War is a terrible event and one which leaves scars, not only on those who were caught up in the fighting, but on the landscape itself. These scars can last for centuries and can be seen – if you know where to look.
Some of the scars left behind by conflict are hidden from normal sight but, with the use of modern technologies such as satellites, what was once hidden can be brought out into the light. Using Google Earth, what evidence for past battles can you find and what story lies behind the imprint left upon the face of out planet?
| Time: 5 weeks Level: 7-10 Key Learning Areas: Humanities Skills required: Medium level IT skills |
Hiroshima Peace Memorial – also known as the Atomic Dome – is the ruined Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall which was destroyed on the 6th August 1945.
In this Challenge, your task is to search for one or more scars left behind by conflict using Google Earth and then find out some of the story behind the events that resulted in damage so great that it can be seen using satellite images. You can present your work any way you like but might like to produce a “then and now” graphic presentation.
World War I
More than 100 years ago, war raged across the face of Europe, Africa and Asia as countries from around the world battled each other in a conflict that would claim more than 17 million lives. The stalemate that became known as the Western Front saw both sides bogged down in the horrors of trench warfare.
The scars left by the trenches are still visible from a distance – faint, ghost-like lines winding through fields and farmland. Scars were also left from the heavy artillery bombardment – more than 1.5 billion shells on the Western front alone – and from the massive underground mines that left craters 30m deep and 100m wide.
+ Trench scars and trench maps
Viewing satellite images of WWI battlefields such as those seen here near Adinkerke in Belgium show faint lines beneath the field. Some of these are ancient roads whilst others are the scars left behind by the trenches that became the front line. How can we tell which is which?
Maps were made of the trenches during the war and many of these are available online.
+ Some sites in Google Earth to get you going
World War II
Just 21 years after the first World War came to an end, the world was plunged into another conflict that claimed more than 77 million lives. The Second World War involved every continent on the planet and raged for seven years. The scars left behind include the ruins of villages in France, sunken ships visible from space and giant structures built to house weapons.
+ Massive Constructions
During the Second World War, both the allies and the axis forces were involved in constructing huge structures both for defense and for offense. Some of these structures still stand and can be clearly seen.
+ Scarred Landscape
Craters from bombing missions can still be seen, especially using satellites. During the war German forces were building a heavily fortified base near the town of Mimoyecques from which to fire their V3 weapons. Allied bombers destroyed the base before it could be completed and put to use. The craters from the bombing can still be seen below.
