Mallori Demildt
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Spring 2010
Through a Soldier’s Eyes—A Closer Look at WWI
Mallori Demildt
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Spring 2010
Detail from a letter by Dennis
J Sullivan, 1918.
Dennis Sullivan
Collection (
Veterans History Project,
Library of Congress.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/natlib/afc2001001/service/28523/ph0001001b.jpg
“The most persistent sound which
reverberates through man's history is the beating of war drums.” ~Arthur
Koestler, Janus: A Summing Up.
War has been a part of human history for thousands of years and is still
a force in the world today. While weapons and tactics may change, there are always brave men
and women who fight and sacrifice their very lives for their nations. What is war like for the average citizen
soldier? How can a civilian cope with
the horrors of war? In this unit
students will examine World War I from the perspective of a civilian soldier
from a European nation. They will
analyze the reasons these men went to war and how they were forever changed by
their time as soldiers.
Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension
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Objectives |
Students will: ·
Describe how
international rivalries and nationalism pushed ·
Explain how the
assassination in ·
Describe how
technology made WWI different from earlier wars. ·
Analyze different
types of propaganda and create a poster that encourages someone from your
selected nation to help with the war effort. ·
Explain why a
stalemate developed on the Western Front. ·
Describe the
importance of the battles of the ·
Compare and contrast
fighting on the Eastern and Western Fronts. ·
Describe how WWI became
a total war and how life changed for both the soldiers and those on the home
front. ·
Analyze the impact
the Russian Revolution had on WWI. ·
Analyze the cause
and effects of American entry into WWI. ·
Analyze the cost of
WWI in terms of money and lives lost. ·
Describe the issues
faced by the delegates to the Paris Peace Conference and examine the goals of
each nation who fought in the war. ·
Explain why many
people were dissatisfied with the Treaty of Versailles. · Develop a map, propaganda poster, and journal that reflect the experience of a soldier from a European nation in World War I using the information gathered throughout this unit. |
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Recommended time frame |
10 days (plus 2 days for a video at the end if desired) |
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Grade level |
10 |
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Curriculum fit |
This is a short unit on World War I. The culminating assessment of this unit will be a journal project that incorporates the information learned throughout this process. |
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Photo analysis worksheet Political Cartoon analysis worksheet Document analysis worksheet Journal rubric and project sheets WWI map WWI video Paper, colored pencils Access to computers |
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Understand
cause-and-effect relationships and other historical thinking skills in order
to interpret events and issues.
Understand the role of
innovation on the development and interaction of societies.
Understand how and why people create, maintain, or change
systems of power, authority, and governance.
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·
Day 1–Introduction to the project Today students will begin their
study of WWI. We will begin by
brainstorming the causes and major people of WWI (which the kids should know a
little about). We will discuss why
they know very little about the causes of WWI. We will then go over the main causes
of WWI and discuss the spark (the assassination of Franz Ferdinand) that led
to the conflict. We will describe how
some of the major players were pulled into the war. At this point the students will receive the
journal project and rubric, and will be assigned to a country. If there are a few minutes left, they may
begin working on their first entry. ·
Day 2–WWI Recruits Today we will discuss how and why soldiers entered this conflict. We will examine 2 pieces of World War I propaganda and complete the political cartoon analysis form. We will discuss what makes a “good” piece of propaganda and where they have seen propaganda in their modern lives (commercials, etc.). They will use the remaining time to look up more WWI propaganda posters online and then design their own poster and answer the questions from the project sheet. ·
Day 3–WWI Weapons Today students will look at the new weaponry that forever changed the way war was fought. Students will begin by brainstorming what types of weapons they had in WWI. They will then do part of a webquest to search for weapons that were used in this time period. They will share the information with the class. After this we will look at some primary source pictures of WWI weapons and the devastation that they caused. How would you feel if you were a soldier having to use these weapons on other people? How would you feel when you saw the devastation these weapons were causing all around you? Students will then have some time to write in their journals. ·
Day 4–Life in the Trenches Today students will look at what life was like in the trenches. First, we will discuss why we had to fight in trenches on the Western Front (because of the new military technology). Students will then do a scavenger hunt for information about WWI trenches posted around the room. (Included are the questions for the hunt and some of the resources posted gathered from www.schoolhistory.co.uk.) After they have completed their hunt, we will discuss what conditions were like in the trenches. Next, the class will be broken into groups of 3–4 students, and they will be given WWI journals from the resource list to read and summarize. They will then share an experience from their reading with the class. ·
Day 5–Battles Today the students will begin
looking at some of the major battles of WWI.
They will do this by using the battle webquest located on the other
side of the weapons webquest sheet.
When they have finished, we will discuss the events and impact of
these battles and map them on our WWI maps.
Students will have some time to work on their journals. ·
Day 6–The Eastern Front and Russian
Revolution Today we will discuss the war on
the Eastern Front. First, we will
discuss the conditions in ·
Day 7–U.S. Enters WWI Today students will examine why
the ·
Day 8–The Armistice and End of the War Today students will examine Wilson’s Fourteen Points and the Treaty of Versailles. Students will first brainstorm how the leaders from the major countries of Europe would want the Treaty to be written. The students will break into small groups and write a short paragraph explaining what provisions their nation feels should be in the treaty. We will share these with the class and then look at the actual goals of the major nations involved in WWI. We will then examine Wilson’s Fourteen Points and some provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. We will analyze why these 2 documents are so different—why was Wilson willing to compromise his beliefs? ·
Day 9–Aftermath of WWI Today we will look at the impact WWI had on the world. We will first examine the impact it had on Germany by viewing some political cartoons and analyzing them as a group. Next, we will look at the financial and human cost of the war. We will end by discussing what we should learn from this conflict. ·
Day 10–Finish, Edit, and Turn in Journals Today students will complete their journals and share them with their classmates. When they have finished this, we will turn in the journals and begin watching the movie “The Lost Battalion” to see how close their journals actually were to life on the front. |
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These students will be evaluated both formatively and summatively. The formative assessments will be the weapons and battle webquests, the Trench scavenger hunt worksheet, and the analysis worksheets that the students will fill out together in groups. The summative assessment will be the student’s journal project that will be graded on the rubric.
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As an extension, have students look at an aspect of the war on the home front in the country they were assigned to. What was life like for those left behind as the soldiers went off to war? After researching this topic, the student will write a letter from a person on the home front to the soldier in their journal. This letter should incorporate information about what women and children were doing to help the war effort, morale at home, shortages, and any other topic the student may find interesting. To point them on their way, the students might start at the BBC and look at British History—Home Front: World War I http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/ or home front information on WWI at firstworldwar.com http://www.firstworldwar.com/photos/homefront.htm. |
Primary Resources from the Library of Congress
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Image |
Description |
Citation |
URL |
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The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. |
The
war of the nations: portfolio in rotogravure etching: compiled from the
mid-week pictorial, New York: New York
Times Co., 1919. From the Library of
Congress, Rotogravure collection. sgpwar 19191231 |
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/np_item.pl?collection=sgproto&agg=sgpwar&iss=19191231&page=342 |
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The Lusitania aftermath. Burying the remains of passengers of the Lusitania–66 coffins were buried in one huge grave. |
Excerpt from New York
Times, May 30, 1915, New York: May 30,
1915 From the Library of Congress,
Rotogravure collection. sgpnyt 19150530 |
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/np_item.pl?collection=sgproto&agg=sgpnyt&iss=19150530&page=7 |
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Newspaper article about the new weaponry in use during World War I. |
The war of the nations: portfolio in rotogravure etchings: compiled from the mid-week pictorial. New York: New York Times Co., 1919. Call Number D522 .W28 1919 Repository: Library of Congress, Serials and Government Publications Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 |
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/np_item.pl?collection=sgproto&agg=sgpwar&iss=19191231&page=163 |
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Poster showing a Red Cross nurse and a heavily bandaged man. |
What are you doing to help? Join your American Red Cross Creator(s): Grant, Gordon, 1875-1962, Date Created/Published: [1919]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3g00000/3g07000/ |
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U.S. Army recruiting poster showing a soldier standing next to an American flag and blowing a bugle. |
The call to duty Join the Army for home and country. Created/Published: [New York]: Published by Recruiting Committee of the Mayor's Committee on National Defence, [1917] Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3g00000/3g07000/ |
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Red Cross recruitment poster showing a nurse on a battlefield with a wounded soldier appealing to a nurse seated at a desk; in the background, soldiers charge into battle. |
If I fail he dies Work for the Red Cross Creator(s): McCoy, Arthur G. Created/Published: Duluth: J.J. LeTourneau Printing Co., c1918. Repository: Library
of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3g00000/ |
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Poster showing a woman clutching an infant as a German soldier with bloody hands approaches. |
Hun or home? Buy more Liberty Bonds Creator(s): Raleigh, Henry, 1880–1945 Created/Published: Chicago: Edwards & Deutsch Litho. Co., [1918] Call Number: POS - US .R35, no. 2 (C size) [P&P] Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3g10000/ |
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Monster Guns in use by American forces in the Argonne. |
The war of the nations: portfolio in rotogravure etchings: compiled from the mid-week pictorial, Created/Published: New York: New York Times, Co., 1919. Call Number D522 .W28 1919. Repository Library of Congress, Serials and Government Publications Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 |
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/np_item.pl?collection=sgproto&agg=sgpwar&iss=19191231&page=187 |
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8-page article with pictures of WWI destruction in Europe. |
Excerpt from New York Times, October 4, 1914. Created/Published: New York: October 4, 1914. Repository Library of Congress, Serials and Government Publications Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 |
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Exhibit poster showing two scenes in which men with double leg amputations are being taught to walk with prostheses. |
Learning to walk for the second time Date Created/Published: 1919. Reproduction Number: LC-USZC4-7372 Call
Number: POS - WWI - US, no. 34 (C size) [P&P] Repository: Library of Congress Prints and
Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA |
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3g00000/ |
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1-page handout about British Army uniforms in WWI. |
Soldier’s Equipment submitted by Miss Boughey |
http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/gcselinks/ |
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WWI Outline Map for the Journal Project. |
European Alliances submitted by Mr. RJ Huggins to http://www.schoolhistory. |
http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/gcselinks/ |
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Zimmermann Note. |
Zimmermann Telegram as Received by the German Ambassador to Mexico, 01/19/1917 Record Group 59: General Records of the Department of State,
1756–1979 ARC Identifier 302025 |
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/ |
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Translated Zimmermann Note. |
Zimmermann Telegram -Decoded Message Record
Group 59: General Records of the Department of State, 1756–1979
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http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/ |
President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points (1918)
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President Wilson’s Fourteen-Point speech to Congress. Click on Transcript to read the section in the middle. |
President Wilson's Message to Congress, January 8, 1918; Records of
the United States Senate; Record Group 46; Records of the United States
Senate; National Archives |
Modern History Sourcebook:
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Selected passages from the Treaty of Versailles. |
From The Treaty of Versailles and
After: Annotations of the Text of the Treaty (Washington, D.C.:
Government Printing Office, 1944),
Part of the Internet Modern History Sourcebook. (c)Paul Halsall Aug 1997 |
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Political Cartoon showing how Germany was impacted by the Treaty of Versailles. |
Cartoon Artist: Low, David
(1891–1963)
Published: The Star, 24 Jan 1921. British Cartoon Archive, University of Kent
Reference number: LSE6501
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http://www.cartoons.ac.uk/browse/ |
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Political Cartoon about Germany and reparations. |
Cartoon Artist: Low, David
(1891–1963) Published: The Star, 27 Jan 1921 British Cartoon Archive,
University of Kent Reference number: LSE6497
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Audio interview of a soldier being shelled and getting wounded in France. |
Audio interview excerpts of Arnold
Stephen Hoke, “Arnold Stephen Hoke is Wounded.” Part of the Veteran’s History Project at
the Library of Congress http://lcweb2.loc.gov/
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http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.31638/audio?ID=d5109e983 |
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Diary of soldier Harry Frieman of his life at training and in World War I. |
Typescript diary of Harry Frieman, part
of the Veteran’s History Project at the Library of Congress http://lcweb2.loc.gov/
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http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.23600/ |
Rubric
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World War I
Trenches Scavenger Hunt
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World War I
Webquest Worksheet
The following can be found at the National Archives:
1. Document Analysis Worksheet from the National Archives http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/
2. Photograph Analysis Worksheet from the National Archives http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/
3. Political Cartoon Analysis Worksheet from the National Archives http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/
