SPONSORED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS GRADES 9–12 TEACHING GUIDE WWII and Presidential Leadership Use this discussion guide to get students started on historical research projects. Objective INTRODUCTION RESEARCH PROJECT Students will synthesize research from multiple online sources and Tell students about the outbreak of WWII Explain that students will be doing a use critical-thinking skills to create 1 and America’s entry into the war following 1 research project about the U.S. presidents a presentation about the impact the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. Nearly who served during WWII. They will choose of WWII on future U.S. presidents 16 million Americans served during the war, from one of four topics, answer guiding who served. whether they were drafted or they enlisted questions based on their research, and Time voluntarily. (See WWII Cheat Sheet on the next present their findings to the class. page for quick facts and key dates.) 60–120 minutes Review the difference been primary and Materials Explain that among those who served 2 secondary sources. Provide examples of were eight future U.S. presidents: Dwight Student Research Guide 2 where they can find reliable sources to help D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Organize Your Research them answer their research questions. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy activity sheet (Examples: presidential libraries, online Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. presidential sites like the Miller Center, and Computers and internet access Though they were from different backgrounds government agencies and organizations, documentary Presidents at War and experienced WWII in different ways, their including the National Archives, Library of series on HISTORY (optional) service had a lasting effect on each of them, Congress, and Department of Defense sites.) instilling skills they brought with them to the Note: The TV series Presidents at White House and influencing their strategy Distribute the Student Research Guide. War is rated TV-14. Review the with domestic issues, war, and diplomacy. 3 Explain that the guide includes resource episodes yourself before showing (Examples: Kennedy and the Cuban Missile links they can use as a jumping-off point, but them to your students. Crisis; Nixon opening relations with China.) that they should look for additional reliable sources as they work. Invite students to brainstorm what the leadership Have students work individually or in 3 word means. What are some of the qualities of a leader? (Examples: ability to 4 pairs on their research topic. Hand out solve problems, thrive in the face of ambiguity, the Organize Your Research activity sheet. motivate people, learn from failure, consider a Students should investigate sources, use range of opinions in order to make decisions, critical-reasoning skills to decide which ones etc.) Guide students to give examples of people are credible, gather facts, answer the guiding they think are good leaders and why. questions, and create a presentation. FINAL ACTIVITY When your students are finished with their research, they will share what they’ve learned with the class via a creative oral or multimedia presentation. Here are some options: Make a short video presentation. Write a first person narrative, from a Record a brief podcast interview. president’s perspective, on what he would Chance to Win Write a report in the form of a WWII news think about an event happening today. Free Books article, slide presentation, or blog post. Alternatively, you can have students Take the survey for your chance to win: Present research to the class as a present findings in a short written report; scholastic.com/presidentsatwar/ historical reenactment or a mock press they should include a list of sources at the survey. conference. end of their document. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. © 2019 Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. of trademarks and/or registered trademarks logos are SCHOLASTIC and associated GRADES 9–12 EISENHOWER KENNEDY JOHNSON NIXON FORD CARTER REAGAN BUSH Served in the Pacific at an Ronald Reagan WWII Cheat Sheet aviation base; supervised Served in WWII 1942–1945 logistics, prepared flight plans 40th President 1981–1989 A quick refresher on important war dates, plus and manifests, and oversaw bit.ly/ReaganInfo aircraft cargo. some key facts about the presidents who served. Returned to the U.S. and A well-known Hollywood served in the Navy’s Bureau actor, he was excluded from Elected to the U.S. House Dwight D. of Aeronautics; released from overseas duty because he had of Representatives in 1946, Eisenhower active duty in March 1946. Ran poor eyesight. successfully capitalizing on his for Congress later that year. Served in the Army Air Force’s Served in WWII 1941–1945 reputation as a young war hero. First Motion Picture Unit in Los 34th President 1953–1961 Gerald Ford Angeles, which produced 400 bit.ly/EisenhowerInfo Lyndon B. Johnson Served in WWII 1942–1945 training films. Served in WWII 1941–1942 Named Commanding General 38th President 1974–1977 Was one of the public faces of 36th President 1963–1969 of the European Theater in 1942. bit.ly/GeraldFordInfo the war, selling War Drive Loans Oversaw planning and bit.ly/LBJInfo to raise funds and appearing at His background as a college implementation of invasion of Was a member of Congress public speaking events. football player and athletic Normandy that began on D-Day, representing Texas when he trainer made him a good June 6, 1944. reported for active duty three George H.W. Bush candidate for the U.S. Navy’s V-5 Led the Allied advance across days after the Pearl Harbor Served in WWII 1942–1945 aviation cadet program in 1942. Europe that culminated in attack in December 1941. 41st President 1989–1993 Germany’s surrender in Worked as an observer on He requested sea duty and bit.ly/BushInfo May of 1945. South Pacific bomber missions; was assigned to a light aircraft carrier in the Pacific. Delayed going to college avoided disaster when he and joined the U.S. Navy as an John F. Kennedy His ship was heavily damaged accidentally missed boarding a aviator on his 18th birthday; he by a fire during a typhoon in Served in WWII 1941–1945 plane that crashed on a mission. was one of the youngest Naval 1944, and he narrowly avoided 35th President 1961–1963 He served for just six months aviators at the time. bit.ly/KennedyInfo being thrown overboard. until FDR recalled all members of Was an officer on the light Congress to Washington, DC. After training school, he Jimmy Carter carrier USS San Jacinto. was stationed in Panama as Richard Nixon Served in WWII 1943–1945 In September 1944, the commander of a torpedo boat, plane he was flying was hit by Served in WWII 1942–1945 39th President 1977–1981 but requested transfer to the enemy anti-aircraft fire during a 37th President 1969–1974 bit.ly/CarterInfo Pacific Theater in 1943. bombing run over Chichi Jima, bit.ly/NixonInfo When his PT-109 boat collided Received an appointment to causing his engine to catch fire with a Japanese destroyer, he Already a successful California the U.S. Naval Academy in 1943. and his plane to go down. helped save the lives of 10 of his lawyer, he enlisted in the U.S. Although considered an active Flew more than 58 missions crew members. Awarded the Navy in 1942 (despite his pacifist duty midshipman during the and earned the Distinguished Purple Heart. Quaker upbringing). war, Carter did not see combat. Flying Cross. IMPORTANT WWII DATES SEPTEMBER 1, APRIL–MAY JULY 1940 DECEMBER 7, JUNE 6, 1944 OCTOBER 26, MAY 7, 1945 AUGUST 6, SEPTEMBER 2, 1939 1940 Germany 1941 D-Day invasion of 1944 Germany surrenders 1945 1945 WWII begins with Germany invades begins bombing Japanese attack on Normandy (Operation Allied victory at the to the Allies, United States drops Japan formally Nazi Germany’s Norway, Denmark, raids against Great Pearl Harbor. The next Overlord). Battle of Leyte Gulf in ending World War II atomic bomb on surrenders to invasion of Poland. Belgium, Netherlands, Britain. day, the U.S. declares the Philippines. in Europe. the Japanese city of the Allies, Luxembourg, and war on Japan. Later Hiroshima. Three days ending WWII. France. that month, Italy and later, the U.S. drops Germany declare war a second bomb on on the U.S. Nagasaki. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. © 2019 Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. of trademarks and/or registered trademarks logos are SCHOLASTIC and associated Photos, left to right: Topical Press Agency/Stringer/Getty Images; Frank Turgent/Stringer/Getty Images; Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA; National Archives and Records Administration; Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum/NARA; Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum/NARA; Bettman/Getty Images; courtesy George Bush Presidential Library and Museum STUDENT RESEARCH GUIDE Research Topics and Resources Eight future U.S. presidents were among the 16 million Americans who served during World War II. Their experiences serving in the armed forces changed how they viewed themselves and the world around them. Their service also instilled the leadership and organizational skills that they brought with them to the White House. Choose one of the research topics below, and use the resource links to explore the events of WWII and the impact the war had on these future presidents. Be sure to look for additional primary and secondary resources as you do your research. TOPIC 1 Presidential Leadership TOPIC 2 Wartime Propaganda Your Mission Choose two of the presidents who served in WWII, and compare and contrast their wartime and presidential experiences.