to meet their death in !
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the Nazi concentration camp system, using cattle boxcars.!
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Court-martial - Is a military court. A court-martial is!empowered to determine the guilt of !
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members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty,
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to decide upon punishment. In addition, courts-martial may be used to try prisoners of !
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war for war crimes. The Geneva Convention requires that POWs who are on trial for war
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crimes be subject to the same procedures as would be the holding military's own forces.!
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Page 17
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AWOL - A US Military terminology for “Absence Without Leave” is the abandonment of a !
duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave), in contrast to “desertion” which !
is done with the intention of not returning (often to avoid hazardous duty). Punishment !
for being AWOL varies from extra duties to jail time, whereas the maximum U.S. penalty !
for desertion in wartime remains death. Over 20,000 American soldiers were tried and !
sentenced for desertion during World War Two. 49 were sentenced to death, though 48 !
of these death sentences were subsequently commuted. Only one US soldier, Private !
Eddie Slovik, was executed for desertion in World War II.!
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QUESTIONS!
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I)!
The Sicherheitsdienst (SD) was the German Security Service of the SS and the !
Nazi party in WW2 Germany. What were they were responsible for?!
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a. Intelligence!
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b. Detection of actual and potential enemies of the Nazi leadership.!
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c. Neutralization of any suspected opposition !
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d. All of the above!
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e. None of the above!
II)!
The SD (Sicherheitsdienst), differed from the SS (Waffen-SS) how?!
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a. The SS were primarily frontline combat troops.!
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b. The SD were mainly administrative personnel. !
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c. The SD served as the staff in Concentration Camps.!
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d. Only A & B!
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f. Only B & C!
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III) ! The SD, operated as a para-military and police organization, carrying out !!
political, as well as national defense goals. As such they wore uniforms with !
what specialized type of German military style rank insignia?!
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a. Army (Heeres)!
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b. Navy (Kreigsmarine)!
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c. Air Force (Luftwaffe)!
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d. SS (Waffen-SS)!
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f. None of the above!
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IV) ! The GESTAPO was a nazified civilian police agency that operated with autonomy
and terror, throughout Germany and the occupied territories. The word ! !
GESTAPO is an acronym, which stands for what?!
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a. Secret Police!
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b. Secret State Police!
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c. Special Secret Police!
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d. Secret Special Police!
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e. None of the above!
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Page 18
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V) ! The SD was responsible for overseeing the GESTAPO and other civilian police !
organizations. As such, they had a terrifying level of authority over anyone !
suspected or known be an enemy of the German Reich. Both agencies could !
legally utilize what cruel and unusual method under the law?!
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a. Torture chambers!
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b. Firing squads!
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c. Hangings!
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d. Deportation to Concentration Camps!
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e. None of the above!
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f. All the above!
VI)!
The head of the SD in 1942 was assassinated, by Czech nationals serving in the !
British Army, under the direction of the British Intelligence Service. What was the
name of the man they killed?!
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a. Heinrich Himmler!
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b. Reinhard Heydrich!
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c. Adolf Eichmann!
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d. Martin Bormann!
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e. Ernst Kaltenbrunner!
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f. None of the above!
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Hauptsturmführer Künstler and a captured GI on location for the interrogation scene.
Page 19
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COMBAT REPORT!
WWII STUDY GUIDE!
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Episode 1!
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I) E!
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QUIZ ANSWER KEY!
Episode 2!
Episode 3!
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Episode 4!
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Episode 5!
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Episode 6!
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IV) A!