Download NEH Summer Teacher Institute 2004 Final Lessons U.S.

NEH Summer Teacher Institute 2004 Final Lessons
U.S. Entry into WWII and Changes in
Dissension Attitude
Martha Graham
Grade level: 11
Discipline: AP U.S. History
Standards addressed
New Jersey Social Studies 6.4.J.5
Compare and contrast key events and people involved with the causes, course, and consequences
of World War II.
Objectives
1. Students will describe the causes for dissent ion prior to US involvement in WWII.
2. Students will explain the causes for US entry into the war.
3. Students will synthesize the change in the attitudes in some dissenters during the war.
Resources
Song(s) used in lesson:
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•
•
•
“Ballad of October 16” (1940) performed by Almanac Singers on That’s Why We’re
Marching: World War II and the American Folk Song Movement, Smithsonian Folkways,
1996. Lyrics at http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/3448/oct16.html
“What Are We Waitin’ On?” (1942) performed by Woody Guthrie on That’s Why We’re
Marching: World War II and the American Folk Song Movement, Smithsonian Folkways,
1996. Lyrics below.
“Citizen CIO”(1944) performed by Josh White, Tom Glazer, and Bess Lomax Hawes on
That’s Why We’re Marching: World War II and the American Folk Song Movement,
Smithsonian Folkways, 1996.
“I’m Gonna Put My Name Down”(1944) performed by Tom Glazer on That’s Why We’re
Marching: World War II and the American Folk Song Movement, Smithsonian Folkways,
1996.
Other resources:
Recordings:
That’s Why We’re Marching: World War II and the American Folk Song Movement,
Smithsonian Folkways, 1996.
Books:
Dunaway, David King. How Can I Keep From Singing?: Pete Seeger. New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Co., 1981.
Faragher, John M., et al. Out of Many: A History of the American People. Upper Saddle, NJ:
Prentice Hall, 2005.
Seeger, Pete. Where Have all the Flowers Gone? A Singer’s Stories, Songs, Seeds, Robberies.
Bethlehem, PA: Sing Out Corporation, 1993.
Web Sites:
“Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives” http://www.woodyguthrie.org/
“Teaching With Documents Lesson Plan: ‘A Date Which Will Live in Infamy’ – The First
Typed Draft of Franklin D. Roosevelt's War Address,” NARA
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/day_of_infamy/day_of_infamy.html
“Public Opinion and Isolationism,” Faculty of the Arts, Sydney, Australia, taken from Michael
Leigh, Mobilizing Consent: Public Opinion and American Foreign Policy, Greenwood Press,
Westport, 1976, 32 – 33.
http://teaching.arts.usyd.edu.au/history/hsty3080/3rdYr3080/Callous%20Bystanders/isolationism
.html
Song History
Ballad of October 16
Words by Millard Lampell and Lee Hays; music adaptation of “Jesse James,”(1940)
What Are We Waitin’ On?
Words and Music Adaptation by Woody Guthrie (music based on “John Henry”) (1942)
These two songs, both sung by the folk group Almanac Singers, express opposite sentiments
regarding war. “Ballad of October 16” was written in 1940 to protest FDR’s movement toward
war. The passage of a conscription law in September 1940 was evidence to Communist Party
members, which included many members of the Almanac Singers, that FDR was lying when he
had vowed to stay out of the European war. As a result of this scathing criticism, FBI files were
opened on Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie and followed them for decades. “What Are We
Waitin’ On?” written in 1942, demonstrates an abrupt about-face that can be explained only in
the context of the German invasion of the Soviet Union and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Procedure
Prior to lesson, give students the following list to place in chronological order and indicate dates
and results of action:
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•
•
German U-boat attacks Kearny
Germany invades USSR
Battle of Britain
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Non-Aggression Pact
Neutrality Act 1939 repealed
Nye Report
Germany sinks Robin Moor
Germany invades Poland
Destroyer for Bases Deal
Neutrality Acts
Phony War
Neutrality Acts
Germany invades France
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
Munich Conference
Lend Lease Act
German U-boat sinks Reuben James
1st Peacetime Draft in US
Introductory learning activities:
•
•
•
What is dissent ion? Opposition to the policies of those in power
Is dissent ion desirable in a democracy? Explain your answer.
How can people express opposition? Protests, editorials, strike, music
•
Give examples of what has happened to dissenters in times of crisis? Arrested for
violating Alien & Sedition Acts, suspension of habeas corpus during Civil War, strikes
broken by state & federal troops in 1890s
Song discussion questions and activities:
1. Play “Ballad of October 16” (lyrics at http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/3448/oct16.html)
•
•
What is the message of this song?
Why did the author oppose the draft?
2. Explain the background of the Almanac Singers and the Communist Party: The American
Folk Song Movement was instrumental in the growth of the unions during the 1930s, and
foremost among these musicians was a group called the Almanacs, which included such artists
as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Tom Glazer, and Josh White; they were closely affiliated with
Communist Party, which took direction from Moscow.
•
•
•
Based on the communist view of war, what will their position be? Opposed because war
benefits capitalists
Who else opposed war? Quakers, Amish, conscientious objectors
Do you think most people considered this song unpatriotic in 1940?
3. Show Gallop poll – isolationism still strong
http://teaching.arts.usyd.edu.au/history/hsty3080/3rdYr3080/Callous%20Bystanders/isolationism
.html
4. Check homework: time line/graphic organizer
1934
Nye Report
Blamed American
capitalism for involvement
in WWI
1935-37
Neutrality Acts
Restricted U.S. trade with
belligerence
Sept.
1938
Munich Conference
Allies give Hitler
Studentland
Aug.
1939
Non-Aggression Pact
USSR & Germany; ACP
conflicted
Sept.
1939
Germany invades
Poland
Great Britain & France
declare war
Neutrality Act
European democracies may
buy armament cash only
Phony War
No significant military
action
Oct '39April '40
June 1940 Germany invades France France surrenders; Dunkirk
evacuation
Aug.
1940
Battle of Britain
German air attacks on
Britain
Sept.
1940
Destroyer for Bases
Deal
U.S. aids Great Britain
1st Peacetime draft in
U.S.
Within 1 month 16 million
men registered [Ballad]
Lend Lease Act
US aids Great Britain;
German: US not neutral
March
1941
May 1941 Germany seeks Robin
Moor
unarmed American
merchantman
June 1941 Germany invades USSR [ACP change attitude
toward war]
Oct. 1941 German U-boat attacks
Kearny
11 died
Oct. 1941 German U-boat sinks
Reuben James near
Iceland
100 died
Nov.
1941
Armed merchant Ships;
War with Germany
Neutrality Act of 1939
repealed
expected
Dec. 1941 Pearl Harbor
U.S. declares War
5. Put song on time line
6. Play "WHAT ARE WE WAITING ON?" by Woody Guthrie
(Lyrics Below)
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•
How does the sentiment expressed in this song differ from the first song?
Looking at the timeline, what might have convinced labor and the Communist Party to
support war? Jobs, the Fascist attitude towards unions and communism, German
invasion of USSR (most important for American Communist Party), German U-boat
attacks on US ships, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
7. Use the NARA lesson at
http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/day_of_infamy/day_of_infamy.html
•
•
Read FDR’s Infamy Speech, complete NARA worksheet, discuss responses
Listen to recording of speech, complete NARA worksheet, discuss techniques employed
to gain public support for war
8. Desire to defeat fascism led Communist Party to urge labor unions to make no strike pledges
for the duration of the war.
•
•
Play short segments of “Citizen CIO” and/or “I’m gonna put my name down” to illustrate
their continuing commitment to labor
Despite this apparent unity, dissent ion still existed in 1943. Labor strikes increased
between 1942 and 1944 (Faragher, p 780)
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•
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Were these strikes unpatriotic at this time?
How might a striker justify his/her action?
Was it wrong to ask for higher wages from employers?
9. Strikes did not necessarily reflect real opposition to the war; such opposition did, however,
exist.
•
•
What groups remained pacifist throughout times of war? Religious groups, CO
Is it fair that a person can declare himself a conscientious objector and exempted from
service?
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For homework, prepare a statement for assigned character on his/her position on the war:
o
o
50-year-old labor union member
American Communist Party officer
o
o
o
22-year-old male
46-year-old mother of 3 grown children
Conscientious objector, such as Quaker or Amish
Follow-up learning activities:
Debate: It is January 1, 1942 -- Should the U.S. be involved in the war?
Everyone assigned to the same character shall meet in a group to compare position papers and
prepare strategy for debating the above question. Choose 1 person to speak, though others
should assist speaker during debate.
After debate:
•
Compare to the present war in Iraq.
•
What are the differences?
Assessment
Position paper and debate using rubric below.
Assessment criteria and performance descriptors
Scale
10-9
Criterion
Position is clearly
Position
stated and
Statement
consistently
maintained. Clear
references to the
issue(s) are stated
8-7
Position is clearly
stated and
consistently
maintained.
References to the
issue(s) at hand are
missing.
Evidence clearly Evidence clearly
Supporting
supports the
Information supports the
position; evidence position, but there
is sufficient
is not enough
evidence
Organization Structure of work Structure
is clearly
developed
developed
reasonably well,
but lacks clarity
6-4
3-0
Position is stated, Statement of
but not maintained position cannot
consistently
be determined
throughout the
work
Argument is
supported by
limited evidence
Some attempts to
structure the
argument have
been made, but the
structure is poorly
developed
Tone does not
Tone of Essay Tone is consistent Tone enhances
with argument
persuasiveness, but contribute to
and enhances
there are
persuasiveness
Evidence is
unrelated to
argument
There is a total
lack of structure
Tone is
inappropriate to
purpose
persuasiveness
inconsistencies in
the argument
Sentence structure Sentence structure Work contains
Sentence
is correct with
is generally correct. structural
Structure
less than 2
Some awkward
weaknesses and 8grammatical
sentences do appear 12 grammatical
mistakes
and/or 3-7
errors
grammatical
mistakes
Punctuation & Punctuation and There is one error There are two or
three errors in
Capitalization capitalization are in punctuation
correct
and/or
punctuation and/or
capitalization
capitalization
Respect for
Other Team
All statements,
body language,
and responses
were respectful
and were in
appropriate
language
Statements and
responses were
respectful and used
appropriate
language, but once
or twice body
language was not.
Information
All information
presented in the
debate was clear,
accurate, and
thorough
Most information
presented in the
debate was clear,
accurate, and
thorough
Organization All arguments
were clearly tied
to an idea
(premise) and
organized in a
tight, logical
fashion
All counterRebuttal
arguments were
accurate, relevant
and strong
Most arguments
were clearly tied to
an idea (premise)
and organized in a
tight, logical
fashion
Most counterarguments were
accurate, relevant,
and strong
Works pays
little attention
to proper
sentence
structure
There are four
or more errors
in punctuation
and/or
capitalization
Most statements Statements,
and responses
responses
were respectful
and/or body
and used
language were
appropriate
consistently not
language but there respectful
was one sarcastic
remark
Most information Information had
presented in the
several
debate was clear inaccuracies or
and accurate but was usually
was not usually
unclear
thorough
All arguments
Arguments
were clearly tied to were not clearly
an idea (premise) tied to an idea
but the
(premise)
organization was
sometimes unclear
or illogical
Most counterCounterarguments were
arguments were
accurate and
inaccurate
relevant, but
and/or
several were weak irrelevant
Lyrics
“What Are We Waitin’ On?”
There’s a great and a bloody fight round this whole world tonight
The battle the bombs and the shrapnel rain
Hitler told the world around he would tear our union down
But our union’s going to break them slavery chains
And our union’s going to break them slavery chains
I walked up on a mountain in the middle of the sky
Could see every farm and every town
I could see all the people in this whole wide world
That’s the union that’All tear old Hitler down
That’s the union that’ll tear the fascists down
When I think of the men and the ships going down
While the Russians fight on across the dawn
There’s London in ruins and Paris in chains
Good people, what are we waitin’ on?
Good people, what are we waitin’ on?
Yes I thank the Soviets and the mighty Chinese vets
Allies the whole wide world round
To the battling British thanks
You can have 10 million yanks
If it takes them to tear the fascists down down down
If it takes them to tear the fascists down
But when I think of the ships and the men going down
While the Russians fight on across the dawn
There’s London in ruins and Paris in chains
Good people, what are we waitin’ on?
Good people, what are we waitin’ on?
So, I thank the Soviets and the mighty Chinese vets
Allies the whole wide world around
To the battling British thanks
You can have 10 million yanks
If it takes them to tear the fascists down down down
If it takes them to tear the fascists down
WHAT ARE WE WAITING ON? Words and New Music Adaptation by Woody Guthrie
Copyright 1998 by WOODY GUTHRIE PUBLICATIONS, INC.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.