Island Hopping-The War in the Pacific: Using Documentary Film Evidence

The War in the Pacific Accelerates - Using Documentary Film Evidence

Today you will examine moments in the Pacific War to understand both the strategy involved, and the impact of these moments on the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought in them.  

First, read an overview of the war in the Pacific.

Next, view the following film clips from the website of HBO’s The Pacific and take notes on the sheet provided.  Pay Particular attention to how Americans (soldiers and military leaders) were being tested in these moments.  You may find it helpful to refer to this timeline as you go.  

Cape Gloucester  2:29

Peleilu Airfield  2:00

We are All Afraid 3:14

An Unnecessary Sacrifice  2:52

Iwo Jima  2:34

Kuribayashi the Toughest Foe  1:56

We Couldn’t Bury them Fast Enough  2:02

Burn and Blockade: Cities in Ash  2:55

Okinawa  2:00

Caught in the Crossfire: The Okinawans  1:46

Fugitives from the law of averages  2:53

The Battle of the Bulge and HW for Tuesday, April 22

In the fall of 1944, allied troops had completed the successful invasion of Normandy retaking Paris at the end of August.  In September, the allies embarked on Operation Market Garden to liberate Holland and open a highway and supply line that would allow for a quick invasion of Germany.  Although ultimately unsuccessful, the operation severely weakened the German army’s ability to resist the oncoming allied advance.  However, in December of 1944, Hitler launched a surprise, massive counterattack which would become known as the Battle of the Bulge.
Please complete the following web activity for class on Tuesday.
Battle of the Bulge Web Activity

Friday, April 11 and HW for Tuesday and Wednesday

Today in class we discussed the ways in which the United States was being tested on the homefront and whether it passed or failed those tests.

• To do so, we watched from 0:00-18:42 of The Century;The Homefront and filled out this notetaking guide as we watched.
• We then examined these war posters and these (make sure you scroll through both sets).  Then respond to these questions: Overall impressions-What are the messages of the posters (what are they trying to get Americans do do or think)?  How is the enemy being portrayed (what words, phrases, and images are being used to describe them)?
• Choose one that you are particularly struck by to examine in more detail.  Why did you pick this one?  What is its message?  What symbols are being used?  What is it saying about America or American values?  What connection does it have to the notion of the testing of America?

HW for Tuesday (Monday is Passover so for those of you celebrating the holiday, don't wait until Monday night to complete this)-do the first three sections (immigration, removal, internment) of this web activity.  Follow the instructions carefully.  We will finish the activity in class on Tuesday.

HW for Wednesday is to read and annotate this article (note, you need to be logged in with your dist113 account to view).  Make sure that you can identify who each of the following people were and what they did: FDR, Henry Morgenthau, Stephen Wise, John Pehle, Breckenridge Long, Cordell Hull, John McCloy.

(The assignment sheet and the tab above have been updated as well)