History has placed the stamp of approval on the publication of the Pentagon Papers, the top-secret history of the Vietnam War. If WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange is another Daniel Ellsberg, then it is possible the website's disclosures will be viewed over time as similarly in the public interest. A classroom discussion on the release of…

Tells how President Polk's attempts at secrecy in negotiations during the Mexican American War were frustrated by leaks of information to the press. (RB)

Notes the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Spanish-American War and recommends an interdisciplinary study of that conflict. Discusses various aspects of the war (yellow journalism, imperialism, military campaigns) that could be integrated into the study of history, government, and literature. Includes a list of comparison topics and learning…

Concise, authoritative background information on U.S.-China relations is provided for journalists in this guide, one of a series dealing with topics of interest to the U.S. media. The guide begins with a chronology of U.S.-China relations from 1979 to 1982. The texts of documents on U.S.-China relations are then presented. These include the…

Presents an incisive overview of the historical writing concerning the Spanish-American War by U.S. historians. Summarizes and comments on some of the seminal works by Walter LaFeber, Paul Kennedy, and Louis A. Perez. Their works consider the conflict from the perspectives of international relations, domestic politics, and various ideologies. (MJP)

Provides an annotated bibliography of trade books that can be used in studying the Spanish-American war. Although aimed at adolescents, the selections include books for students with limited reading skills. Covers fiction and nonfiction including writings on the war from Stephen Crane and Mark Twain. (MJP)

Presents a lesson plan designed by a high school history class that uses primary documents to examine aspects of the Spanish-American War. Excerpts from six documents include newspaper accounts, poems, parodies, and political tracts. Includes questions for writing assignments and an example of a typical student response. (MJP)

Maintains that the United States fought the Spanish-American War because of longstanding foreign affairs interests as well as immediate domestic political events. Considers such contributing factors as the Cuban War of Independence from Spain, United States property claims against Spain, and the extensive and biased coverage in the press. (MJP)

Presents a lesson plan that analyzes and interprets the symbolic content of six political cartoons published in the United States during the juncture and aftermath of the Spanish-American War. Includes instructions for preparation, reproductions of six cartoons suitable for hand-outs, and a series of discussion questions. (MJP)