Resources required

• Resource A: Before 1942
• Resource B: The US enters the War
• Resource C: US forces in the UK
• Resource D: The Pacific theatre of operations
• Resource E: The Atlantic theatre of operations
• Resource F: Image captions
• Resource G: Recording table

Rationale and learning intentions

Note: This enquiry would benefit from being undertaken after looking at the outbreak of war in Europe and the experience and attitude of European countries affected by bombing and/or invasion. 

• To understand the USA’s role in the Second World War before 1942 and how this changed
• To understand what factors contributed to this change
• To assess the significance of the contribution of the USA after 1942
• To evaluate whether the decision to declare war was right in 1941

Students will study a range of photographic evidence about America’s involvement in the Second World War in order to reach a judgement about whether they were right to enter the war at the end of 1941. Students will develop their understanding of America’s role by selecting appropriate text to support primary evidence, ordering and prioritising the evidence to fit the enquiry and evaluating the utility of evidence. In conclusion, they will consolidate their knowledge and understanding by reviewing the extent of change and continuity in America’s role and then reach a reasoned judgment about whether America’s decision to enter the war at the time was justifiable. 

Starter

Note: the purpose of this activity is to stimulate student interest and discussion. It could either be used solely in its historical context or located in an imagined contemporary context. Teachers need to use discretion here in order to maintain relevance to the enquiry.

Students are asked to consider the early stages of the Second World War, in particular what the experience of the Blitz might have been like or the fall of France and entry of Nazi troops into Paris. They are asked to think about what would happen if something similar was to happen today either to Britain or another country.

• How would Britain respond?
• Who could we call on to support us?
• How would they support us?

Then link to 1939 and the outbreak of war in Europe. Britain is being attacked every night by the Luftwaffe. Paris is occupied by the Nazis.

• What should America do?
• Can it jump to Britain’s defence and declare war on Germany?
• Will the American people accept this?
• Who might be in favour of a war? Who might not?

 
Main activity – the purpose of this activity is to select evidence that will help answer the enquiry.

Note: Sources in Resources A-E have been organised thematically to enable teachers to select images from each to create their own resource packs for groups to consider American views of and involvement in the war both before and after 1942. Resource F: Image captions – contains all information/captions for the sources in Resources A-E and are linked by the Imperial War Museum reference numbers.

Students are given a selection of sources taken from the Resources A-E (as many as meet objectives of the teacher). Each pack should be accompanied by the appropriate captions from Resource F: Image captions and Resource G: Recording table (enlarged to A3) for the group to fill in.

Students need to match image evidence to supporting text (having hidden the IWM reference numbers!)
Separate sources relating to events before 1942 and after

Students discuss what is revealed by each source

Fill in table whilst other members of group think about utility (opportunity for differentiation: higher ability think about utility and report findings to scribes)

Encourage students to think of further questions that might develop their understanding. Link these back to utility of sources where appropriate.

Feedback and consolidation

Each group reports their findings on 3 pieces of evidence which they think provide the best evidence to answer the enquiry question – 

                ‘How and why did America’s role change?’

Each group needs to answer the ‘why’ question by identifying and explaining their chosen ‘turning point’.

Questions to extend the students.

• How far does the evidence you have selected answer the enquiry question?
• How useful are photographs to an enquiry like this?

Plenary

• What elements of America’s role changed after the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
• What elements of their role remained the same?
• Change
• Declared war on Japan and Germany in 1941
• Supporting role to central role in military directions
• Key individuals – Eisenhower became Commander in Chief of Allied Forces
• Spent more on defence and arms
• Soldiers from all armed services sent to different parts of the world
• Became dominant in world affairs after the end of war

Continuity

• Publicly supported European allies
• Continued to supply allies with goods and equipment e.g. Lend Lease

Never had to defend homeland (nearest was attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, some 2000 miles from the mainland USA)

Were the US government right to enter the Second World War when they did?