World War II

Origins, Politics, Racism, Social Impact, Tragedy

Grades 5-12 World War II Table of Contents

The Beginnings of War...... 3 The Origins of World War II...... 4 German Takeover: 1933-1944...... 5 Thinking about Prejudice...... 8 Write a Letter to Jesse Owens...... 9 History & Analysis of Social Conditions...... 12 Nuremberg Law ...... 13 Chronology of World War II...... 15 WWII Aircraft...... 16 People, Places, and Things of WWII...... 17 WAACs, WAVES, and Nurses...... 18 Women and World War II...... 19 African-Americans in WWII...... 20 Holocaust Freewrite...... 21 Japanese Internment...... 22 Has the Past Been Just?...... 23 Daily Warm-Up: A Letter from Home ...... 33 Holocaust Fact or Opinion ...... 35 The Holocaust...... 37 Crack the Code – The Holocaust...... 38 World Figures During World War II ...... 40 World War II: Letter to the President...... 41 Life on the Home Front...... 42 The Manhattan Project...... 43 World War II Student Project...... 44 War and Peace...... 46 War Heroes...... 47 Mapping the War: World War II...... 48 Create a Web – The Holocaust...... 50 Final Justice...... 51

With so many problems on the home front, few people paid attention to the growing tensions in Europe and other foreign countries. However, events continued to unfold that would culminate in World War II. Here is a list of some of the happenings that precipitated world conflict in 1939. September 1930 •More than six million Germans vote for Adolf Hilter’s National Socialist Party, transforming the Nazis into Germany’s second most powerful political party. September 1931 • Japanese troops seize the province of Manchuria in northern China. February 1933 • Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany, beginning his twelve-year reign as dictator. March 1933 • Germany establishes the first concentration camp in Dachau, outside of Munich. October 1934 • Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek begins to eliminate his enemies; Mao Tse-tung leads 100,000 followers on a year-long, six thousand mile march. September 1935 • In Germany, the Nazi government enacts the Nuremberg Laws, which take away citizenship rights of German-Jews. October 1935 • Italian dictator Benito Mussolini invades Ethiopia. July 1936 • The Spanish Civil War begins. October 1936 • Mussolini and Hitler form the Rome-Berlin Axis. December 1937 • Japanese forces capture the city of Nanjing, China. A U.S. gunboat, the Panay, is bombed by the Japanese in the Yangtze River. War is averted when Japan apologizes and pays indemnity. March 1938 • Nazi troops force the annexation of Austria to Germany. September 1938 • Great Britain, France, and Italy agree to allow Hitler to take over the Czech Sudetenland. November 1938 • After a Jew kills a Nazi official in Paris, Nazis retaliate by looting and burning 7,500 Jewish businesses, synogogues, and homes. March 1939 • Hitler occupies Czechoslovakia and makes it part of Germany. March 1939 • Madrid falls to Franco’s troops; the Spanish Civil War ends. April 1939 • Italy invades Albania and makes it part of Italy. May 1939 • Hitler and Mussolini sign the Pact of Steel. September 1, 1939 •World War II begins when Germany invades Poland. September 3, 1939 • Britain and France declare war on Germany. September 10, 1939 • Canada declares war on Germany. November 30, 1939 • The Soviet Union invades Finland. ——————————— Suggested Activities ——————————— Terms Define these terms and identify which events they are related to: anschluss, kristallnacht, appeasement, isolationism, concentration camp, annex, pact, neutrality. Discussion With the class, discuss why Roosevelt initially wanted to stay out of war and how he kept the U.S. from entering the war any earlier than it did.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 3 The Origins of World War II

This list outlines the events which provided the origins of World War II. For an in-depth look at this topic, see the book The Origins of World War II by Peter Allen (The Bookwright Press, 1992). 1. At the Paris Peace talks following World War I, Germany was treated harshly. A festering resentment began. 2. President Wilson helped create the League of Nations to prevent future secret alliances among countries. However, the U.S. never joined the League, and both Germany and Japan left the organization. 3. Following the war, the U.S. embraced an isolationist attitude, Great Britain adopted a pacifist foreign policy, and the French pressed for a high level of reparation payments from Germany. 4. When Mussolini became dictator of Italy, he set up the Fascist Party and promoted an aggressive foreign policy. In the Soviet Union, Stalin gained control of the Communist Party and worked to reorganize agriculture and develop industry in his country. 5. At the end of the nineteenth century, Japan had emerged as a world power. In 1931 Japan began a campaign against Manchuria. By 1935 the Japanese had reached the Great Wall of China. 6. When Chiang Kai-shek became dictator of China, he remained on good terms with the U.S. As the leader of the Nationalist Government, he waged civil war against the Communists and initially appeased the Japanese. 7. Throughout the thirties, the Nazi party gained power in Germany, and eventually Hitler was appointed chancellor. After banning all political parties other than the Nazis, he began building his reign of terror and adopted an aggressive expansionist policy. 8. Italian troops invaded Abyssinia and occupied it in May 1936. That same year a small German force marched peacefully into the Rhineland. On July 18, 1936, civil war broke out in Spain. 9. In 1938 Hitler annexed Austria and demanded the Sudetenland, an area of Czechoslovakia with a German population. The Czechoslovakian government resisted but received no support from the Allies, Britain, and France. Britain’s prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, chose to appease Hitler in order to avoid war. 10. Late in 1936, Chiang Kai-shek was forced to join the Communists in fighting Japan. By mid- 1937 Japan’s continued aggression against China caused an unofficial war that lasted throughout World War II. Japan ignored international disapproval and even attacked the U.S. gunboat, Panay. Japan apologized for the incident and paid compensation. 11. In 1939 the British policy of appeasement was reversed when German troops invaded Poland. Britain and France, bound by their alliance with Poland, declared war on Germany on September 3. 12. In September of 1940 Japan, Germany, and Italy signed a Tripartite Pact, pledging mutual support if the U.S. entered the war. 13. Japan negotiated a neutrality pact with Russia in the spring of 1941. At the time Russia was a passive partner to Germany. 14. In 1941 discussions with Japan, the U.S. told Japan to withdraw from China. The talks failed, and the U.S. imposed a ban on all trade with Japan. On December 7, 1941, Japan carried out a surprise attack against the U.S. Four days later Hitler declared war on the United States.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 4 Social Studies German Takeover: 1933-1944

Directions: Use the maps on following pages to illustrate the conquest of the Germans from 1933Ð1944. After researching the facts, neatly label the countries shown and color red the countries that were under German control in 1933.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 5 Social Studies

The Takeover (cont.)

Directions: After researching the facts, neatly label the countries shown and color red the countries that were under German control in 1940.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 6 Social Studies

The Takeover (cont.)

Directions: After researching the facts, neatly label the countries shown and color red the countries that were under German control in 1944.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 7 Language Arts Thinking about Prejudice

1. Pretend you are Jewish, living in Germany in 1943, and you capture a German soldier. What would you do? ______Whom would your actions affect? ______What would the effects be?______

2. Pretend you are a Jewish parent of a ten-year-old daughter and an eight-year-old daughter. The Germans tell you that you can take only one child with you, and the other must go with them. What would you do? ______Whom would your actions affect? ______What would the effects be?______

3. Pretend you, your family, and other Jewish neighbors have little to eat and that every time the Germans give you a loaf of bread, it is divided evenly among everyone. One day, you find a box of canned food that is packed away. What would you do? ______Whom would your actions affect? ______What would the effects be?______

4. Pretend you are Jewish, you own your own business, and the Nuremberg Laws are issued in which the Jews are excluded from German social and political life. Many of your friends and relatives are beginning to move to other countries. What would you do? ______Whom would your actions affect? ______What would the effects be?______

5. Almost daily the news media around the world report accounts of people or groups of people who are suffering from prejudice and injustices—for example, the people of Bosnia. What can you do to help eliminate prejudice? ______Whom would your actions affect? ______What would the effects be?______

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 8 Write a Letter to Jesse Owens Grade Levels: 5–7

Objectives • Student will learn about the accomplishments of Jesse Owens. • Students will learn about the views of the Nazi Party and the state of the Civil Rights movement in America in 1936. • Students will practice their letter-writing skills.

Materials • Copies of “Jesse Owens: Olympic Champion” handout. • Copies of “1936 Summer Olympics Background” handout. • References about civil rights and world politics in 1936 • Paper • Pens

Procedure 1. Explain to students that they will be learning about runner Jesse Owens and what his accomplishments symbolized to the world.

2. Distribute the two handouts and go over them with the students.

3. Discuss world events and the state of civil rights in 1936.

4. Ask students to generate a list of different types of people who may have been watching the 1936 Olympics. (Nazi supporters, Hitler, members of various ethnic groups, a black American, other athletes, etc.). Write the roles Nazi Supporter, Fellow Athlete, and African American as headings at the top of the board.

5. Ask students to generate a list of emotions each group of people may have felt watching Jesse Owens' victories during the track and field events.

6. Direct students to select one of the roles on the board, disregarding their personal feelings. Explain that they will be pretending to be a Nazi, an athlete, or an African American.

7. Give students time to research the Nazi Party's views and the state of the Civil Rights Movement in America in 1936.

8. From the point of view of their selected role, instruct students to write a letter to Jesse Owens describing their political beliefs and their feelings about his accomplishments in specific detail.

9. Once the letters have been edited by either a teacher or a peer, break the class into small groups, and have students read their letters aloud to one another.

It was the summer of 1936 and Nazism was running rampant throughout pre-World War II Eastern Europe. The Olympics were coming to Berlin and Adolph Hitler viewed it as a golden opportunity to showcase his country and prove to the rest of the world that his Aryan race was superior. Not so fast, Adolph.

Twenty-two-year-old American Jesse Owens didn't care much for Hitler's politics—or any politics for that matter. He just wanted to show off his immense skills and represent his country to the best of his abilities. Just over a year earlier, on May 25, 1935, Owens recorded one of the more mind-boggling performances in track and field history. He broke three world records and tied another at the Big Ten Track and Field Championships in Michigan—in just 45 minutes!

Hitler viewed African-Americans as inferior and chastised the United States for stooping to use these "non-humans." Despite the endless racial epithets and the constant presence of the red and black swastika, Owens made Hitler eat his words with four gold medals.

Owens Hits Gold The first gold was in the 100 meters, where Owens edged out teammate Ralph Metcalfe in a time of 10.3 seconds.

Gold number two came in the long jump, where he fouled on his first two attempts. One was just a practice run where he continued down the runway into the pit, but German officials didn't buy it and counted it as a jump. Top German long jumper Luz Long suggested Owens play it safe and jump a few inches before the usual take-off spot. He took his advice and qualified for the finals, where he won the gold with a leap of 26–5 1/2. And Long was there to congratulate him. "It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler," Owens would later say. "You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the 24-karat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment." The third gold was in the 200-meter dash, where he defeated, among others, Jackie Robinson's older brother Mack and broke the Olympic record with a time of 20.7 seconds.

Gold number four was a controversial one—not with the Germans, but with his fellow Americans. American Jews Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller were supposed to run for the United States on the 4x100 relay team. At the last minute, they were replaced by Owens and Metcalfe and it was reported that Hitler asked U.S. officials not to embarrass him any further by having two Jews win gold in Berlin. Whether that's true or not, the Owens-led U.S. team rolled to victory in a world record time of 39.8 seconds and Owens' magical Olympics came to a close.

While German officials denounced Owens, an overwhelming majority of the German fans treated him like a hero. In 1984, a street in Berlin was named in his honor.

At the Big Ten Track and Field Championships of 1935, Ohio State's Jesse Owens equaled or set world records in four events: the 100 and 220-yard dashes, 200-yard low hurdles and the long jump. He was also credited with world marks in the 200-meter run and 200-meter hurdles. That's six world records in one afternoon, and he did it all in 45 minutes!

The following year, he swept the 100 and 200 meters and long jump at the Olympic Trials and headed for Germany favored to win all three.

In Berlin, dictator Adolf Hitler and his Nazi followers felt sure that the Olympics would be the ideal venue to demonstrate Germany's oft-stated racial superiority. He directed that $25 million be spent on the finest facilities, the cleanest streets and the temporary withdrawal of all outward signs of the state-run anti-Jewish campaign. By the time over 4,000 athletes from 49 countries arrived for the Games, the stage was set.

Then Owens, a black sharecropper's son from Alabama, stole the show–winning his three individual events and adding a fourth gold medal in the 4x100-meter relay. The fact that four other American blacks also won did little to please Herr Hitler, but the applause from the German crowds, especially for Owens, was thunderous. As it was for New Zealander Jack Lovelock's thrilling win over Glenn Cunningham and defending champ Luigi Beccali in the 1,500 meters.

Germany won only five combined gold medals in men's and women's track and field, but saved face for the “master race” in the overall medal count with an 89-56 margin over the United States.

The top female performers in Berlin were 17-year-old Dutch swimmer Rie Mastenbroek, who won three gold medals, and 18-year-old American runner Helen Stephens, who captured the 100 meters and anchored the winning 4x100-meter relay team.

Basketball also made its debut as a medal sport and was played outdoors. The U.S. men easily won the first gold medal championship game with a 19-8 victory over Canada in the rain.

Directions: Contributing to Hitler’s rise were many economic, political, and social conditions, such as large numbers of people being unemployed, resentment for conditions following Germany’s loss of World War I, and widespread religious prejudice. In the space provided below, identify as many of these conditions as possible.

Economic Conditions ______Political Conditions ______Social Conditions ______

Identify any of these conditions that exist in the U.S. today by placing a check beside them. Then list additional economic, political, and social conditions that exist in the U.S. today.

Economic Conditions ______Political Conditions ______Social Conditions ______

Place each of the conditions on a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high) in level of importance. You can number the conditions and place the number before the appropriate item.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 12 Social Studies Nuremberg Law

Directions: The following Nuremberg Law was written and enforced, beginning in 1935. Read the Nuremberg Law and then answer the questions that follow.

Nuremberg Law for the Protection of German 2) They are, on the other hand, permitted to Blood and German Honor. display the Jewish colors. The exercise of this right is protected by the State. September 15, 1935 V Moved by the understanding that purity of the German Blood is the essential condition for 1) Any person who violates the prohibition the continued existence of the German people, under I will be punished by a prison sentence and inspired by the inflexible determination to with hard labor. ensure the existence of the German Nation for 2) A male who violates the prohibition under all time, the Reichstag has unanimously II will be punished with a prison sentence with adopted the following Law, which is or without hard labor. promulgated herewith: 3) Any person violating the provisions under III or IV will be punished with a prison I sentence of up to one year and a fine, or with one or the other of these penalties. 1) Marriage between Jews and subjects of the The Reich Minister of the Interior, in state of German or related blood are coordination with the Deputy of the Führer forbidden. Marriages nevertheless concluded and the Reich Minister of Justice, will issue are invalid, even if concluded abroad to the Legal and Administrative regulations circumvent this law. required to implement and complete the Law. 2) Annulment proceedings can be initiated The Law takes effect on the day following only by the State Prosecutor. promulgations except for III, which goes into force on January 1, 1936. II Nuremberg, September 15, 1935 at the Reich Extramarital intercourse between Jews and Party Congress of Freedom. subjects of the state of German or related The Führer and Reich Chancellor blood is forbidden. Adolf Hitler III The Reich Minister of the Interior Jews may not employ in their households Frick female subjects of the state of German or The Reich Minister of Justice related blood who are under 45 years old. Dr. Gurtner IV The Deputy of the Führer 1) Jews are forbidden to fly the Reich or R. Hess National flag or to display the Reich colors.

Source: Arad, Y. et.al., Eds. Documents on the Holocaust: Yad Vashem: KTAV Publishing House, 1981.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 13 Social Studies

Nuremberg Law (cont.)

1. Summarize what you think the Nuremberg Law meant for the Jewish people.

______

2. What do you find most disturbing about the Nuremberg Law?

______

3. How would your life and the lives of your friends, family, and neighbors be different if suddenly a law such as the Nuremberg Law were imposed on your culture?

______

4. Why do you think the Germans wrote such a law?

______

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 14 Politics and Economics Chronology of World War II

Some of the important events of World War II are listed in the chronology that follows. Use this page for your reference. 1939 September Germany invades Poland. Great Britain and France declare war on Germany. 1940 April German forces capture Norway and much of western Europe. May Churchill becomes Great Britain’s prime minister. June Italy joins the war on the Axis’ side. (Germany and Japan) October The Battle of Britain ends. 1941 June Germany invades the USSR. December Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. The United States enters the war. 1942 February Japan captures Singapore. May The Battle of the Coral Sea takes place. June The U.S. Navy is victorious in Battle at Midway. Allies invade Morocco and Algeria. October Allies defeat Germans and Italians at El Alamein in Egypt. November Russians defeat Germans at Stalingrad. 1943 July Allies land in Sicily and southern Italy. September Italy surrenders. 1944 June Allies invade western Europe on D-Day, June 6. July A plot to kill Hitler fails. October In the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the U.S. fleet defeats Japan. 1945 January Russians invade Germany from the east. March Allies cross the Rhine River. April In the East, U.S. troops recapture the Philippines. May Hitler commits suicide. Fighting ends in Europe. August U.S. airplanes drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan surrenders. On the back of this paper, write a chronology of important events in the war on the Pacific front.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 15 Politics and Economics WW II Aircraft

Although aircraft were used to fight World War I, new technology and new flight tactics were employed heavily during World War II. Some of the innovative types of aircraft used in World War II are shown below.

B-29 Superfortress Spitfire

1. American This heavy-duty bomber of WW II, carried eight tons of bombs, and could fly 2. English It could fire numerous rounds each 360 miles per hour. minute and was known for its elegant design. Zero Fighter B-17

4. American The Boeing Flying Fortress was the 3. Japanese A model of efficiency, it was used world’s first operational four-engine bomber in the kamikaze (suicide) attacks. and was the standard bomber used by the Army. Stuka Messerschmitt

5. German It was capable of dropping 1,100- 6. German It was the first jet plane to engage in pound bombs with deadly accuracy. battle.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 16 World Conflict in a New Century PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS OF WORLD WAR II

The people, places, and things in these lists were important to the United States war effort. Read the lists and add one more item to each.

1. World leaders Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, ______2. Axis countries Germany, Japan, ______3. Rationed products sugar, coffee, ______4. Generals George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, ______5. Battles Normandy, Midway, ______6. Home Front victory garden, selective service, ______7. Aircraft B-17, B-29, ______8. Holocaust concentration camps, prisoners, ______

9. G.I. Wear helmet, mess kit, ______10. Manhattan Project Enola Gay, Fat Man,______11. United Service Organizations music, movies, ______12. Air raid shelter food, water,______

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 17 Social Issues: Women WAACs, WAVES, and Nurses

History Traditionally, women had been regarded as physically and mentally unfit for the horrors of war. A few women participated in the American Revolution by accompanying their husbands to the battlefield, where they cooked and washed for the entire regiment. Some women, notably Deborah Sampson, donned men’s clothing and participated as soldiers. Over the years the number of women wanting to serve in the military grew. WAACs When a peacetime draft was initiated in 1940, women once again expressed their willingness to serve their country. In 1941, Edith Nourse Rogers, a Congressional representative from Massachusetts, submitted legislation to establish the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, WAAC. Despite some opposition, the bill was passed on May 15, 1942. On July 20, 1947, the first trainees studied military customs, leadership training techniques, and even voice control. They lived in barracks which offered little privacy and were divided into living quarters for blacks and whites, reflecting conditions for black enlisted men. WAVES The success of the WAAC program led to the formation of the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) and the Coast Guard SPARS (taken from their motto Semper Paratus, Latin for “always prepared”). As the war progressed, women in the WAVES began to work in areas including clerical duties, supply operations, and even operated airport control towers. Nurses Nurses were more readily accepted by the armed services. The ANC (Army Nurse Corp) had been established in 1901, and women nurses had served commendably in World War I. At the beginning of World War II there were only 700 women ANC members. Those accepted for the World War II ANC underwent a tough four- week training program in the California deserts. To build up strength, they hiked 20 miles a day with 30-pound backpacks. They also ran through an obstacle course to learn how to dodge flying bullets. Unfortunately, women nurses faced the greatest hardship and dangers of all women who served in the war. More than 200 nurses were killed in the line of duty. ———————————— Suggested Activities ——————————— POWs Some nurses were captured on Corregidor and taken to the Philippines where they were held for nearly three years. Find out about conditions at their POW camp. Supplies As medical supplies were quickly exhausted, nurses had to make do with what they had on hand. Make a list of some of the substitutes they devised for bandages, stretchers, and blood supplies. Inequalities Discuss what inequalities and prejudices women in the services had to endure. How did their pay compare to the men’s? Were black women accepted as equals in the service?

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 18 Women and World War II Grade Levels: 8 – 12

Objective

• Students will understand the impact of World War II on the advancement of women in society.

Materials

• Reference books • Internet access (optional)

Procedure

Have students find the answers to the following questions:

1. Before Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was supplying the Allies with land and water craft, as well as guns and ammunition. How did this impact the demand for labor in the U.S.? Why was there sufficient excess labor to increase production? (Answer: high unemployment during the Depression)

2. When the U.S. officially entered the war, what happened to the demand for production? What happened to the supply of labor when the military began drafting civilians? So, if the demand for production increased and the labor force became smaller, what should have been the impact on prices? (Answer: inflation)

3. Inflation was the result during World War I. In the first 53 months of WW I, the cost of living rose over 60%. Why was the rate of inflation lower during WWII? (Answer: (1) rationing and price ceilings to slow civilian demand; (2) women were encouraged by the government to enter jobs that had never before been open to women, expanding the available pool of workers.)

4. Discuss the experiences women would have faced entering the workforce: new freedoms, earning wages, child care, prejudice

5. When the war ended and men who had served their country returned to the States, in some cases, women were let go to give the servicemen employment. Was this fair? What could employers have done?

6. How did women's participation in the domestic and military labor markets impact their post-war role in society?

The global conflict between the Axis and the Allies was the costliest—in terms of both life and money—the world had ever seen. By the time it was formally concluded on September 2, 1945, over a million African Americans had served in the U.S. military in the struggle against Germany, Japan, and Italy.

A number of African American units were honored with Distinguished Unit Citations for their service during the war, including the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 969th Field Artillery Battalion.

The Tuskegee Airmen

Pressure from the NAACP and the African American press caused the War Department to form the African American 99th Pursuit Squadron. On July 19, 1941, the U.S. Army opened its first flight training facility for African Americans at the Tuskegee (Alabama) Army Air Field.

The following March, the first of the Tuskegee Airmen graduated. In all, Tuskegee trained 992 pilots, of whom 450 flew missions in North Africa. The Airmen destroyed 261 enemy aircraft, and won over 850 medals.

FDR Cuts a Deal

Under heavy pressure from African American civil rights leaders threatening a march on Washington, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 in June of 1941. The order barred discrimination on racial or religious grounds in government programs and industrial programs. FDR's action did not end racial segregation in the military or anywhere else…but it did make possible the first African American Marine Corps unit the following year.

As a result of the executive order, roughly 19,000 African Americans served in World War II as Marines. They were trained at Camp Montford Point in Lejeune, North Carolina, and came to be known as the Montford Point Marines. Many were honored for bravery in combat.

20 War Survival Name______

Holocaust Freewrite

The word “holocaust” is commonly applied to any extensive human disaster. When capitalized, “Holocaust” is recognized as the massacre of Jews by the Nazis during WWII. Adolph Hitler believed that there should be only one pure race of German people and that Jews were inferior to this race. He ordered that all Jews should be annihilated. As a result, between 1939 and 1945 the Nazis systematically killed six million Jewish people. Read the brief history of the Holocaust below. Use the space provided to do a freewrite on your thoughts. Share your ideas with your class. Between 1933 and 1939, the Nazis gradually took away the business rights of the Jews. Jews were no longer allowed to own stores, and they could not receive any profits. This made it impossible for a family to survive. Financial upheaval was the first step of the Nazis’ master plan. When WWII started in 1939, the Nazis began to round up the Jews and place them into containment camps called ghettos. The Jews were forced to wear yellow stars, and they had few freedoms. In the ghettos, food was scarce and conditions were crowded, but families could stay together and some people were able to work. At this time, in an attempt to avoid imprisonment, many Jews fled the country or went into hiding. By 1942, the concentration camps, or death camps, were established. Jews were stripped of all belongings and were loaded into boxcars. The trains transported them to concentration camps located throughout Germany and Poland. In the concentration camps, the Nazis dehumanized and murdered millions of innocent men, women, and children. Today, there are still reminders of the horrors of the Holocaust. Survivors still wear the numbers tattooed on their arms in the camps, and although the concentration camps were destroyed, the foundations of many of the buildings still exist.

Freewrite Response:

©T eacher Created Resources, Inc. 21 Social Issues: Race Japanese Internment

Within weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese American men were rounded up and jailed like criminals. Their families were forced to obey a curfew and they had a five-mile travel limit. In addition, they were required to turn in their shortwave radios, cameras, binoculars, and firearms to local police. On February 20, 1942, Executive Order 9066 was carried out and 110,000 persons of Japanese ancestry were ordered to leave their homes. Evacuees were only allowed what they could carry, including linens, clothing, dishes, toys, and utensils. They were taken to assembly centers at nearby fairgrounds and race tracks. These areas were secured with barbed wire fences and sentries were posted in guard towers. One tiny room was assigned to each family. Some of these rooms were nothing more than former horse stalls with linoleum placed directly over manure-covered ground. There was no furniture except for army cots, no running water, and no heat. Communal bathrooms with toilets and showers had to be shared with 300 other people. Lines for meals were long, and the food served was not their usual diet. The Japanese Americans spent the spring and summer of 1942 in these makeshift quarters until they were moved into one of ten different camps in Idaho, California, Wyoming, Arizona, and Arkansas. These “new” camps weren’t much better than the ones they had left. Barbed wire surrounded the areas, and sentries stood watch. Rows of black barracks covered with tar paper were their new homes. Rooms were one of three sizes and were assigned one per family, depending on the number of family members. One hanging ceiling light, a closet, and windows decorated each room. Thin walls assured them of no privacy. Evacuees made what furniture they could. Women ordered fabric through mail order catalogs and sewed curtains. People planted outdoor gardens, and students attended camp schools which lacked even basic supplies like books and paper. Japanese Americans were kept in these barracks until 1944. ———————————— Suggested Activities ——————————— Discuss The Constitution provides the rights of liberty and justice for all. How were these rights broken in the case of the Japanese Americans? Find out what restitution was made to those who were held in these camps. Camp Homes With masking tape make a number of 8' X 10' (3 m X 6 m) rooms on the classroom floor. Assign an equal number of students to each room. Have them do their regular assignments for one day while confined to the “rooms.” Discuss the experience in whole group. The 442nd Regiment After much protest, Japanese Americans were allowed to serve in the war. The 442nd Regiment was the most decorated American unit to serve in World War II. Find out more about this unit and its accomplishments. Reference I Am an American by Jerry Stanley (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1994).

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 22 Has the Past Been Just?

Objectives for Students

To examine another time when, as a result of an act of violence, an entire ethnic group was mistreated* To know some of the consequences of blaming an entire group for the actions of a few

Materials

Handout C: In Another Time Handout D: People Who Helped Handout E: Epilogue

Activities

1. Examining an Incident from Our Own History

Distribute Handout C: In Another Time.

Read, or have students read, the background on the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Q: What assumptions about Japanese Americans, as a group, has the speaker made?

Q: What fears does the speaker encourage?

Have students take turns reading to the class the story excerpts in Handout C (under “The Evacuation,” “The Camps,” and “The Impact on Japanese Businesses and Farms”).

Explore the stories with these questions:

Q: Following the attack, what were the prevailing attitudes about people of Japanese ancestry?

Q: How did it unfold that we started to turn against these people because of the country that they—or, more often, their ancestors—came from?

Q: What were the consequences for these people? (Schooling was disrupted; families were broken up; their homes, gardens, and pets were left behind; their incomes were destroyed; their businesses, homes, farms, and possessions were sold at a loss; their sense of vulnerability and of not belonging increased dramatically; etc.)

* The purpose of this lesson is to explore the analogy of misplaced blame, rather than to relate the two attacks.

______

Beyond Blame: Reacting to the Terrorist Attack

23 Q: What’s alike and what’s different about the situation today? (While there are important differences from the perspective of international politics—i.e., the Pearl Harbor attack was by one nation on the armed forces of another nation—the situation within our country is similar in at least one important way: A violent incident is being followed by persecution of innocent people of the same ethnic or religious group as the perpetrators or suspects.)

2. Exploring the Possibility of Protection and Support

Q: “Did anyone support or protect the Japanese Americans?”

Brainstorm and list answers to these questions:

Q: What were the needs of the people who had been interned?

Q: What social pressures might have influenced people to help or not help?

Distribute Handout D: People Who Helped and give the following homework assignment:

Write a short story or a brief scene about one of these helping incidents. Be sure that your story shows, through action, the conflicts within each character’s mind around giving or receiving help.

OR Create a poem, song, painting, or drawing about the things that were left behind.

3. Looking at the Aftermath

Distribute Handout E: Epilogue and read it to the class, or have students read it aloud or to themselves.

Q: What were the long-term consequences for the Japanese Americans? (Some are noted in Handout E.)

Q: What were the long-term consequences for the United States? (The realization that even a great nation can make mistakes; a precedent for how not to treat U.S. citizens and residents; etc.)

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Beyond Blame: Reacting to the Terrorist Attack

24 Teacher’s Notes

This curriculum uses the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II as an example of the consequences of misplaced blame. Sadly, throughout history, there are numerous examples of widespread blame, isolation, and violence toward entire ethnic groups, triggered by the violent acts of a few people of the same ethnicity. Beyond Blame chose the story of the Japanese-American internment for several reasons: ¾ Japanese American and Arab American groups have used the example themselves. ¾ There are excellent education materials already available about the Japanese- American internment (see Additional Resources). ¾ Our nation has officially acknowledged that the internment was “a grave injustice” and has made reparations.

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Beyond Blame: Reacting to the Terrorist Attack

25 Has the Past Been Just?

Handout C: In Another Time

Background In the United States and its territories in the 1880s, there was a large demand for cheap labor. People from Asian countries were brought over to fill the jobs. By 1908, 135,000 Japanese had arrived. In the years that followed, many of them saved whatever money they could, brought their families over, and made America their home.

On December 7, 1941, as World War II was raging in Europe, the country of Japan attacked the U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Newspaper headlines all over America quoted the president’s reaction: “DAY OF INFAMY!!!” The next day, the United States declared war on Japan.

In their rage and fear, people turned against Americans of Japanese descent and their entire community. It was feared that those living on the West Coast would help Japan by signaling military or industrial locations and otherwise try to sabotage America’s war effort. According to one Congressman:

I know the Hawaiian Islands. I know the Pacific Coast . . . I know that those areas are teeming with Japanese spies.

Do not forget that once a Japanese, always a Japanese. I say it is of vital importance that we get rid of every Japanese, whether in Hawaii or on the mainland . . . [Japanese] who had been there [Hawaii] for generations were making signs, if you please, guiding the Japanese planes . . . in order that they might destroy our naval vessels, murder our soldiers and sailors, and blow to pieces the helpless women and children of Hawaii . . .11

The Evacuation On February 19, 1942, the president signed an Executive Order authorizing the U.S. government to force Japanese Americans and legal residents from their homes and into internment camps. Approximately 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, mainly those living on the West Coast, were put into these internment camps.* The vast majority of these people were U.S. citizens or legal residents; half of them were children. They were moved away from coastal areas and into facilities that the president himself called “concentration camps.”

A week’s notice was given for the move. Monica Sone—who, along with her parents, brother, and sister, was forced to leave her home in Seattle—wrote about what the final week was like:

Up to that moment we had hoped against hope that something or someone would intervene for us. Now there was no time for moaning. A thousand and one details must be attended to in this one week of grace. Those seven days sputtered out like

*Approximately two-thirds of the internees were born as U.S. citizens and one-third were foreign-born U.S. nationals. The first generation of Japanese immigrants are often referred to as “Issei,” their children as “Nisei,” and their grandchildren as “Sansei.”

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Beyond Blame: Handout C (5 pages)

26 matches struck in the wind, as we rushed wildly about. Mother distributed sheets, pillowcases and blankets, which we stuffed into seabags. Into the two suitcases we packed heavy winter overcoats, plenty of sweaters, woolen slacks and skirts, flannel pajamas and scarves. Personal toilet articles, one tin plate, tin cup and silverware completed our luggage. The one seabag and two suitcases apiece were going to be the backbone of our future home, and we planned it carefully.

Henry went to the Control Station to register the family. He came home with twenty tags, all numbered “10710,” tags to be attached to each piece of baggage, and one to hang from our coat lapels. From then on, we were known as Family #10710.12

An aid worker wrote his observations:

Think what these people have been doing: the past week standing in line, first to register, then for physical exams. The last frantic arrangements, selling, storing, dispensing with precious possessions, leaving pets and gardens behind, then the last night, most of them up until 4 and 5 a.m. . . . Then at 6 or so, up and get the children ready, dress in your best clothes, come down in the puring [sic] rain of a cold, dreary day, then stand in line and mill around in the confusion of departure . . . then load into the buses . . . 13

Government officials checking Japanese Americans into an internment camp in 1943. Photo by Lee Russell.

The Camps Monica Sone describes what her family found as living quarters when they arrived:

We were assigned to apartment 2-1-A . . . The apartments resembled elongated, low stables . . . Our home was one room, about 18 by 20 feet, the size of a living room. There was one small window in the wall opposite the door. It was bare except for a small, tinny, wood-burning stove crouching in the center. The flooring consisted of two-by-fours laid directly on the earth, and dandelions were already pushing up . . . 14

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Beyond Blame: Handout C (5 pages)

27 The tents where the Japanese-Americans lived at one of the camps. Photo by Lee Russell.

Another resident describes the lavatories:

“The lavatories were an ‘open’ affair at first with not a sign or partition anywhere, back or sides—merely holes in the seat with a cover—that’s all. Now, though, the partitions between every two seats and the board behind our backs afford some degree of privacy, but the odor—oh my!”15

A national magazine published this description of the camp environment:

“The resettlement center is actually a penitentiary—armed guards in towers with spotlights and deadly tommy guns, fifteen feet of barbed-wire fences, everyone confined to quarters at nine, lights out at ten o’clock. The guards are ordered to shoot anyone who approaches within twenty feet of the fences. No one is allowed to take the two-block-long hike to the latrines after nine, under any circumstances.”16

A woman sets up a kitchen in her barracks apartment. Photo by Lee Russell.

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Beyond Blame: Handout C (5 pages)

28 The Impact on Japanese Businesses and Farms

A farmer who was about to be evacuated wrote this letter:

John H. Tolan Committee

Henry Building, Seattle, Wash.

Dear Sirs: I am one of the Japanese Americans being eventually evacuated from this area and desire information as to the disposition of property we own . . .

Our family have a greenhouse business here, owned by myself, in which we have planted the tomato and cucumber crops and have tended and cared for these crops right up to the present time. We did so in the hope that Japanese, if citizens of the United States, would be permitted to remain if approved by the authorities to be loyal to this country. However, we find we may be evacuated also.

These crops will be ready to harvest beginning next month, and, in the event I have to leave, I want very much that someone handle it rather than lose the crops.

Thanking you for the favor, I am

Yours very sincerely,

T. Nakamura17

The following report appeared in The San Francisco News on March 28, 1942:

Unless American farmers immediately take over 225,000 acres of Japanese and Japanese American farmlands, crop losses running into millions of dollars are threatened, L. I. Hewes Jr., regional director of the Farm Security Administration, warned today.

“It is mandatory [that] the land be kept in production,” said Mr. Hewes. “Losses are already occurring, and within the next four to six months heavy losses threaten such crops as tomatoes, celery, spinach, peas, onions, garlic and snap beans. The poultry business is suffering, too.”

Acting through the Army’s Wartime Civilian Control Administration, nearly 6,000 farms formerly held by Japanese have been listed as available for farming by Americans. But so far only about 1,000 farmers have expressed interest in operating the lands. The Japanese farms are worth nearly 70 million dollars, not counting crop values.

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Beyond Blame: Handout C (5 pages)

29 Letters to a Teacher

Before being evacuated, students wrote messages to their teacher in an autograph book:

March 20, 1942 Dear Miss Evanson, I will start out my letter by writing about the worst thing. I do not want to go away but the government says we all have to go so we have to mind him. I said in the Japanese paper that we have to go east of the cascade mt. But we were planning to go to Idaho or Montana. Now that war is going on many Japanese men, women and girls are out of jobs and a lot of my friends father are in a consertration [sic] camp. If I go there I hope I will have a teacher just like you. And rather more I hope the war will be strighten [sic] out very soon so that I would be able to attend Washington School.

May 23, 1942 Dear Miss Evanson, I am sorry we have to evacuate because I will miss my studies, teachers, friends and our principal, Mr. Sears. Maybe it is better for us to go and do what the government says. I hope there is a school where I can continue with my studies. As you know Seattle is my home town so I am sorry to leave here. I hope this war will soon be over because then I could come back to attend the Dear Old Washington School.18

Propaganda Versus Reality

In 1942, a movie was made about the Japanese in America:

The movie Little Tokyo, U.S.A. is released by Twentieth Century Fox. In it, the Japanese American community is portrayed as a “vast army of volunteer spies” and “blind worshippers of their Emperor,” as described in the film’s voice-over prologue.19

Despite the injustices that Japanese Americans suffered, they served our nation bravely in the Armed Forces:

February 1, 1943: The 442nd Regimental Combat Team is activated, made up entirely of Japanese Americans.20

October 27–30, 1944: The 442nd Regimental Combat Team rescues an American battalion, which had been cut off and surrounded by the enemy. Eight hundred casualties are suffered by the 442nd to rescue 211 men. After this rescue, the 442nd is ordered to keep advancing in the forest; ultimately, they push ahead without relief or rest until November 9.21 ______

Beyond Blame: Handout C (5 pages)

30 Has the Past Been Just?

Handout D: People Who Helped While Japanese Americans faced a sea of troubles during this time period, a few individuals and organizations did offer help. Here are some examples:22

During the internment of Japanese Americans, a group of religious, academic, and civic leaders came together to form the “National Japanese American Student Relocation Council” in order to assist students in completing their education. Their help included providing sponsorships, scholarships, food, housing, and even jobs.

In 1942, both the mayor and the chief of police of Lincoln, Nebraska, wrote letters supporting the rights and citizenship of Japanese Americans. These letters laid the foundation that allowed these citizens to become students at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and to be released from the internment camp.

Reverend Drew, a Methodist minister, was an outspoken pacifist and activist for the rights of Japanese American citizens. He supported efforts to move families to the Midwest, often providing them with food and shelter.

Beet farmers in Idaho offered Japanese Americans the work opportunities that could serve as a basis for release from internment. Other farmers gave land to Japanese Americans in exchange for work to support those who were evacuated from the West Coast.

Many members of the American Society of Friends (sometimes referred to as Quakers) protested the internment program and provided academic counseling and support, housing, and shelter to Japanese American students to help them continue their studies.

In several communities in the Midwest, informal social groups were created for cultural exchange in order to help Japanese Americans become socially accepted.

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Beyond Blame: Handout D

31 Has the Past Been Just?

Handout E: Epilogue

What was the impact on the Japanese Americans?

Injustice is powerful, and its effects can be felt for years:

“The mental and physical health impacts of the trauma of the internment experience continue to affect tens of thousands of Japanese Americans. Health studies have shown a two-times greater incidence of heart disease and premature death among former internees, compared to non-interned Japanese Americans.”23

California legislator Mike Honda remembers his confusion and his sense of helplessness:

“When I was a child, my family was rounded up and sent to an internment camp. Was my family a threat? Were the 120,000 Japanese Americans a threat? The answer is no.”24

What is the United States’ view today about the Japanese internment?

Almost 50 years later, through the efforts of leaders of and advocates for the Japanese American community, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 . . . [It] acknowledged that “a grave injustice was done” and mandated Congress to pay each victim of internment $20,000 in reparations.

The reparations were sent with a signed apology from the president of the United States on behalf of the American people.

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Beyond Blame: Handout E

32 Fiction: Historical Name______Date______Warm-Up A Letter from Home Dear Dad, How are you? I hope you are safe. In school today, we talked again about the war and all that’s going on. It always makes me feel nervous and I start to sweat. Mrs. Peterson talked about Hitler again and the terrible things he is doing. I’m proud to know that my dad is helping to fight evil like that. The last of vegetables are coming off of our victory garden. Squash is mostly what is left. We haven’t tasted butter in over three weeks. I miss it on my bread, but each time I get to missing it, I think about why we are not eating it. Mrs. Egen seems to think this war could be wrapped up by the end of the year. The other day, the newspaper had a story about the clothes from wounded soldiers billowing in the wind. I just ignore those types of stories. I know you want to know about school. It’s going well. I’m getting all my homework done. Mom is doing well, too. She seems to be very strong, but sometimes I can hear her crying at night. Cindy is sick a lot, but I think she is just missing you. Dad, I have just one question. How am I going to remember you? I look at your picture every day, but my memories from the past seem to be fading. I want to try and keep those memories alive. Any suggestions? Your son, Abe

Story Questions

1. What is the purpose of the last paragraph in the letter? a. It provides the problem in the passage. b. It provides the solution to the passage. c. It is the climax of the passage. d. It provides the background and the setting of the passage. 2. What is the meaning of the word billowing as used in the passage? a. rushing c. flapping b. reflecting d. descending 3. What is the real problem expressed in this passage? a. Abe doesn’t like writing letters to his dad. b. Abe is worried that his father will get hurt. c. Abe is worried that he won’t remember his dad. d. Abe is worried about the war.

A Letter From Home 1. a 2. c 3. c

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 34 Language Arts Holocaust Fact or Opinion Directions: A fact is something that can be proven to be true. For example, “The grass is green” is a fact. An opinion is something that cannot be proven true. For example, “John’s hair is too long” is an opinion. Read the following statements about the Holocaust. Put an F in the blank if the statement is a fact. Put an O in the blank if the statement is an opinion.

______1. Adolf Hitler was appointed as Chancellor of Germany.

______2. All Germans hated the Jews.

______3. The Jewish people should have left Europe.

______4. Many Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.

______5. Laws were passed that deprived Jews of German citizenship.

______6. Jews did not realize what was happening to them.

______7. Jewish shops and businesses were burned, looted, and destroyed.

______8. The Nazi Party was proclaimed by law to be the only legal political party in Germany.

______9. If Jewish people had cooperated with Hitler and his Nazi Party, they would not have been killed.

______10. Concentration camps were established for the Jews.

______11. Other countries should have done more to help save the Jewish people.

______12. German officers were adequately punished for what they did to the Jewish people.

______13. American troops joined other countries in trying to stop the German aggression and atrocities against Jews.

______14. All Jews in German occupied areas were required to wear the yellow Star of David.

______15. Hitler committed suicide.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 35 Answer Key 1. F 2. O 3. O 4. F 5. F 6. O 7. F 8. F 9. O 10. F 11. O 12. O 13. F 14. F 15. O

Millions of lives were lost during World War II, but not all of them were due to combat. When the Nazis came to power in Germany, they began to persecute Jews. Adolf Hitler, in a desire to promote a “master race” of pure Aryans, was determined to wipe out the entire Jewish population. Because many German Jews were economically successful, had good jobs, and owned nice houses, Hitler’s misguided reasoning held them responsible for inflation, the Depression, and other German problems. Hitler also believed that the Aryan race was superior and that Jews were polluting it. Many other people believed in this theory, too. In order to eliminate the “Jewish problem,” Hitler built walled prisons called concentration camps in Germany, Poland, and Austria. Some of these prisons were work camps, while others were nothing more than death factories. Prisoners at working camps like Bergen-Belsen and Dachau in Germany made supplies for the German army. On their arrival at a camp, prisoners’ clothing and belongings were taken away. Their heads were shaved and numbers were tattooed on their arms for identification. Conditions at these camps were deplorable. Many inhabitants froze to death; others died from disease or lack of food. Some were killed when they were no longer able to work. At the death camps, such as Auschwitz and Treblinka in Poland, prisoners were taken to a shower, but the rooms were locked and pumped full of deadly gas through the shower heads. Later their bodies were burned in huge ovens. In addition, some prisoners were subjected to supposedly scientific testing, surgeries without anesthesia, and gruesome experiments. In all, over six million Jews were killed—that number represented 40% of the world’s Jewish population. Additionally, five million disabled, homosexuals, Gypsies, and political opponents of the Nazis were eliminated. The Holocaust was a dark period in history, one that must not be repeated. ———————————— Suggested Activities ——————————— Research Research and discuss any of the following questions: When and how were the camps liberated? Why wasn’t more done by other countries to alleviate the situation? What were the results of the Nuremberg Trials?

References Never to Forget: The Jews of the Holocaust by Milton Meltzer (HarperCollins, 1976). Smoke and Ashes: The Story of the Holocaust by Barbara Rogasky (Holiday, 1988). Anne Frank by Richard Tames (Franklin Watts, 1989). (Numerous books and articles exist on this topic.) Teacher Note: The movie Schindler’s List is also recommended. You will need to get school- district and parent permission in writing before showing this film as the movie is R-rated.

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 37 Language Arts Crack the Code - The Holocaust Directions: Read each sentence. Circle the code letter below to show whether the sentence is true or false. For example, the first statement is false. Therefore, under statement 1 in the chart below the sentences, you would circle the letter “O.” 1. The word holocaust means “sacred cause.”

2. Adolf Hitler was the Chancellor of Germany during the period of the Holocaust.

3. Kristallnacht is a German word meaning the “Night of Broken Glass.”

4. Germans kept the Jews in concentration camps and treated them well.

5. The Germans murdered only women and men.

6. Nazi is an acronym for National Socialist German Workers Party.

7. Hitler was admired and respected by all German people.

8. An estimated 6,000,000 Jewish people died during the Holocaust period.

9. Anne Frank survived the Holocaust.

10. The Nazi murders included thousands of non-Jews such as Gypsies, the handicapped, and homosexuals.

11. The concept of anti-Semitism—prejudice against Jewish cultural/religious differences—began with the Holocaust.

12. The economy was good in Germany when Hitler began his dictatorship.

13. The Nuremberg Laws forbade marriages between Jews and Germans.

14. Denmark assisted in getting some Jews to safety.

Statement 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 True P E M S A D K N X O R W E O False O Q T I N L R U G V E C K C

Write the circled letters in the blanks below to find out an important message concerning the Holocaust. For example, the first statement is false, and therefore the letter “O” is circled and the letter “O” is written above the numeral 1.

______51 3147 2913810124611

Check students’ knowledge of world figures during World War II with this oral quiz. Copy the list of names (in the box below) onto the chalkboard or overhead projector. Instruct the students to number a sheet of paper from 1 to 12. Read aloud the clues for each number below, giving students time to choose and write the name of the correct leader. After all twelve have been read, correct the answers together. NOTE: For your easy reference, answers have been provided at the bottom of this page.

Harry S. Truman Franklin D. Roosevelt Neville Chamberlain Josef Stalin Hideki Tojo Mao Tse-tung Adolf Hitler Chiang Kai-shek Benito Mussolini Winston Churchill Francisco Franco Charles de Gaulle

1. During Spain’s civil war he led the Nationalist rebels against the Republican government. From 1939 to 1975 he served as Spain’s leader. 2. In 1933 this former lawyer was elected president of the U.S.; he kept the country out of war until Pearl Harbor was bombed. 3. A soldier and journalist before establishing the Italian fascist party in 1919, he allied with Germany at the beginning of World War II. 4. After succeeding Lenin, he became the most powerful man in the Soviet Union by making himself dictator. 5. Britain’s prime minister from 1937 to 1940, he pursued a policy of appeasement towards Hitler and Mussolini. 6. After serving as vice president for only four months, he became president of the United States. It was his decision to drop an atomic bomb on Japan in an effort to end the war. 7. This former war minister was Japan’s prime minister from 1941 to 1944; he argued in favor of an aggressive expansionist policy. 8. The founder and leader of the Nazi party, he called himself der Führer. In 1945 he was finally defeated by the combined forces of the United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain, and other Allies. 9. This French general fled to England when France fell. He became the symbol of the French resistance during the War. After the Normandy invasion, he served as president of the provisional government (1944-1946). 10. He led 100,000 followers on the Long March. In 1949 he created the People’s Republic of China. 11. After England’s prime minister resigned in 1940, he succeeded to the position and led his country into war against Germany. 12. As dictator he resisted Japanese aggressors. Later, his troops were defeated by Mao Tse-tung Red Army.

Answers: 1.Francisco Franco 2. Franklin D. Roosevelt 3. Benito Mussolini 4. Josef Stalin 5. Neville Chamberlain 6. Harry S. Truman 7. Hideki Tojo 8. Adolf Hitler 9. Charles de Gaulle 10. Mao-Tse-tung 11. Winston Churchill 12. Chiang Kai-Shek

Directions: Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933. After that time, Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, handicapped people, and others became the prime targets for persecution. During his dictatorship from 1933Ð1945, nearly 6,000,000 Jews were murdered. Pretend you were alive in 1940 and know what you know today. Write the president of the United States a letter about what you think his country should do.

______

Dear Mr. President:

During World War II women faced new challenges. As more and more men were drafted, women were pressed into working outside the home. Some volunteered for duty in the armed services. Even those who stayed at home were asked to make sacrifices for their country. While women on the home front did not face the imminent dangers of war, they were faced with a number of obstacles. For one thing they had few household appliances. Clothes had to be washed by hand or with a hand-cranked machine. Meals were prepared from scratch as there were few convenience foods. Food preparation became even more difficult as popular foods were rationed. Women were encouraged to attend special classes that taught them how to use little-known foods (such as eggplant) in different dishes. Families were encouraged to grow “victory gardens”; more than 75% of American housewives preserved and canned the resulting produce. As more and more men were drafted, women had to take on even more responsibilities. Twenty-five percent joined volunteer organizations. Some worked as aircraft spotters looking for enemy planes, while others learned to drive ambulances. Three million women joined the Red Cross where they organized blood banks, rolled bandages, and packed kits for soldiers. United Service Organizations (USOs) were established in 1941 on various U.S. military bases to support soldiers. Women served as hostesses and dance partners. Women, especially celebrities, helped sell war bonds. As manufacturers faced a shortage of male workers, they, too, began recruiting women. Because Americans believed that a woman’s place was at home, companies had to convince women that they were needed and capable of building ships, planes, and tanks. Patriotic ads appeared in magazines with Rosie the Riveter as the symbol of working women. In time, women worked alongside men and in many cases took over welding, riveting, and machinists’ positions. These experiences helped women become more self-confident and provided the potential for futures very different from the ones they had faced only two or three years earlier. ———————————— Suggested Activities ——————————— African Americans Black American women wanted to serve their country, too, but it took a presidential order to fight discrimination. What was Executive Order 8802, and how did it come about? Problems Women in the work force faced a number of problems: negative attitudes of male coworkers, lack of acceptance by unions, proper clothing for work. Assign students to research each of these problems. Discuss how each was resolved.

When the nucleus of an atom is split or broken apart, energy is released. The process begins when a slow-moving neutron is launched to split a uranium atom. Each split uranium atom gives off three more neutrons plus two hydrogen atoms. These new neutrons go on to split other uranium atoms. This happens over and over in what is called a chain reaction. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s scientists around the world had been finding out more and more about atoms and their behavior. Germans Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn had successfully split the nucleus of a uranium atom. Enrico Fermi expanded on their work in 1942 when he and his team were able to achieve a controlled chain reaction. By 1939 both German and American physicists were working on practical applications for nuclear fission, specifically a bomb. After scientist Albert Einsten warned President Roosevelt that the Germans were in the process of building an atomic bomb, Roosevelt gave approval for the top secret Manhattan Project. Hundreds of male and female scienctists and technicians were gathered together under the direction of J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist. Although much of the early work was conducted in New York City, the actual testing site was in New Mexico. On July 16, 1945, three years after the project started, the first test explosion of an atomic bomb took place in New Mexico’s Alamogordo Bombing Range. Its awesome force shook the desert floor, and its blinding light illuminated trees and mountains. A mushroom cloud of dust raised high into the sky. The five kilograms of plutonium in the bomb yielded an explosion equivalent to 18,500 tons of dynamite, more than enough to destroy an entire city. On August 6, 1945, the U.S. Army dropped the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. Over 200,000 people were killed in the blast. After a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days later, Japan surrendered. Although the true effects of the bomb would not be fully realized for many years, a new Atomic Age had begun. The scientists who participated in the Manhattan Project knew that what they were working on could kill thousands of people in a single blast, yet they hoped that it would lead to worldwide peace. ———————————— Suggested Activities ——————————— Code Names “Fat Man” and “Little Boy” were the code names given to the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Draw a diagram of each bomb and explain the differences between the two types. Heavy Water Early nuclear experiments used heavy water (deuterium oxide), an isotope of water. In the forties, heavy water was manufactured in quantity only in Norway. Assign groups of students to research each of the following topics: the nature of heavy water, its role in nuclear reactions, the Allied response to the German occupation of Norway. What If? German physicists came close to developing an atomic weapon, but Hitler cut back their research, choosing to concentrate efforts on developing rockets, the V-1 and V-2, instead. Discuss the possible outcome of the war if the Germans had developed and used atomic weapons.

1. Introduction

World War II was a global conflict that involved most of the countries on Earth. It was fought on land, in the air, and on the seas; battles were fought on three continents and on three oceans. The seeds for World War II were sown at the conclusion of World War I. The loser of the First World War, Germany, had to pay a steep price by disarming itself and paying large sums of money to the victors. The worldwide Great Depression that hit in the 1930s gave rise to desperation and anger in Germany. This atmosphere produced the man who led Germany to recovery and into World War II: Adolf Hitler.

There are many people in America who remember World War II. The war was a battle for freedom in the world, and it raged for two years in Europe and China before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In Europe the war ended with the death of Adolf Hitler in May 1945. On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped by the United States on Hiroshima, Japan, and on August 9 an even stronger one was dropped on Nagasaki. On September 2, 1945, Japan signed a formal surrender and World War II was over.

World War II played a very large part in shaping the world we live in today. It resulted in Great Britain losing its empire, the United States gaining in power, the creation of the state of Israel, the development of the atomic bomb, and the division between "East" and "West" that runs through the middle of Europe. For the first time in history fully mechanized warfare was launched with gasoline engines: tanks, airplanes, submarines, battleships, trucks. It was an awesome, stupendous, terrible, frightening, deadly war, and a war that is truly fascinating to study, evaluate, and understand. Choose your topic carefully, and you will have a project that will prove to be interesting as well as educational.

2. Identifying Topics

Use reference materials to identify at least ten topics that you could study about World War II. Choose one of these topics for your project. Here are some key terms that you can look up: • World War II: European Theater • World War II: Pacific Theater • World War II: African Theater • Dwight Eisenhower • George Patton • Douglas MacArthur • Operation OVERLORD • Winston Churchill • Nazis • Pearl Harbor

Find five sources of information about your topic. In addition to encyclopedias, there are many library books, history books, textbooks, biographies, magazine articles, videos, websites, and other materials about World War II. There should be no difficulty locating enough sources of information to do this project.

4. General Requirements

• Design a presentation that explains what you have learned. • You will be required to present the project to your teacher or to your class, and perhaps to other audience

5. Project Ideas

A. Choose an important battle and describe it. • Who were the generals? • Where did it occur? (Show it on a map!) • Describe each army and the moves it made. • Who won? • What was at stake? • Present any other information that you can find.

B. Make a time line of events that led up to and continued through the war.

C. Make a mobile that shows people who were involved in the Second World War or that describes important battles.

D. Make a mural that shows the major weapons that were used during the war, and which side developed and used each weapon.

E. Make a series of maps that show Axis strength, Allied strength, and army movements at various points during the war.

F. Choose one person and write his or her biography.

Excerpted from Social Studies Projects.

On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered, ending World War II in Europe.

Each of the following ten sentences can be rearranged and combined into a paragraph about World War II. Put these sentences into the correct order and write the paragraph below.

1. England fought on alone. 2. Germany surrendered on May 7, 1945, ending World War II in Europe. 3. They were called the Allies. 4. They fought against the Axis powers, consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan. 5. At first, the war went badly for the Allies. 6. England and France came to Poland's defense. 7. This war began in 1939 when German armies invaded Poland. 8. The United States entered the war on December 7, 1941, the date of Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. 9. After many battles, the tide began to turn until the surrender of Germany in 1945. 10. France surrendered and the Germans occupied Paris.

1. They were taken from their homes and sent to concentration camps, where they were tortured and murdered. 2. This was the killing of ten million innocent men, women, and children by the Nazis who ruled Germany. 3. Historians are still trying to understand this horrible event in the hope of avoiding future holocausts. 4. One of the most horrifying events of World War II in Europe was the Holocaust. 5. After the war, the Germans tried to hide these atrocities. 6. Among them were six million Jews. 7. These were people whom the Germans had decided should be destroyed. 8. Gradually, the world learned what had happened.

Excerpted from Writing Activities For Every Month of the School Year.

Several individual heroes emerged from the fighting on the various fronts during World War II. Read about these famous figures and their accomplishments. General Dwight David Eisenhower Known as “Ike,” he was a Nimitz 1915 graduate of West Point Military Academy. In 1942 Eisenhower was appointed to lead the Allied invasion of North Africa. After his victories in Africa and Italy, Eisenhower became the supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, planning and executing the D-Day invasion at Normandy in 1944 and the subsequent Battle of the Bulge. A popular hero, Eisenhower served as U.S. President from 1953 to 1961. Ernie Pyle Known as the voice of the G.I., Ernie Pyle was the infantryman’s favorite reporter. As the war raged through Europe, Africa, and the Pacific, he would spend weeks on the front lines before returning to the rear, where he would write several columns. In 1943, he received the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting. Pyle was killed by a Japanese sniper on April 18, 1945. Patton General Douglas MacArthur A 1917 graduate of West Point, MacArthur had one of the highest academic records in the school’s history and was a highly decorated soldier in WW I. In 1942, when the Japanese forced him out of the Philippines, he vowed “I shall return.” MacArthur directed the Allied Bradley occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1951. Chips Part husky and part German shepherd, the dog named Chips captured four Italian gunmen in Sicily and was credited for single-handedly eliminating a machine gun nest. Awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross for his efforts, it was withdrawn when the War Department ruled dogs ineligible for medals. General George Patton A 1909 graduate of West Point, he was a controversial figure. He was major general in charge of the Third Army. Patton led the Allied drive through France into Germany. General Omar Bradley A 1915 graduate of West Point, Bradley was the general in command of the American Forces in Europe. He planned the overall battle strategy during the drive into Germany. A popular officer, he eventually earned the rank of five-star general. Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Doolittle was assigned to mount a surprise attack against Japan. He organized B-25 land-based bombers to lift off the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier. His bomber led the mission which stunned the Japanese. On the return flight every crew but one bailed out or crash-landed in China or the Soviet Union. Admiral Chester Nimitz An outstanding student at Annapolis, he was one of the navy’s best strategists. As commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Nimitz led the U.S. naval forces to victory in the battle of Coral Sea. He also masterminded the strategy for the battle at Midway.

World War II presents itself with a number of possible mapping activities. Some suggested projects are listed below. Have the students draw their own maps as specified. Pair or group the students and assign each a different mapping activity. When all projects have been completed let one group at a time share their assignments with the rest of the class. Compile all the maps into a classroom book about World War II.

1. Use a map of Europe. Title the map “German and Italian Aggression in Europe in 1939.” Color all the German-invaded countries red; label each country with its correct name. Color the Italian- invaded countries green; label each country with its name. 2. On a map of the Pacific region, color red all the countries which were Japanese territories in 1941. Label each country with its name. Give the map an appropriate title. 3. Map the European theater war battles. Draw a symbol of your choice to show where battles took place, for example, Dunkirk, Nunzio, and Kursk. Label each city with its name. On the back of the map, list each city and tell who fought there and who won. 4. Use a map of Europe to show which countries were Allied forces, which were Axis powers, and which remained neutral. Color all Allied countries blue, color all Axis countries red and leave all neutral countries white. Label each country with its name. 5. Draw a map of the island of Oahu. Locate and label the following military installations: Hickam Field, Wheeler Field, Pearl Harbor, Bellows Field, Barbers Point Marine Base, Haleiwa Field, and Kaneohe Naval Air Station. Draw appropriate symbols, such as planes, to indicate the path taken by the Japanese forces and the damage done to U.S. forces. Make a list of all the U.S. Navy ships which were sunk or damaged in the attack on Pearl Harbor. 6. Make a map which reflects the changes in boundaries of European countries after World War II. Label each country. Make a list of those that were newly created and another list of those that were eliminated. 7. Map the Battle of the Bulge, the D-Day invasion, or the Battle of Britain. Draw different symbols for each set of forces. Label the cities in which the battles were fought. Use arrows to show the directions in which the various forces moved. 8. Draw a map of Germany; copy it. Label one map “Pre World War II.” Label the other map “Post-World War II.” Show the differences in internal boundaries between the two time periods. —————————————— References —————————————— Cobblestone Magazine (January 1993 issue) “World War II: Americans in Europe.” World War II by Tom McGowen (Franklin Watts, 1993).

European Theater

Pacific Theater

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 49 Language Arts Create a Web - The Holocaust Directions: A web or a semantic map is a way of organizing or outlining information about a topic. For example, if you create a web or semantic map for the word curious, it might look something like this:

babies danger unfamiliar scientist situation people curious

adventure explorers

unknown

life death space

Create a web/semantic map using the word “Holocaust.” You will need to think about all the key words associated with Holocaust. Compare your mapping with that of other students in the class.

Holocaust

Following World War II, the horrors of the German concentration camps were fully revealed to the world. The Nazi policy of extermination had led to more than six million deaths among Europe’s 10 million Jews. In addition, almost six million non-Jewish Europeans, including Poles, Czechs, Russians, Yugoslavs, and Dutch were victims of the evil Nazi regime. Before the war even ended, the Allies started gathering evidence against leading Nazi officials. Beginning in late 1945, a special international court, the International Military Tribunal, tried major Nazi leaders who had taken part in these mass murders. Although Hitler was already dead and some top officials had fled to Spain and Latin America, 22 of the principal Nazi leaders were captured. For almost a year these leaders were on trial for their crimes against humanity. Evidence shown at the Nuremberg Trials included films of concentration camps as they were being liberated and official documents. This helped to convict twelve who were sentenced to death and seven who were sentenced to life imprisonment. The remaining three were acquitted. Although the Nuremberg Trials were completed in about one year, trials of hundreds of other war criminals continued for many years in postwar Germany. This group included high-ranking officers, camp guards, minor officials, and doctors who had participated in medical experiments. The Allies, too, continued to pursue a policy of removing former Nazis from all positions of authority in areas such as government, industry, and education. While some criticized the Nuremberg Trials, others defended them. It is true that the trials were unprecedented because leaders of a defeated nation had never before been punished. But the laws by which the special court acted did exist in various international treaties. It was further hoped that the trials would help preserve peace and lead to new international laws. In 1948 the UN adopted a convention against further genocide. Overall, the Nuremberg Trials were a final justice for years of suffering, millions of deaths, and countless acts of inhumanity. —————————————— Research Topics ——————————— Choose a topic from the following list. Research the subject and write a short report to share with the rest of the class. 1. the trial of Adolf Eichmann, a former Nazi official 2. denazification courts of postwar Germany 3. world cases of genocide since World War II 4. Nazi war criminals who escaped and remained at large 5. the Nuremberg Trials—were they fair?

©Teacher Created Resources, Inc. 51 The following activity was provided by Alpha Books (from The Complete Idiot's Guide to African- American History): • African-Americans in World War II

The following activity was provided by Education Development Center, Inc.: • Has the Past Been Just?

The following activity was provided by Teacher Created Resources (from Daily Warm-Ups: Reading, Grade 6): • Daily Warm-Up: A Letter from Home

The following activities were provided by Teacher Created Resources (from Holocaust Thematic Unit): • Crack the Code – The Holocaust • Create a Web – The Holocaust • German Takeover: 1933-1944 • History and Analysis of Social Conditions • Holocaust Fact or Opinion • Nuremberg Law • Thinking about Prejudice • World War II: Letter to the President

The following activity was provided by Teacher Created Resources (from Survival): • Holocaust: Freewrite

The following activities were provided by Teacher Created Resources (from The Twentieth Century): • The Beginnings of War • Chronology of World War II • Final Justice: Nuremberg Trials • The Holocaust • Japanese Internment • Life on the Home Front • The Manhattan Project • Mapping the War: World War II • The Origins of World War II • WAACS, WAVES, and Nurses • War Heroes • World Figures During World War II • World War II Aircraft

The following activity was provided by Teacher Created Resources (from U.S. History Brain Teasers): • People, Places, and Things of World War II