This document describes the ways in which Japan and the German nations have taught the history of World War II. According to the document, the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) took a pro-communist and anti-fascist approach to the subject. At the same time, the Western Allies pressured the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) to institute a…

Reprints portions of a sailor's diary, kept for two-and-a-half years during World War II. The 21-year-old quartermaster writes about his life on the USS Grimes; hearing of the war's official end; his ship's peaceful landing in Tokyo Bay; and his experiences in Nagasaki in September 1945. (CH)

Explains that writing national history involves much more than arranging facts and dates, which is why, over 50 years after the end of World War II, the Japanese are still arguing about what actually happened during that time, Japan's role in war crimes and aggressive actions, and how to present it all in textbooks. (SM)

These materials consist of sample lesson plans for teaching about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, in both U.S. and world history classes. The lesson plans challenge students to examine how current attitudes toward the Japanese may be rooted in World War II and Pearl Harbor. Selected bibliographies on Pearl Harbor, World…

This lesson describes and discusses the submerged remains of the battleship USS Arizona which rests on the silt of Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), just as it had settled on December 7, 1941, the day Japan attacked the U.S. fleet and began the Pacific battles of World War II. The lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file,…

Presents a classroom lesson on the only land battle between U.S. and Japanese forces during World War II. Utilizes information from the National Register of Historic Places. Includes photographs, maps, and student readings. (CFR)

Presents nine documents from the ERIC database dealing with teaching about World War II. Includes articles addressing the lessons of Pearl Harbor, the Holocaust, the wartime internment of Japanese Americans, industry's response to the war, and the moral lessons of Nazism. (SG)

Presents an interview with historian Gerhard Weinberg by Sheldon Hackney of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Asserts that the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II also marks the end of the postwar world. Discusses post-World War II diplomacy and international relations. (CFR)

A Dutch teacher presents reading, film viewing, and writing activities for "Empire of the Sun," J. G. Ballard's autobiographical account of life as a boy in Shanghai and in a Japanese internment camp during World War II (the subject of Steven Spielberg's film of the same name). Includes objectives, procedures, and several literature,…

Asserts that South Korea can be an excellent subject for an effective unit on history, economic development, critical thinking skills, and cross-cultural understanding. Provides background information and a list of teacher resources for planning a unit on South Korea. (CFR)

Presents results of a questionnaire asking Japanese teachers how and what they teach about World War II. Reports that survey included broad and narrow questions on the war in Asia, Europe, and the Pacific. Concludes that Japan's postwar peace education has been a success but that more emphasis needs to be placed on cause and effect in history. (DK)

Compares questionnaire results sent to elementary and secondary school teachers in Indiana and Japan. Surveys how and what is taught about World War II. Reports teachers in the United States concentrate more on Europe, Pearl Harbor, and fascism, whereas Japanese teachers are more concerned with Pacific theater. Concludes Japanese teach peace…

Describes a National History Day project based on students' grandmothers' experiences with prisoner of war communications during World War II. Relates how brief communications from prisoners were relayed to soldiers families through U.S. War Department channels. Discusses development of historical research and interpretation skills. (CFR)