Mike Vergin: February 2012 Archives

Lesson #27 - Independence in Southeast Asia (and Africa)

By
Mike Vergin
on February 29, 2012 8:00 AM |
We'll just spend a brief time on Southeast Asia today before moving on to begin our look at decolonization in Africa.


"Decolonization and Revolution: 1945 to 1975" DBQ activity - We can briefly discuss points of interest here.

Whirlwind Tour of Southeast Asia: As we did yesterday, we'll focus our attention today on the key aspects of the section you read for class. Here are the things I believe you should be sure to know.

People to Know: Ferdinand Marcos, Aung San Suu Kyi, Sukarno, Suharto
Places to Know: Philippines, Myanmar (Burma), Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor

map_southeast_asia.jpg


















Decolonization and Independence in Africa: We'll take a closer look at the wide variety of paths to decolonization in Africa over the next two days. We'll begin with a quick jigsaw activity designed to look at some of the words that accompanies the move toward independence in Africa.

You'll receive an excerpt, speech or poem from a major figure in Africa's move for independence. Read that selection along with others with that reading. After that, we'll have you share your reading in a jigsaw group.

africa_decolonization.jpg


Case Studies: Africa - I know, some of you hate the term "case study," but this should be a useful activity here. We'll have you select one of five African nations. (To make it easier, we'll use the five in the book.) Your group will have no more than five minutes tomorrow to "tell" us the story of decolonization and independence in "your" country. (No need for PowerPoint or technology other than the maps I'll have available.)

Here are the countries: (They are all mentioned in Chapter 34:3, but I'd expect your preparation to extend beyond just that.)

    • Ghana
    • Kenya
    • Algeria
    • Zaire (Congo)
    • Angola
For your short presentation, please do on the following.

    • Describe the way in which independence was achieved in your country.
    • Explain key events and/or people in the move to independence.
    • If applicable, discuss the legacy of colonialism/imperialism in your country.
    • Evaluate the success of decolonization for your country.
    • Mention anything else that you believe to be important.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, March 1st

Continue your reading in Chapter 34 with Section 3, "New Nations in Africa" (pp. 1012 - 1016). Tomorrow's quiz will be multiple choice.

Be ready to tell your African decolonization/independence story with your group.

Lesson #26 - Independence on the Indian Subcontinent

By
Mike Vergin
on February 28, 2012 8:00 AM |
Here's a digital copy of the information for the VIP "Fakebook" page and the MPA World History Journal article.

Our major topic for the remainder of this week will be decolonization in much of the world. Taking a look at a world map from, say, 1945 and comparing it to a recent map will show you just how much has changed in the last 65 years. Here are several questions to ponder:

  • Why does decolonization begin to happen when it does?
  • Why are there so many paths to decolonization around the world?
decolonization_1945.jpgBefore we turn our attention to India and its neighbors, I wanted to give you a chance to chime in on any of the topics from yesterday that we didn't quite get to on the Cold War. In particular, I was curious about any of these...

Cold War Time Capsules - Assume that you've been put in charge of compiling a time capsule of the Cold War. It will be opened in 2041, the 50th anniversary of the end of the Cold War. You've got room for ten items. What do you put in the capsule?  Why?

Cold War Photo Album - A slightly different version. You're limited to ten photographs to capture the essence of the Cold War. Which do you select? Why?

Cold War "Heroes and Villains" - Who are they? Why?


Independence on the Indian Subcontinent - We'll be covering a lot of ground these next few days. I'll do my best to make sure you understand what I think you need to know and what is mostly background. For now, I'll use some mini-lectures to try and highlight key items and to provide a forum for questions and comments.

"A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance." -Jawarhalal Nehru

  • People you should know: Mohandas Gandhi, Jawarhalal Nehru, Indira Gandhi
  • Terms you should know: Partition, Kashmir, Sikhs, Punjab, Golden Temple
  • Countries to know: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka

Here's a Time magazine cover featuring the Partition of India.

partition_time_cover.jpg



































Timeline of key events:
July 16, 1947 - British House of Commons announces partition in one month
August 14, 1947 - Pakistan and India given independence
1947 - estimated 1 million die in resettlement violence
January 30, 1948 - Gandhi killed by Hindu extremist
1947 - 1964 - Jawarhalal Nehru is Indian Prime Minister
1974 - India first tests nuclear "device"
1966 - 1984 - Indira Gandhi serves as Prime Minister
1971 - Bangladesh secedes from Pakistan
1984 - Attack on Sikh Golden Temple at Amritsar
1991 - Rajiv Gandhi assassinated
1998 - India (and Pakistan) successfully test nuclear weapons

We can also chat briefly about the situations in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Resources to check out on the Indian subcontinent


Some questions for us to consider:

  • After 60 years, should we consider the Partition a success? Why or why not?
  • What have been the main achievements of India so far? Its biggest failures?
  • Do you think India will become a significant economic rival to the United States?
  • Will there be war between India and Pakistan? If so, will it be nuclear?

Here's a cartogram showing world population. Here are some specific stats.

Here's a clip on the Bangladesh ship-breaking industry that is interesting. It has a lot to say about globalization, political power and the environment.

To wrap up today and segue into tomorrow, I have your FINAL DBQ activity to work on. This one is called, "Decolonization and Revolution: 1945 to 1975," and it provides a nice overview of the period. This should be ready for discussion tomorrow.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, February 29th

Continue your reading in Chapter 34 with Section 2, "Southeast Asian Nations Gain Independence" (pp. 1004 - 1009).

Have the "Decolonization and Revolution: 1945 to 1975" DBQ activity ready to discuss.

Your "Fakebook" page will be due at Lesson #30. (That's Monday, March 5th.)

Lesson #25 - Cold War Retirement Home 21st Anniversary Celebration

By
Mike Vergin
on February 27, 2012 8:00 AM |
Cold Warrior Retirement Home 21st Anniversary Celebration: We'll wrap up our look at the Cold War with a version of our round-table discussions today.

Here are the guests:

China

  • Mao Zedong
  • Zhou Enlai

Europe

  • Lech Walesa
  • Vaclav Havel
  • Margaret Thatcher
  • Erich Honecker
  • Willy Brandt
  • Konrad Adenauer

Korea

  • Syngman Rhee
  • Kim Il Sung

Soviet Union

  • Joseph Stalin
  • Nikita Khrushchev
  • Andrei Gromyko
  • Leonid Brezhnev
  • Mikhail Gorbachev

United States

  • Harry Truman
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • John Kennedy
  • Lyndon Johnson
  • Richard Nixon
  • Henry Kissinger
  • Ronald Reagan

Cuba

  • Fidel Castro

Vietnam

  • Ngo Dinh Diem
  • Ho Chi Minh

You'll be expected to look into "your" role in the Cold War. We don't need to know a bunch more about other aspects of your life. Keep it simple and straight-forward. We're talking introductions of about a minute. Your roles were selected from the list at the Cold War International History Project's Cold War Files (a great site) page cleverly entitled, "People." 

Questions for Discussion: We've already been talking about Cold War events, but I want to take a step back here and consider the broader picture. Here are a couple of questions for you:

  • Was the Cold War inevitable? Why or why not?
  • Where, if anywhere, do you place blame for the start of the Cold War?
  • From the perspective of 1945, do you think either side conceived that this conflict would last for more than 40 years?
  • From the perspective of 1945, do you think either side could realistically have predicted victory?
  • What do you believe were the most important events of the Cold War? Why?
  • Who was most to blame for the Cuban Missile Crisis? The United States, the Soviet Union, Cuba?
  • Was the nuclear arms race inevitable? What might have been done differently?
  • What brought the Cold War to an end?
  • Is the United States justified in claiming to have "won" the Cold War? Why or why not?

Cold War Time Capsules - Assume that you've been put in charge of compiling a time capsule of the Cold War. It will be opened in 2041, the 50th anniversary of the end of the Cold War. You've got room for ten items. What do you put in the capsule?  Why?

Cold War Photo Album - A slightly different version. You're limited to ten photographs to capture the essence of the Cold War. Which do you select? Why?

Cold War "Heroes and Villains" - Who are they? Why?


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Tuesday, February 28th

Please start reading in Chapter 34 with Section 1, "The Indian Subcontinent Achieves Freedom" (pp. 997-1003). The quiz will be true/false. (Reading tip: The book includes a lot of "current" names that are no longer that current. With India, you can stop worrying about names with Rajiv Gandhi. In Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto is a good stopping point. Don't worry about any Bangladeshi leaders by name.)

CONGRATULATIONS! When was the last time you read one thousand pages in a book???

Your VIP "Correspondence" or "Poster" option is due on Lesson #26. (That's Tuesday.)

Lesson #24 - The Cold War Continues

By
Mike Vergin
on February 24, 2012 8:00 AM |
We'll keep going with our overview of the Cold War today...

Cnn: Cold War Reports: I'd like to continue hearing from our "reporters" on those "missing episodes" from the CNN: Cold War series. Let's try to finish them up today:

13. Make Love, Not War
14. Red Spring
15. China
16. Détente
17. Good Guys, Bad Guys
18. Backyard
19. Freeze
20. Soldiers of God
21. Spies
22. Star Wars
23. The Wall Comes Down
24. Conclusions 

Fighting the "Cold War": We've already been talking about Cold War events, but I think it makes sense to take a step back here and consider the broader picture. Here are a couple of questions for you:

  • Was the Cold War inevitable? Why or why not?
  • From the perspective of 1945, do you think either side conceived that this conflict would last for more than 40 years?
  • From the perspective of 1945, do you think either side could realistically have predicted victory?
While fought on a variety of fronts with a wide variety of tactics, here are some of what historians generally agree where the "strategies" of the Cold War. (A slightly different list appears on page 983 in your text...) It would be good if we can think of some examples of each of these strategies.

  • Espionage
  • Propaganda
  • Foreign assistance
  • Weapons development / arms race
  • Multinational alliances
  • Technological development
  • Brinkmanship
  • Proxy wars

Cold War Time Capsules - Assume that you've been put in charge of compiling a time capsule of the Cold War. It will be opened in 2041, the 50th anniversary of the end of the Cold War. You've got room for ten items. What do you (and a partner if you want) put in the capsule?  Why?


HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, February 27th

Please finish reading in Chapter 33 with Section 5, "The Cold War Thaws" (pp. 988-991). The quiz will be fill-in-the-blank.

"Your" Cold Warrior should be ready to present at tomorrow's Cold Warrior Retirement Home 21st Anniversary Celebration. You'll be expected to look into "your" role in the Cold War. We don't need to know a bunch more about other aspects of your life. Keep it simple and straight-forward. We're talking introductions of about a minute. Following that, there will be some questions for the group to discuss. Your roles were selected from the list at the Cold War International History Project's Cold War Files (a great site) page cleverly entitled, "People." I'd recommend starting your research there.

Your VIP "Correspondence" or "Poster" option is due on Lesson #26. (That's Tuesday.)

Lesson #23 - Fighting the Cold War

By
Mike Vergin
on February 23, 2012 8:00 AM |
We'll begin our look at the Cold War today. I gave you that "The Beginning of the Cold War" DBQ activity that should help give you the "big picture" of the Cold War. It's got useful background information.

Cnn: Cold War Reports: Today, I'd like to use the format suggested by the CNN: Cold War series as we try to make sense of these events. Here are the Wikipedia summaries for each episode if you'd like to follow along. I also have some maps and images in a Keynote presentation that we can use, as well as a few overheads. We'll try and get this far today:

1. Comrades
2. Iron Curtain
3. Marshall Plan
4. Berlin
5. Korea
6. Reds
7. After Stalin
8. Sputnik
9. The Wall
10. Cuba
11. Vietnam
12. MAD 

We'll do the second batch of twelve episodes tomorrow.


The Doomsday Clock - Since 1947, the Board of Directors of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists have kept the "Doomsday Clock." Originally set to reflect the dangers of a thermonuclear way, it now also represents the danger of other forms of "catastrophic destruction" as well. It is an interesting way to look at the tensions of the Cold War.

(Click on the image to get to to enlarge and show the right edge in a new window...)
doomsday_clock.png


Cold Warriors - Pick One: Here's your chance to take on the persona of your favorite "Cold Warrior." Monday, we will celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the End of the Cold War at the Cold Warrior Retirement Home. (1991 is generally considered to mark the end of the Cold War.) You will select from the list of participants below. You'll be expected to look into "your" role in the Cold War. We don't need to know a bunch more about other aspects of your life. Keep it simple and straight-forward. We're talking introductions of about a minute or two. Following that, there will be some questions for the group to discuss.

Your roles were selected from the list at the Cold War International History Project's Cold War Files (a great site) page cleverly entitled, "People." I'd recommend starting your research there.

China

  • Mao Zedong
  • Zhou Enlai

Europe

  • Lech Walesa
  • Vaclav Havel
  • Margaret Thatcher
  • Erich Honecker
  • Willy Brandt
  • Konrad Adenauer

Korea

  • Syngman Rhee
  • Kim Il Sung

Soviet Union

  • Joseph Stalin
  • Nikita Khrushchev
  • Andrei Gromyko
  • Leonid Brezhnev
  • Mikhail Gorbachev

United States

  • Harry Truman
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • John Kennedy
  • Lyndon Johnson
  • Richard Nixon
  • Henry Kissinger
  • Ronald Reagan

Cuba

  • Fidel Castro

Vietnam

  • Ngo Dinh Diem
  • Ho Chi Minh

Wars in Korea and Vietnam - Your reading that was assigned for today is certainly territory that you will cover next year as well, but we can take a couple minutes to look at the "big picture" of these two conflicts if you have specific questions that we did not get to above...


HOMEWORK for next session - Friday, February 24th

Please continue reading in Chapter 33 with Section 4, "The Cold War Divides the World" (pp. 982-987). The quiz will be multiple choice.

Your VIP "Correspondence" or "Poster" option is due on Lesson #26. (That's Tuesday.)

"Your" Cold Warrior should be ready to present at Monday's Cold Warrior Retirement Home 21st Anniversary Celebration.
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Lesson #22 - China under Communism and Mao Zedong

By
Mike Vergin
on February 22, 2012 8:00 AM | | Comments (4)
Here's a Unit #8 Review Guide in digital form if you prefer that...

Today's main focus will be on the rise to power of the Communist Party in China under Mao Zedong's leadership. I've got some images from a book, The Chinese Century, that may also help you make sense of some of this.

Cnn: Cold War Assignment: Yesterday, you received "your" episode from this series. The "first half" of you should have the episode watched before class time tomorrow, and you should be ready to post your blog entry on the relevant page by the end of Friday.

As with any project of this magnitude, there will be critics of particular conclusions, interpretations, etc. The recent nature of many of these events, as well as the continuing process of declassifying government documents about them, makes the Cold War more controversial than most historical events. If you want to check out a (long) essay by someone who wasn't too impressed with this series, check out Gabriel Schoenfeld's "Twenty-Four Lies About the Cold War."


Back to the Chinese Civil War: Remember this one? When we last left our Nationalist and Communists, they were suspending their own conflict to resist Japan's invasion in World War II. Let's make sure you all have a good understanding of the answers to these questions:

  • What advantages did the Communists have at the end of World War II?
  • What issues and weaknesses led to the defeat of Jiang Jeishi's Nationalist forces?
  • How did the outcome of the Chinese Civil War shape world events in the years to follow?

China Under Mao's Leadership: Let's be sure you understand these events and questions...

  • How did Mao consolidate power in China?
  • What was the "Hundred Flowers" campaign? Can you think of parallels in other countries?
  • What was the Great Leap Forward? How did it affect China?
Take a look at Mao Zedong's "Ten Principles of War." How relevant are these for guerrilla campaigns in the more modern world?

The Cultural Revolution: Morning Sun is a website that accompanies a film made about the Cultural Revolution. After some brief introductory comments, we'll have you take a look at a number of interesting links here.

  • Why did Mao call for a "Cultural Revolution?"
  • What were the goals and tactics of the Cultural Revolution?
  • What was the legacy of the Cultural Revolution for China?
Check out these links at the "Morning Sun" website: (There's a lot more there, but I think you'll find these interesting.)


China's Communist Revolution - A Glossary: This is from a BBC site marking the 50th anniversary of the Communist takeover of China. You can scroll down the links on the left for good definitions of some key people and concepts. (Note the "old" spelling on Jiang Jeishi / Chiang Kai-Shek.)

China's Economy - Looking Back at 50: Take a look at the three graphs below. Match changes with your understanding of China's history under Communist Party rule. (We'll return to China one more time to finish off the story.)

Pair up with a partner and examine the graphs. Be sure you understand what they are showing.

china_economy1.gif




















china_economy_2.gif


china_economy3.gif























Stefan Landsberger's Chinese Propaganda Poster Pages: This site has recently been reorganized, but I think you will enjoy browsing the collection.

 
HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, February 23rd

Please continue reading in Chapter 33 with Section 3, "Wars in Korea and Vietnam" (pp. 976-981). The quiz will be matching.

Your VIP "Correspondence" or "Poster" option is due on Lesson #26. (That's Monday.)

"Your" episode of the Cnn: Cold War series should ideally be watched before tomorrow's class. You should also have your blog summary posted by the end of Friday.

Lesson #21 - From World Wars to Cold War

By
Mike Vergin
on February 21, 2012 8:00 AM |
We've basically got three weeks to complete your eighth, and final, unit of our World History curriculum. We'll have you start out with the reading quiz on the first section from Chapter 33.

Here's a digital copy of the VIP "Correspondence" or "Poster" options that are due at Lesson #26.


From World Wars to Cold War: I've got a variety of activities for you to work on today. We'll have you sort of bridge the gaps between the end of World War II and the onset of what comes to be called the Cold War.

CNN - Cold War: First, you're going to draw to select an episode of the highly regarded CNN - Cold War series to watch online. You're just doing the drawing today. It's nothing major, but you'll basically be asked to post a brief summary and respond to a couple of questions. Here are the various episode titles if you want to get started watching after you complete the tasks below. (My plan is that we'll go over the first half of these on Thursday.)

Go here to link to your episode. (Scroll down a bit to find the list.) Note that some of the episodes are all on one link, but others are broken into 4 or 5 sections.

I've had trouble with these links "disappearing" from day to day, so we'll do the best we can with these. Here's the Wikipedia summary of each of the 24 episodes, so you can also read about that.)

1. Comrades 
2. Iron Curtain 
3. Marshall Plan 
4. Berlin 
5. Korea 
6. Reds 
7. After Stalin 
8. Sputnik 
9. The Wall 
10. Cuba 
11. Vietnam 
12. MAD 
13. Make Love, Not War 
14. Red Spring 
15. China 
16. Détente 
17. Good Guys, Bad Guys 
18. Backyard 
19. Freeze 
20. Soldiers of God 
21. Spies
22. Star Wars 
23. The Wall Comes Down 
24. Conclusions 

When you have finished summarizing, please post your blog entry on the CNN: Cold War Reports page. (Go here for the Quarter 3 CNN: Cold War page.) It should contain the following.

  1. Provide the title of your episode, along with a several sentence summary of what it was about.
  2. Identify and key terms or people about which people should know.
  3. List the three main conclusions/points/ideas that people should take away from this episode. (We'll share these verbally in class as well.)
  4. Your reaction to the events you saw. Were there particular people or nations who acted in ways you found praiseworthy, dangerous, etc.?
  5. Your recommendation as to whether this is a worthwhile episode for others to watch.


Today's activities: Please work on the next few activities in groups of four or five (or as close to five as you can get...) One member of each group should serve as a recorder of what the group discusses and/or comes up with for answers. Names of the group members should go on that sheet, and this "report" should be turned in at the end of the class.



The "Rules of War": Think back on everything we learned about the two world wars. Imagine that you are a part of a committee drafting the "rules" for warfare. What are three rules that you each would insist on being a part of any such document? Your group should list no more than five on your "report" of the discussion.

Nuremberg: (You'll need a copy of the Student Handout 1.3 - Nuremberg) Recall that the Nuremberg War Crimes trials took place from 1945 to 1949. Read through the acts considered "illegal" by the Allies. Then, discuss the following questions. Your group should briefly summarize key points of discussion in your "report."

  • Look at the "war crimes" list. Are there additions or deletions you would suggest?
  • Look at the "crimes against humanity" list. Are there additions or deletions you would suggest?
  • Is a defense of "following orders" justifiable against any of these charges?
  • Can individuals be held responsible for the crimes of a nation?
  • Do you think it was possible for the Nuremberg defendants to receive "fair" trials? Why or why not?
  • Do you think documents like this have had a lasting impact on the conduct of warfare? Why or why not?

Geneva Convention: (This is the other side of that sheet - Transparency 1.2) Take a look at the statement from the Geneva Convention on 1949. Briefly summarize your discussion in your "report."

  • Do you think this document adequately protects prisoners and noncombatants in military conflicts?  Why or why not?

Bringing "Order" to the Post-War World: Here, we'll have you take a look at two significant efforts to bring order to the world after the effects of two world wars. 

  • The United Nations: (You'll need the Student Handout 5.2 and 5.3 here.) As you read through the "purposes" of the United Nations consider both how important and how realistic these purposes are. Your group should discuss and identify the three goals of the UN that you find most important AND the three goals that you believe are most difficult to attain.

  • Take a look at 5.3- The Security Council. As you read Article 23.1, take note of the membership of the Security Council. Your group should decide if any of the five members should be replaced. Whether or not you think any should be replaced, present a list of the three nations you believe are most worthy of getting a permanent seat on the Security Council in addition to the five permanent members.

The Marshall Plan: (You'll need a copy of the five "slips" with excerpts from Secretary of State George Marshall delivered to Harvard graduates in 1947 outlining his rationale for a plan to rebuild Europe.) Each group member should read one of the excerpts. Then, discuss the following questions.

  • What are the main points Marshall is making in your excerpt?
  • If you had been in the audience, how would you have reacted?
  • How relevant is Marshall's argument in today's world?

The group should briefly discuss and report on the following question: Looking back from today, what are three reasons why you could consider the Marshall Plan a success? A failure?

If your group completes all these tasks, you should turn in your report. (All groups should do that at the hour's end even if not completed.) You can use any remaining time to read for tomorrow or to start watching "your" episode of the CNN: Cold War series.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Wednesday, February 22nd

Please continue reading in Chapter 33 with Section 2, "Communists Take Power in China" (pp. 972-975). The quiz will be true / false.

Your VIP Correspondence or Poster option is due on Lesson #26. (That's next Monday.)

"Your" episode of the CNN: Cold War series should be watched by Thursday. (Realistically, we won't get to all of them before Friday, but we'll do as many as we can.) The link to the page where you post your blog comment is also above.

Lesson #20 - Unit #7 Objective Exam

By
Mike Vergin
on February 17, 2012 8:00 AM |
It is the usual plan for today. You'll take the objective portion of the Unit #7 Exam.

Remember that your DBQs, IDs, and essay should be turned in to me as well, either today or before you leave for Deep Portage. E-mail is just fine with any of those, or you may slide them under my door in the morning. (If I remember, I'll have someone open the door for you.)

Please double-space, or at least space and a half your essay. Double-sided is fine with me. 

Enjoy your time at Deep Portage and your long weekend.


HOMEWORK for next session - Tuesday, February 21st

Please read the first section in Chapter 33, "Cold War:  Superpowers Face Off" (pp. 965 - 970), for NEXT TUESDAY'S class. The quiz will be fill-in-the-blank. 






Lesson #19 - Unit #7 "Two-Minute" Reviews

By
Mike Vergin
on February 10, 2012 8:00 AM | | Comments (0)
Nothing fancy today. We'll do our Unit #7 review... If you want to post any notes as "comments," you can do that on this entry.


UNIT 7:  The World at War (1900 - 1945)    
                
Chapter 29    The Great War (1914 - 1918)   
    1    Marching Toward War   
    2    Europe Plunges into War   
    3    A Global Conflict   
    4    A Flawed Peace   
               
Chapter 30    Revolution and Nationalism (1900 - 1939)
    1    Revolutions in Russia   
    2    Totalitarianism   
    3    Imperial China Collapses   
    4    Nationalism in India and Southwest Asia
               
Chapter 31    Years of Crisis (1919 - 1939)   
    1    Postwar Uncertainty   
    2    A Worldwide Depression   
    3    Fascism Rises in Europe   
    4    Aggressors Invade Nations
               
Chapter 32    World War II (1939 - 1945)   
    1    Hitler's Lightning War   
    2    Japan's Pacific Campaign   
    3    The Holocaust   
    4    The Allied Victory   
    5    Europe and Japan in Ruins


HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, February 13th
 
The multiple choice portion of the Unit #7 Objective Exam will be held on Monday, February 13th.

Your IDs, DBQs, and essay are due no later than your departure for Deep Portage on Tuesday, February 14th, but I will certainly accept them earlier.

Lessons #17-18 - Debating the Impact of World War II

By
Mike Vergin
on February 8, 2012 8:00 AM |
NOTE: I am just posting this single blog entry for Wednesday and Thursday's classes. We're on slightly different schedules in each class.

Thanks to everyone for their work on the various "fronts" of World War II. I'm impressed with the wide variety of resources you accessed. We can start out by taking any questions or comments related to those presentations. We'll also make sure everyone is squared away on the format for the Unit #7 Exam.


World War II "Specifics You Should Know" - Here's a digital copy of the World War II review sheet that was handed out at the last lesson.

Unit #7 "Two-Minute Reviews" - These will take place Friday.

The Impact of World War II - The section you read for Wednesday did a pretty good job of summing up many of the impacts of the war. In addition to taking any questions or comments that you might have on those, I'm interested in your thoughts on a couple of other lists.

  • What are the most significant outcomes of World War II? (Why?)
  • What are the biggest "unanswered questions" at the war's end?
  • Which of the world wars most impacts history? Why?

Debating World War II - We could do these sorts of topics for weeks, but we only have part of a class period. We'll start you out with the classic debate topic on World War II.

Resolved: The United States was justified in dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Here are some collections of resources for you to browse to get some ideas and support for claims you might want to make.


In the unlikely event that you run out of things to say on that topic, here are some more for us...

  • Resolved: The Treaty of Versailles was the predominant cause of World War II.
  • Resolved: The United States should have been directly involved in the European war before Pearl Harbor. 
  • Resolved: The United States erred in not opening a second front in northern Europe before D-Day in June of 1944.
  • Resolved: The Allies should have bombed Auschwitz (and other concentration camps) once they were aware of their existence.
  • Resolved: The Soviet Union was more vital to winning the war in Europe than the United States.
  • Resolved: The bombings of cities such as London, Dresden and Tokyo should be considered war crimes.

HOMEWORK for Friday, February 10th

We'll do the Unit #7 "Two-Minute Reviews" Friday.

You should post your "Words of World War II" blog entry (on Lesson #15) ASAP.

The multiple choice portion of the Unit #7 Exam will be on Monday, February 13th. Your IDs, DBQs, and essay are due no later than your departure for Deep Portage on Tuesday, February 14th, but I will certainly accept them earlier.
The possible IDs (and the essay choices) are posted on a separate entry. 

Lesson #16 - "Reports from the Front" - WWII - Day 2

By
Mike Vergin
on February 7, 2012 8:00 AM |
Here is another copy of the Unit #7 Review/Study Guide if you need it.

NEW CLARIFICATION FOR UNIT #7 EXAM: I have the Unit #7 IDs and DBQs available for you today. Both of these should be returned to me before your departure for Deep Portage. (Your Unit #7 Essay is also due by then.)

You may receive some class time on Wednesday or Thursday, but you are welcome to complete these assignments outside of class. For the IDs, I would recommend you still write the 10 words of notes out and work from there. (Otherwise, I think it is too easy to either forget about the "big picture" and/or use language directly from the book or other sources.) I do not expect, nor do I want, the IDs to be longer than usual.

Here's a Unit #7 Identifications template for typing the Unit #7 IDs if you prefer to do that. (Paper copies are also available.)

You will need to write both the IDs and the DBQ for Unit #8 by hand during the US Social Studies Final Exam.


Please note that the Unit #7 Identifications and Essay Exam Questions are posted on a separate entry.


Here are those two collections of World War II photographs that I emailed out to everyone last session.


Here are the six "fronts" from which we will be hearing over these two class periods:

  • War in Europe
  • War in North Africa
  • The Russian Front
  • The Holocaust
  • War in the Pacific
  • The United States and the War
Each of these timelines can be found here. 


The Words of World War II
Here are links to a number of speeches from World War II. You need to select one of them to read and post a blog comment reaction to that speech. Be sure you understand the context of the speech. You can react to the speech's style and/or effectiveness. Or, you can comment upon what it reveals about the particular speaker or their nation, etc. It's pretty open, but I'll expect a comment of a good paragraph or more in length.

Your blog comments should be posted to the Lesson #15 blog entry by the end of Thursday.



HOMEWORK for next session - Wednesday, February 8th

Finish your reading for Unit #7 with Section 5 in Chapter 32, "Europe and Japan in Ruins." (pp. 948 - 951) The quiz will be multiple choice.

I should have your "Between the Wars" assignments and your VIP Timelines by now.

Your "The Words of World War II" blog entry should be posted to yesterday's blog entry by the end of Thursday.

We will do the "Two-Minute Review" on Friday of this week.

The multiple choice portion of the Unit #7 Exam will be on Monday, February 13th. Your IDs, DBQs, and essay are due no later than your departure for Deep Portage on Tuesday, February 14th, but I will certainly accept them earlier.

Lesson #15 - "Reports from the Front" - WWII - Day 1

By
Mike Vergin
on February 6, 2012 8:00 AM | | Comments (29)
Please note that the Unit #7 Identifications and Essay Exam Questions are posted on a previous entry. Your Unit #7 Essay is due to me before you leave for Deep Portage. Because of a field trip on Thursday, I'm now thinking we'll wait until Friday to do the "Two-Minute" Review. We'll give you the latter half of the block on THURSDAY to do the Unit #7 Identifications, and then I'll simply give you the Unit #7 DBQ to take home with you and complete before you leave for Deep Portage.

  • Thursday - Unit #7 Identifications (2nd half of block)
  • Friday - Unit #7 "Two-Minute" Review
  • Monday - Unit #7 Objective Exam - (Multiple Choice)
  • Before Deep Portage - Unit #7 Essay and Unit #7 DBQs due to me

Here are those two collections of World War II photographs that I emailed out to everyone last session.


Here are the six "fronts" from which we will be hearing over the next two class periods:

  • War in Europe
  • War in North Africa
  • The Russian Front
  • The Holocaust
  • War in the Pacific
  • The United States and the War
Each of these timelines can be found here. Barring multiple absences or something else strange, my plan is to hear from the first three groups today.

Here's a reminder of the expectations:

Assume that you have a maximum of 20 minutes to walk us through the events of your timeline. (15 minutes would be a reasonable minimum.)

"Reporting Live..." - For at least three of your events, a group member should report "live" from the scene. Basically, I'm thinking you will give us a minute or so as if you were there, reporting on what is happening/what happened and why it is/was significant. 

"Where in the World?" - Basically, be sure we understand the geographic context for your information.

Visuals - Seeing something visual to accompany several of your events seems like a reasonable expectation.

You need to make sure you are crediting the original sources, but Eyewitness to History - World War II might be useful to you.

You are certainly free to put your own spin on these requirements, but I think the basic requirements are pretty straight-forward. Obviously, you'll be expected to show the proper level of decorum for your particular events as well.


The Words of World War II
Here are links to a number of speeches from World War II. You need to select one of them to read and post a blog comment reaction to that speech. Be sure you understand the context of the speech. You can react to the speech's style and/or effectiveness. Or, you can comment upon what it reveals about the particular speaker or their nation, etc. It's pretty open, but I'll expect a comment of a good paragraph or more in length.

Your blog comments should be posted to this blog entry by the end of Thursday.



HOMEWORK for next session - Tuesday, February 7th

Continue reading with Section 4 in Chapter 32, "The Allied Victory." (pp. 940 - 947) The quiz will be matching.

The remaining groups should be ready for your "World War II Timeline Reports."

You should post a blog comment to this entry by the end of Thursday for your "The Words of World War II" assignment.

Your "Between the Wars" assignment is due today. (If you are doing the poem or letter(s), you should post those on Lesson #9's blog entry.)

Lesson #14 - "Reports from the Front" Work Day

By
Mike Vergin
on February 3, 2012 8:00 AM |
Following the quiz, you will have the remainder of the block to prepare for the "Reports from the Front" presentations that will take place on Monday and Tuesday. Here are the six "fronts" from which we will be hearing over the next two class periods:

  • War in Europe
  • War in North Africa
  • The Russian Front
  • The Holocaust
  • War in the Pacific
  • The United States and the War
Each of these timelines can be found here. Barring multiple absences or something else strange, my plan is to hear from the first three groups Monday. (All groups should be prepared to go Monday if need be.)

Here's a reminder of the expectations:

Assume that you have a maximum of 20 minutes to walk us through the events of your timeline. (15 minutes would be a reasonable minimum.)

"Reporting Live..." - For at least three of your events, a group member should report "live" from the scene. Basically, I'm thinking you will give us a minute or so as if you were there, reporting on what is happening/what happened and why it is/was significant. 

"Where in the World?" - Basically, be sure we understand the geographic context for your information.

Visuals - Seeing something visual to accompany several of your events seems like a reasonable expectation.

You need to make sure you are crediting the original sources, but Eyewitness to History - World War II might be useful to you.

You are certainly free to put your own spin on these requirements, but I think the basic requirements are pretty straight-forward. Obviously, you'll be expected to show the proper level of decorum for your particular events as well.


HOMEWORK for next session - Monday, February 6th

Continue reading in Chapter 32 with Section 3, "The Holocaust." (pp. 936 - 939) The quiz will be true/false.

The remaining groups should be ready for your "World War II Timeline Reports."

Your "Between the Wars" assignment is due today. (If you are doing the poem or letter(s), you should post those on Lesson #9's blog entry.)

Unit #7 Exam - Identifications and Essay Questions

By
Mike Vergin
on February 2, 2012 8:15 AM |

Unit #7 Identifications: On Friday, February 10th, you will write on your choice of 5 of the 8 identifications that appear on the Unit #7 exam chosen from the list below. You may bring 10 words of "notes" for each of the 15 possible identifications to the exam. (Printed out, not on your computer.) You will need to turn in these notes, and I reserve the right to count symbols, acronyms, etc. as one or more words. Each of the five identifications is worth 5 points.

A good identification is typically in the range of 4 to 6 sentences in length. (You do need to write in complete sentences.) You should demonstrate both an understanding of just who / what the ID "is" and place it in the appropriate historical context. In addition, you need to explain the significance of the ID. In other words, answer the "So what?" question.


Schlieffen Plan
League of Nations
Treaty of Versailles
March Revolution
Great Purge
Mao Zedong
Amritsar Massacre
Mustafa Kemal
Great Depression
Benito Mussolini
appeasement
Battle of Britain
"Final Solution"
Battle of Stalingrad
Nuremberg Trials

Unit #7 Essay Exam - Questions and Format - You'll write an essay as part of the Unit #7 Exam. This essay must be turned no later than your departure to Deep Portage on Tuesday, February 14th. I would welcome any earlier than that. (I prefer them printed out, but you could email them as an attachment if time constraints require.)  Below you can find both the questions from which you will choose and the format for the essay portion on the Unit #7 Exam. The essay will be evaluated on the usual 30 point scale, and that score is doubled in PowerSchool.

Format: The actual essay will be written by hand or word-processed. You should prepare for a five-paragraph essay. That means that you should include an introduction (with a clear thesis statement), three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. (Note that the questions lend themselves to such a format. That is on purpose.)

Remember that the questions are not designed for you to tell us everything you have learned. Focus on what the question is requiring you to do.


A. Identify and explain the significance of your choices for the three most important outcomes or legacies of the First World War. Did the "end" of World War I make World War II inevitable? Why or why not?

B. Identify and explain what you believe were the three main causes of the Great Depression that affected the world in the early 1930s. Is the world headed for another depression? Why or why not?

C. At the end of World War II, the world faced a number of challenges and issues yet to be resolved. Identify and explain your choices for the three most important of these issues. Almost sixty-years later, do you believe our world is safer than it was at the end of 1945? Why or why not?

Lesson #13 - The Road to War

By
Mike Vergin
on February 2, 2012 8:00 AM |
We'll get Hitler into power today, and then you'll have some work time for the "Reports from the Front" that will occur next week.

The Rise of Adolf Hitler - From Unknown to Dictator of Germany
The History Place website does a good job working through key events in the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. Today, we'll quickly run through the chapters each of you had from The Rise of Adolf Hitler website. Remember, you have a maximum of one minute, and you are responsible for conveying the important parts of your chapter. Please, talk to us. Don't read at us. 

Here are the chapters:
Adolf Hitler is Born
Hitler's Boyhood
Hitler's Father Dies
Hitler Fails Art Exam
Hitler's Mother Dies
Hitler is Homeless in Vienna
Hitler in World War I
War Ends with German Defeat
Hitler Joins German Workers' Party
Nazi Party is Formed
Hitler Named Leader of Nazi Party
The Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler on Trial for Treason
Hitler's Book Mein Kampf
A New Beginning
The Quiet Years
Great Depression Begins
Germans Elect Nazis
Success and a Suicide
Hitler Runs for President
The Republic Collapses
Hitler Named Chancellor of Germany
The Reichstag Burns
Hitler Becomes Dictator of Germany

We'll cover it in other ways, but if you are interested in learning more about what comes "next," I'd recommend their next section: The Triumph of Hitler - Nazi Germany 1933 to 1939. The end of the story comes in the final section:  The Defeat of Hitler - Quest for a Nazi Empire, 1939 - 1945.

If you've never done it, watching some video of a Hitler speech or rally is interesting. Even with the sound off, you can see how charismatic he is. (Seventy years later, much of his manner has been parodied and perhaps lost some of its edge. Imagine what it would have been like back in the 1930s.) YouTube has this excerpt of a Hitler speech from the propaganda film, "The Triumph of the Will."

I'm not, of course, endorsing any of it, but here's an online version of Mein Kampf. 

THIS IS NO LONGER THE SITUATION, BUT I AM LEAVING IT UP SINCE I THINK THE STORY IS INTERESTING. Interested in a little controversy? (It's also a good lesson in being careful on the internet.) I wanted a link to a clearly formatted, easy to browse version of Mein Kampf so that you could get a feel for his writing if you want. The first link returned by Google is to The Hitler Historical Museum, and it's the one I [originally] used above. Since I'd never heard of the museum, I Googled that as well. It turns out that the museum itself doesn't really exist, and it is a front for a Neo-Nazi group headquartered in a Virginia strip mall. Here's an interesting article I found:

Do Historians Have a Responsibility to Warn the Public About Misleading Websites?

Do examples like this cause you to think any differently about research and/or the internet?

We'll obviously continue to look at events in which Hitler was involved, but we'll shift from looking at him as an individual to looking at the war itself.


World War II - "Reporting from the Fronts"

Here are the six "fronts" from which you will be "reporting" next Monday and Tuesday:

  • War in Europe
  • War in North Africa
  • The Russian Front
  • The Holocaust
  • War in the Pacific
  • The United States and the War
Each of these timelines can be found here. I simply edited down much longer timelines from "The History Place" and "sorted" the events by fronts.

Assume that you have a maximum of 20 minutes to walk us through the events of your timeline. (15 minutes would be a reasonable minimum.) Although the presentations will no doubt differ a bit due to their content, I'm expecting each group's presentation to include these items...

"Reporting Live..." - For at least three of your events, a group member should report "live" from the scene. Basically, I'm thinking you will give us a minute or so as if you were there, reporting on what is happening/what happened and why it is/was significant. You can decide how creative to be, but the basic task should be clear enough. (You can certainly do this for more than three events if you'd like.)

"Where in the World?" - I've got some pretty good maps you are welcome to use on the overhead. You also can use other maps on the computer projector. Basically, be sure we understand the geographic context for your information.

Visuals - As many of you have already noticed, we're covering an event that was well-recorded photographically and on film. Seeing something visual to accompany several of your events seems like a reasonable expectation.

You need to make sure you are crediting the original sources, but Eyewitness to History - World War II might be useful to you.

You are certainly free to put your own spin on these requirements, but I think the basic requirements are pretty straight-forward. Obviously, you'll be expected to show the proper level of decorum for your particular events as well.


HOMEWORK for next session - Friday, February 3rd

Continue reading in Chapter 32 with Section 2, "Japan's Pacific Campaign." (pp. 931 - 935) The quiz will be fill-in-the-blank.

Your VIP Timeline component is due tomorrow.

Your "Between the Wars" assignment (introduced on Lesson #9) is due on Monday, February 6th.

Your "Reports from the Front" will take place on Monday and Tuesday. The plan is to do the European, North African and Russian fronts on Monday. (However, if enough people are absent, we might do another of the groups. Everyone should be ready for Monday.)

Lesson #12 - The Rise of Fascism

By
Mike Vergin
on February 1, 2012 8:00 AM |
Our look at World War II really begins today with our consideration of the rise of fascism. We'll do a couple quick things at the top here, and then we'll consider fascism directly.

Here's an article from the Boston Globe that you might find interesting based on our conversation from Friday: "Depression 2009: What would it look like?"


The rise of mass society - By the 1930s, many had come to believe that individualism (and classical liberalism) were being replaced by what came to be called "mass society." Because it's an important concept in the rise of fascism and other factors, we'll take a quick look at it today. 

Initially, I'd like you to download and read through W.H. Auden's 1939 poem, "The Unknown Citizen." From this, let's see what you think "mass society" might represent.

Here are some of the key characteristics of mass society and mass culture:
  • Democracy had leveled the playing field for all.
  • The "mass man" emerged, and he "is satisfied in being identical to others."
  • Expanded suffrage and literacy made the "mass man" more common.
  • Mass culture became standardized and diffused
  • Mass culture was something to be purchased and passively consumed.
  • Developments like the movies, recorded music and the automobile contributed.
  • Linkages between people became "vertical," rather than "horizontal."
Did this mean that Western civilization was sowing the seeds of its own demise?
To what degree did this contribute to the rise of totalitarianism and fascism?


What is fascism? There are probably few political terms in recent world history that generate as much confusion as "fascism." Its etymology is clear enough - The Italian word fascismo comes from the Latin fasces, which was a bundle of sticks or rods fastened around an axe. This was a symbol of authority in ancient Rome.

Stanley Payne, the author of A History of Fascism, uses a three-part definition for this new belief that emerged as a rival to both communism and liberalism in the 20th century.

I. According to Payne, fascism's primary goal was the regeneration of the nation, a goal that was pursued through extreme forms of nationalism.

II. Payne emphasizes the "fascist negations," as many think it is easier to identify what socialists were against, as opposed to what they are for.
  • They were anti-liberal, believing the nation was the base of society, not the individual.
  • They were anti-communist.
  • They were anti-conservative. (Fascism is usually seen as a right-wing movement, but terms like "radical right" are often used.)
III. Finally, Payne focused on features of style and organization.
  • Fascists created a mass following via the tools and resources of mass society.
  • They used the mass media and public rituals to exalt a single leader and embrace militarism.
  • Mass rallies and demonstrations were used to unify the people.

Working with a definition of fascism: We'll give you a chance to try out another "definition" of fascism here. Download a copy of Fourteen Characteristics of Fascism by Dr. Laurence Britt. (There's apparently some controversy online as whether Britt is actually a "real" political scientist or whether he has a doctorate. Either way, the list is useful for our purposes.)

Using Britt's matrix and working in a small group, I'd like you to try to find examples of as many of the fourteen characteristics of fascism as you can from one (or more) of the following examples of fascism.

  • Hitler and Germany (obviously the easiest to use)
  • Mussolini and Italy (probably the next easiest)
  • Franco and Spain
  • Suharto and Indonesia
  • Pinochet and Chile
Use your text when applicable, as well as doing some internet research. We'll talk about what you've found in a while.


The Rise of Adolf Hitler - From Unknown to Dictator of Germany
The History Place is a website that does a pretty good job working through key events in the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. You are each going to receive a slip with an event or period from Hitler's earlier years. They will correspond to a "chapter" from The History Place's site.

The Rise of Adolf Hitler - This link will take you to "your" chapter. Your job is simple. Tomorrow, we'll go through the events in chronological order. You will present a "Hitler minute" on your chapter. That means you have a maximum of one minute. No projectors, no visuals. You are responsible for conveying the important parts of your chapter.

Talk to us, don't read at us. Decide what is important and relevant to us.


HOMEWORK for tomorrow - Thursday, February 2nd

Start your reading in Chapter 32 with Section 1, "Hitler's Lightning War." (pp. 925 - 930) The quiz will be multiple choice.

Be ready with your "Hitler minute" for our look at "The Rise of Adolf Hitler" tomorrow.

Your VIP Timeline component is due on Friday.

Your "Between the Wars" assignment (introduced on Lesson #9) is due on Monday, February 6th.



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