History Club: World War I-II

Time: Mon-Fri 10:00 a.m. – noon

Participants: Mom (age 43), Sarah (age 15) and James (age 11)

My Lofty Goals:

1. Learn about the history of this period
2. Explore various sources of information about history, including historical fiction, movies, nonfiction, and primary sources.
3. Look at similarities and differences between the past and present, and to understand how the past influences the present
4. Understand why certain events are considered historically significant, a key ingredient in understanding the study of history, and to understand the causal relationships between historical events.
5. Nurture perspective-taking, a vital skill for critical thinking as well as social and emotional development, by:
   • Discussing the opinions presented by Richard Maybury, a libertarian writer who opposes foreign intervention, and comparing them to other views, emphasizing that divergent points of view are interesting, and there is not necessarily one “correct” interpretation.
   • Debating questions raised by our reading and discussion, among ourselves, exploring the reasons each of us may have a different, and equally valid, opinion.
   • Exploring multiple perspectives held by people who lived through these historical events, understanding why people in the past did not all see things the same way.
6. Connect history to current events, including the effects of military alliances, imperialism and other issues.
7. Learn to critically evaluate statements made by government leaders, journalists and writers, which is essential to being a thinking citizen.
8. Do hands-on projects that reinforce collaborative problem-solving skills, through building things together, possibly sparking an interest in scientific principles.
9. Help James delve into his interest in military technology/weapons and strategy games.
10. Capitalize on the natural desire of a young boy (and his dad) to play with fire and blow stuff up real good.
11. Build on Sarah’s interest in movies and my passion for books.
12. Practice goal-setting, prioritizing, and scheduling by deciding collaboratively what we will accomplish each day
13. To nurture an appreciation for social justice and peace.

Resources:

World War I: The Rest of the Story and How It Affects You Today, rev. edition by Richard J. Maybury

World War II: The Rest of the Story & How It Affects You Today, revised edition by Richard J. Maybury

The First World War (Strategy Board Game)

Graphic History Series — Hat Tip: Lexamom

Proposed Schedule:

Week One: Jan 4 – 8, 2010

A. Reading/Discussion

1. The 58-Year Persecution (Maybury)

2. The Grim Statistics (Maybury)

3. Is Now the Time to Learn About War? (Maybury)

4. First Ideas, Then Battles (Maybury)

5. Whose Truth? (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology — Cannons, Artillery and Trench Warfare — Project: Build a Potato Cannon

C. Movies/Literature — My Boy Jack (2007; features Daniel Radcliffe)

Week Two: Jan 11-15

A. Reading/Discussion

1. Why We Fight (Maybury)

2. Conquest Creates Weakness Not Strength (Maybury)

3. Typical Garden-Variety Wars (Maybury)

4. Deadly Ideas Lead to War (Maybury)

5. The Pax Romana (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology – Air Warfare — Projects: Make a Hot Air Balloon, If we’re insanely ambitious — Make an Airship Out of an Egg

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Three: Jan 18 – 22

A. Reading/Discussion

1. Fascism (Maybury)

2. What Date Did the World Wars Begin? (Maybury)

3. Franco-Prussian War (Maybury)

4. Ancient German Ambitions (Maybury)

5. Political Power (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology — Tanks/Internal Combustion Engines and caterpillar tracks — Project: Make a Tank

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Four: Jan 25-29

A. Reading/Discussion

1. Global Protection (Maybury)

2. Interests (Maybury)

3. Cost Externalization (Maybury)

4. Manifest Destiny (Maybury)

5. The Splendid Little War (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology — Naval Warfare — Project: Make a Submarine

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Five: February 1-5

A. Reading/Discussion

1. Guerrilla War (Maybury)

2. Guerrilla War Examples (Maybury)

3. Never Surrender (Maybury)

4. Killing Women (Maybury)

5. Take No Prisoners (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology — Flame Throwers — Project: Make a Flame Thrower (yes, seriously!) — if I were really brave, I might try this one!! Hah!!! :-0

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Six: February 8 – 12

A. Reading/Discussion

1. The White Man’s Burden & The Ugly American (Maybury)

2. The Great White Fleet (Maybury)

3. Up Close and Personal (Maybury)

4. The First Casualty of War (Maybury)

5. Stealing Panama (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Seven: February 15-19

A. Reading/Discussion

1. Helping Crooks and Tyrants (Maybury)

2. The Usual Suspects (Maybury)

3. Boxer Rebellion and Russo-Japanese War (Maybury)

4. Choosing Up Sides (Maybury)

5. The Morocco Crisis (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Eight: February 22-26

A. Reading/Discussion

1. Alliances (Maybury)

2. The Glory of War (Maybury)

3. America’s Entry Into World War I (Maybury)

4. The Third Choice Ignored (Maybury)

5. They Will Fight Over Anything (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Nine: March 1 – 5

A. Reading/Discussion

1. The Treaty of Versailles (Maybury)

2. The Sound of Reloading (Maybury)

3. Hitler’s Rise (Maybury)

4. U.S. Invades Russia (Maybury)

5. Desperation and the Neutrality Act (Maybury)

6. Summary (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Ten: March 8-15 (Moving on to WW II: Who Were the Good Guys?)

A. Reading/Discussion

1. The Main Theater of the War AND Good Guys Against Bad Guys (Maybury)

2. Not Six Million AND World War II Was Nothing New (Maybury)

3. Millions AND Britain Was A White Hat? (Maybury)

4. British Conquests AND P.T. Barnum Knew (Maybury)

5. British Area Bombing AND Two Questions (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Eleven: March 15-19 (First Rumblings and The U.S. Enters the War) (Maybury)

A. Reading/Discussion

1. When Did The War Begin? AND Appeasement and Comparative Brutality (Maybury)

2. Carving Up Central Europe AND The French versus the French (Maybury)

3. Significance of the Higgins Boat AND Only Genghis Khan Did It (Maybury)

4. The Solution AND Events Leading to Pearl Harbor (Maybury)

5. Hiding Facts about the Brawl AND The Great World War II Myth (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Twelve: March 22 – 26 (The U.S. Enters the War)

A. Reading/Discussion

1. FDR’s Pearl Harbor Speech (Maybury)

2. A Secret Agreement AND Why Did The Japanese Attack? (Maybury)

3. Pearl Harbor: FDR’s Deceit AND The Flying Tigers and B-17 Bombers (Maybury)

4. “Caught With Their Pants Down” AND Planes Parked Too Close Together (Maybury)

5. The Prokofiev Seamount, The Necessary Sacrifice? AND You’ve Seen The Photos (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Thirteen: March 29 – April 2 (The Economics of the War) (Maybury)

A. Reading/Discussion

1. The Myth of German Might AND Focus On The Eastern Front (Maybury)

2. Of Photographs and Weather AND German Production of Weapons (Maybury)

3. Germany’s Unknown Second Army AND Tank Treads, Trucks and Submarines (Maybury)

4. Germany’s Wonder Weapons AND Oil and Rifles (Maybury)

5. Americans Were Less Intelligent? AND The Bookings Revelation (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Fourteen: April 5 – 9 (The Economics of the War and The USG Makes It Worse)

A. Reading/Discussion

1. Russia Invaded by Keystone Kops AND Omaha Beach, Bravery versus Heroism (Maybury)

2. The German Underground AND Unconditional Surrender (Maybury)

3. Why Did Roosevelt Do It? AND Rarely Questioned (Maybury)

4. 46. Why Was Nagasaki Bombed? AND 105 Aircraft Carriers (Maybury)

5. Surrender Near AND Fierce Fighters (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Fifteen: April 12-16 (The USG Makes It Worse and Effect On Us Today)

A. Reading/Discussion

1. The Russians React AND The Soviet Uprising (Maybury)

2. Arm Any Gangster AND September 11th and the Destruction of the World Trade Center (Maybury)

3. Blowback AND MAD (Maybury)

4. Policeman of the World (Maybury)

5. Summary (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –

Week Sixteen April 19 – 23 (Final Thoughts About War)

A. Reading/Discussion

1. The Needless Deaths of 35 Million (Maybury)

2. The Normal Conditions of Humans (Maybury)

3. The Cause of War (Maybury)

4. Minor League to Emperor of the World (Maybury)

B. Weapons/Technology –

C. Movies/Literature –