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Contents:
The Costs
of War | Leaders and Public
Opinion
| Remembering War
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World
War II was a conflict in which more
than 11 million soldiers from the United States
and its Allies died (source: Grolier.com).
Millions more civilians and Axis combatants
lost their lives as well. As
you listen and watch the segments featured on the
media page, pay attention to the kinds
of costs and sacrifices that people
endured during World War II.
1. Make a list of people and the
kinds of sacrifices they
made.
2. What are some
other ways you could measure the cost of
the second World
War?
3. In terms of costs and sacrifices how do more
recent military conflicts compare to World War II? What
are the
similarities?
| Leaders and Public
Opinion |
The attack on
Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, helped shift public sentiment to
accept going to war. In the United States, the decision
to go to war ultimately resides with
the Congress and the president. But, public opinion has an
impact in decisions these elected officials make. Many historians
believe that President Roosevelt
would have led our nation into the war even
if we had not been attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor.
As you listen and watch the media segments featured on
this page, pay attention to the ways leaders worked
to influence public opinion about the war.
1.
How did President
Roosevelt encourage our nation to enter the war?
2. After listening to media
segments about the U.S. home front, m
ake a list of reasons for and
against going to war from the perspectives of different
citizens. What groups of people had more interest
in going to war than others?
3. Do we have a responsibility to
help other nations? Where does this responsibility
come from?
4. If you were a leader in
the United States government during 1939, 1940, and
1941, how would you have convinced people to go to war,
especially since we had not been attacked?
5. Did we make the right choice in
fighting in World War II? Why or why not? Do
you think that American citizens have enough say in
going to war? What do you think about the reasons
for which the United States enters military conflicts
today?
Memorials
are monuments or holidays intended to help us remember
people, events, etc. They also serve to represent a part
of a country's history to its citizens and to the world.
As you listen and watch the segments featured on
the media page
, pay attention to the ways the United
States has memorialized World War II and the people
involved.
1. What story does the
World War II Memorial tell about the war? About the
United States?
2. How does the popular image of Franklin
D. Roosevelt impact our understanding of the war
and his role in it?
3. As you think
about memorials and Memorial Day how do you
think we should honor the people who participated
in World War II?
4. The role the United States played
in the war is considered by many
to be a reflection of
some of the greatest qualities of the nation. What qualities distinguished
the United States and its citizens in
this war? Why do some people in
other countries have a low opinion of the United
States's approach to foreign policy today? How would you
try to understand others' perspectives about the United
States on Memorial Day?
5. On
Memorial Day weekend how can you
honor the sacrifice of people who have served in any
wars, not just World War II, or those are serving right
now?
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