Writing Resources
History final paper CD block Animals of World War II As strange as it may sound animals have played important roles in wars both here in America and abroad Whether it be larger animals like elephants horses or donkeys hauling men and supplies dogs sniffing for enemies and explosives or pigeons carrying messages animals have left an indelible mark in the history of wartime Horses to me seem like an obvious animal to start with Not only are they my favorite animal but when I think of animals serving in the military they are the first ones that come to mind Much like the wars of history horses were readily employed in WWII They were used for transporting everything from troops and supplies to artillery and materials Countries like Germany and Russia relied more on horses as actual cavalry than some other countries like America or England did but basically everyone used them to some extent Dogs are another animal that was used in many ways during WWII There is a lot of documented information about dogs helping war efforts in different ways and there have even been dogs given awards for the things they have done Dogs were capable of fighting searching for enemies and smelling explosives Dogs were unfortunately also used for medical research during WWII they tested medication on dogs to ensure that they would be safe for the soldiers to take In England in 1941 ads were put out by the British military asking for civilians to donate their pets for the war efforts The bulletins read To British Dog Owners Your country needs dogs for defence Alsatians Collies and other large breeds Here is your great opportunity to actively help to win the war will you loan one The response was high and the War Dogs Training School opened in 1942 By the end of the war 3 300 dogs had been trained and sent to units around the world Around 200 of these dogs were reported killed or missing in action and others went on to become heroes albeit for the most part unsung At the end of the war many of these wonderful animals were simply disposed of by the authorities and never saw their families again
