WORLD WAR II ERA… UNDERSTANDING OUR INVOLVEMENT AND HONORING OUR VETERANS Adapted from a webquest created by Trysta Mele

INTRODUCTION Imagine if you were suddenly transported into history. You travel to 1941 and are still 10 years old. If you were living in the United States, you would be hearing about World War II on the radio as it was happening in Europe and Asia. The president was President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and he maintained our neutral position in this war. However, that all changed when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, This event forced the United States to enter the World War as President Roosevelt declared war on Japan.

YOUR TASKS The name itself, World War II, tells us that many countries were involved in the war effort. Some of these countries included Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, Russia, China, the United States, and many others. By the end of your exploration, you will be able to answer the following questions using evidence: 1. Why did the US enter the war? 2. What are the Axis and Allied Powers, and how are they different? 3. Geographically, what was the location of each of the countries involved in WWII? How do these fit in the Five Themes of Geography?

ACTIVITY 1 Materials you will need: computer, Social Studies notebook, Writer’s notebook, internet access, a partner Vocabulary: bomber, destroyer, dispatch, embargo, evacuate, raid, radar, sabotage, treaty, torpedo What happened? (background information) On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the naval and army bases at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It began with a surprise attack very early in the morning. Many Japanese fighter planes dropped bombs on Pearl Harbor in an attempt to harm the US Navy. The Japanese disabled (destroyed) most of the United States’ Pacific fleet. However, the US aircraft carriers were at sea during the attacked and escaped destruction. Thousands of American lives were lost as the attack took place. On December 8, 1941, the US responded. On this day, President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on the Japanese. His address was broadcast by radio to the nation.

ACTIVITY 1 VOCABULARY Pearl Harbor Glossary ( This glossary has been adapted from the Scholastic Children's Dictionary.) Here are some words that will help you understand what happened the day Pearl Harbor was bombed: Bomber - a large airplane that drops bombs on targets. Destroyer - a small, very fast warship that uses guns, missiles, and torpedoes to protect other ships from submarines. Dispatch - a message or report. Embargo - an official order forbidding something from happening, especially trade. Evacuate - to move away from an area because it is dangerous there. Radar - an instrument used by planes and ships to find solid objects by reflecting radio waves off them and by receiving the reflected waves. Raid - a sudden, surprise attack on a place. Sabotage - the deliberate damage or destruction of property. Seize - to grab or take hold of something suddenly. Torpedo - an underwater missile that explodes when it hits a target, such as a ship. Treaty - a formal agreement between two or more countries.

YOUR TASKS FOR ACTIVITY 1 1. Read and listen to President Roosevelt’s speech to Congress and be prepared to discuss your thoughts with the class With your partner, visit the websites below to read and learn more about WWII history as well as the attack on Pearl Harbor. Make sure you take notes in your Social Studies notebook and are able to discuss the event in class. History of and Timeline for WWII: Attack on Pearl Harbor: In your Writer’s notebook, write a personal narrative as if you were a soldier or nurse stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, What did you do? How did you feel? What were you thinking?

ACTIVITY 2 Materials you will need: computer, Social Studies notebook, comprehension questions, internet access, a partner Vocabulary: Allied Powers, appeasement, Axis Powers, concentration camp, D-Day, Fascism, Gestapo, Holocaust, Nazi, Pact of Steel Who was involved? (background information) World War II was fought by two major groups of nations (countries). These groups were called the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers. The Allied Powers joined together in order to defend against the attacks of the Axis Powers. The Allied Powers began with four countries: Great Britain, France, Russia, and the United States. Each country also had its own leaders: Winston Churchill (Great Britain), Charles de Gaulle (France), Joseph Stalin (Russia), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (U.S.). The Axis Powers were made up of the countries of Germany, Italy, and Japan. Their alliance began with the friendship treaty between Germany and Italy that formed the Rome-German Axis. In 1939, Germany and Italy strengthened that treaty by signing the Pact of Steel. Japan joined the alliance in 1940 that created the three main Axis Powers in World War II. The Axis Powers leaders were Adolph Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy), and Emperor Hirohito (Japan).

ACTIVITY 2 VOCABULARY Allied Powers - Countries that fought against the Axis Powers. Primary members included the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, France, and China. Appeasement - This was the policy of many countries when Hitler first started to take over Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia. They gave in to Hitler's demands in order to avoid going to war. When Hitler invaded Poland, they realized that appeasement would not work and France and Great Britain declared war on Germany. Axis Powers - An alliance formed by Germany, Italy, and Japan. These countries wanted to expand and conquer other countries. The Allied Powers opposed them. Concentration camp - A place where the Germans put people they did not like such as Jewish people. D-Day - The day that United States and British forces attacked the German forces on the shores of Normandy, France. A turning point in the war as the Allies defeated the Germans. Fascism - A type of government ruled by a dictator. Germany with Hitler and Italy with Mussolini were fascist governments. Gestapo - The Nazi police force. They were mean and very powerful in Germany during WWII. They hunted down enemies of the Nazi party as well as Jewish people. Holocaust - A term used to describe the murder of 6 million Jewish people by the German Nazi Party. Nazi - The Nazi Party was a political party in Germany led by Adolf Hitler. The full name was the Nationalist Socialist German Workers' Party. Pact of Steel - A treaty signed by the Germany and Italy. It was later signed by Japan and called the Tripartite Pact. This pact created the Axis Powers alliance.

YOUR TASK FOR ACTIVITY 2 1. With a partner, read and take notes about the Allied Powers. ed_powers.php ed_powers.php 2. With a partner, read and take notes about the Axis Powers. s_powers.php s_powers.php 3. On your own, answer the comprehension questions showing that you have read the information closely, and understood what you and your partner read.

ACTIVITY 3 Materials you will need: computer, Social Studies notebook for notes, map, assigned country, poster making materials—colored pencils, crayons, etc. (NO markers on the map!), internet access, a partner Vocabulary: Allied Powers: countries that fought against the Axis Powers, Primary members included the United States, Great Britain, Russia, France, and China. Axis Powers: the group of countries that formed an alliance in order to expand and conquer other countries. The countries were Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allied Powers opposed them. Internment Camps: locations spread out across Europe during WWII, where the Nazis sent Jewish people. Neutrality: the policy of being a neutral (not taking sides) nation.

YOUR TASK FOR ACTIVITY 3 1. With a partner, read and take notes about the 5 Themes of Geography Use the map that will be handed out to locate the countries of each of the Allied Powers and each of the Axis Powers. Color blue the countries in the Allied Powers. Color red the countries in the Axis Powers. 3. WWII Geography Poster: With your partner, create a poster about a country in either the Allied or Axis Powers (your teacher will help make sure that all countries are selected). This poster must show how the 5 Themes of Geography (location, place, region, movement, human environment)relate to this country. You may use the website about the 5 themes above as well as or