World War II Lesson 5 Content Benchmarks: SS.912.A.6.1 Examine causes, course, and consequences of World War II on the United States and the world. SS.912.A.6.6 Analyze the use of atomic weapons during World War II and the aftermath of the bombings. SS.912.A.6.7 Describe the attempts to promote international justice through the Nuremberg Trials. SS.912.A.6.9 Describe the rationale for the formation of the United Nations, including the contribution of Mary McLeod Bethune. Benchmark Clarifications: Students will evaluate the significance of specific wartime events and actions both on the home front and on the progress of the war. Students will identify and/or evaluate the role of technology in World War II and the political, economic, and social implications of the use of technology. Students will identify and/or evaluate the causes and consequences of World War II both domestically and internationally. Students will evaluate the long-term influences of the war on both domestic and international affairs. Essential Questions: 1. What role did technology play in World War II? 2. Was the decision to use the atomic bomb justified? Why or why not? 3. What were the consequences of World War II both domestically and internationally? 4. How did World War II influence the world? Florida Standards Supported through this Lesson: LAFS.1112.RH.3.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
Key Vocabulary (BOLD indicates Content Focus): Atomic bomb, Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Nuremberg Trials, Mary McLeod Bethune, United Nations Evidence of Student Understanding (Assessment) in this Lesson: Refer to Benchmark Clarifications and Essential Questions to ensure student understanding. Materials Needed: Attachment A: Weapons & Technology Images Attachment B: Atomic Bomb Arguments Attachment C: Foldable Directions and Example Attachment D: Consequences of WWII History Lab Steps to Deliver the Lesson: 1. Lesson Opening: Have students examine and reflect on a series of images (Attachment A) that show the impact of various weapons during World War II. Reflection questions can include: What do you see in these images? What stands out? What impact do you think these weapons had on the war? What is your reaction to these images? What questions do you have? 2. Activity: Have students work with a partner to categorize arguments about the use of the atomic bomb as either pro or con (Attachment B). Then have them decide for themselves which side they are on and respond in writing to the question: Should the United States have used the atomic bomb against Japan during World War II? Finally, have students debate the issue using the fishbowl strategy. To do this, select 3-4 students per side to take part in the mini oral debate these students will sit in desks arranged in a circle in the center of the classroom. Have all other students sit outside of the circle and take notes during the debate. Notes should include not only what was said, but also reactions to what was said during the debate.
3. Have students read The War Comes to an End and Topic 7.8 Impact of World War II in Pearson United States History (pp. 457-459 and 468-474) and create a layered book foldable to organize their notes as they read. a. Pass out 3 pieces of paper to each student and share the directions and example (Attachment C). Walk around and assist students who may be having difficult with this task. b. Notes should be organized to include information about the major consequences of World War II, including: Nuremberg Trials; Occupation of Germany and Japan; Birth of the United Nations; Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Beginning of the Atomic Age. 4. Lesson Closure: Have students complete a 3-2-1 exit slip: Write down three things they learned from the lesson; two things they found interesting and would like to learn more about; one question they have. Gradual Release Activities: The activities vary from whole group, small group, and individual activities. Differentiated Instruction Strategies: Address the individual needs of students in terms of benchmark mastery accordingly. Technology The following websites provide additional resources that can be used for teaching about this time period: Florida Students Original Tutorial: o Winning World War II Part 2: http://floridastudents.org/previewresource/studentresource/167480 National WWII Museum website: http://www.nationalww2museum.org/index.html PBS Learning Media Truman and the Atomic Bomb Activity: https://florida.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/pres10.socst.ush.dww.atomicbomb/tru man-and-the-atomic-bomb-world-war-ii/#.w1h4pnvkim8 Official website of the United Nations: http://www.un.org/en/index.html
Extension Activity If time allows, have students work in small groups to complete the stimuli-driven history lab (Attachment D). After students have analyzed each source, and made the connection between the sources and the essential question, have them write their response to the essential question using the sample thesis frame as a guide.
World War II Weapons & Technology Attachment A
Attachment A
Attachment B Atomic Bomb Debate Activity Have students create a two-column chart labeled pro on one column and con on the other. Working in pairs, students will categorize the following arguments into either pro or con, depending on whether they would be used to support dropping the atomic bomb on Japan (pro), or whether they would be used to argue against the use of the bomb (con). After students have discussed and categorized each argument, have students decide for themselves whether they believe that the United States should have used the bomb in 1945. Students can respond in writing to this question: Should the United States have used the atomic bomb against Japan during World War II? Explain. Finally, have students debate this issue, either as a whole class, in small groups, in pairs, or however you see fit. The Japanese had demonstrated near-fanatical resistance, fighting to almost the last man on Pacific islands, committing mass suicide on Saipan and unleashing kamikaze attacks at Okinawa. Fire bombing had killed 100,000 in Tokyo with no discernible political effect. Only the atomic bomb could jolt Japan's leadership to surrender. The two targeted cities would have been firebombed anyway. Immediate use of the bomb convinced the world of its horror and prevented future use when nuclear stockpiles were far larger. American refusal to modify its "unconditional surrender" demand to allow the Japanese to keep their emperor needlessly prolonged Japan's resistance. Japan was ready to call it quits anyway. More than 60 of its cities had been destroyed by conventional bombing, the home islands were being blockaded by the American Navy, and the Soviet Union entered the war by attacking Japanese troops in Manchuria. An invasion of Japan would have caused casualties on both sides that could easily have exceeded the toll at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even if Hiroshima was necessary, the U.S. did not give enough time for word to filter out of its devastation before bombing Nagasaki.
Attachment B The bomb was used partly to justify the $2 billion spent on its development. The two cities were of limited military value. Civilians outnumbered troops in Hiroshima five or six to one. Conventional firebombing would have caused as much significant damage without making the U.S. the first nation to use nuclear weapons. Japanese lives were sacrificed simply for power politics between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. A demonstration explosion over Tokyo harbor would have convinced Japan's leaders to quit without killing many people.
Foldable Directions and Example Attachment C Follow the directions below, but using 3 sheets of paper instead of only two. Label foldable tabs as shown in the sample below: Inside each tab: Include at least 3-4 bullet points of information describing the major consequence of WWII. Create a visual symbol or picture to represent the information.
Name Period Date Attachment D SS.912.A.6.1 Examine causes, course, and consequences of World War II on the United States and the world. Essential Question: To what extent did World War II impact international affairs? Source Main Idea / Message / Important Details How does this document answer the essential question? Source 1 Quote from Harry Truman regarding the Nuremberg Trials, 1950 Source 2 Universal Declaration of Human Rights Infographic Source 3 Excerpt from the United Nations Charter (1945) Sample Thesis Frame: World War II impacted international affairs (to a great extent/to some extent/to a small extent). As illustrated by (insert source/title), which states, World War II had a(n) impact because. In addition, (insert source/title) shows that World War II s effect on the world was because. The evidence clearly shows that World War II impacted world affairs (to a great extent/to some extent/to a small extent).
Source 1 Attachment D Quote from Harry Truman regarding the Nuremberg Trials, 1950
Source 2 Attachment D Infographic illustrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (From Facing History and Ourselves: https://www.facinghistory.org/resourcelibrary/image/udhr-infographic)
Source 3 Attachment D Excerpt from the United Nations Charter (1945) The Purposes of the United Nations are: 1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace 2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace. 3. To achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and 4. To be a center for harmonizing the actions in the attainment of these common ends.