RED BALL EXPRESS

 This lesson will introduce students to the Red Ball Express, and more specifically, to the African Americans serving in Europe.  

 HISTORICAL CONTEXT: With the destruction of the rail lines in Northern France, it became necessary to find an alternate means of getting supplies to the troops. On August 25, 1944, the Red Ball Express was born. The Red Ball Express was a convoy system that stretched from St. Lô in Normandy to Paris and eventually to the front along the French-German border. Between August and November 1944, the Red Ball Express truckers had delivered 412,193 tons of gas, oil, lubricants, ammunition, food, and other essentials. By 1944, there were over 200,000 African Americans serving in Europe, with roughly 90,000 driving for the Red Ball Express, making up 75% of the truck drivers who kept the “Red Ball” rolling. The Red Ball Express played an essential role in the Allied victory in Northern Europe. 

 OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to • Analyze primary and secondary sources. • Identify the importance of the Red Ball Express in winning the war. 

STANDARDS: AL: SS: 14 Identify turning points in the European Theater, including key groups and people. AL: Reading:1 Cite specific textual evidence to support the analysis of primary and secondary sources.