Adolf Hitler and the Rise of the Nazi Party

While this is brief, it should give you a good sense of the basics behind Hitler's rise to power. You might want to look up Joseph Goebbels and the Reichstag. Do you think a leader like Hitler could ever come to power again?

FDR Fireside Chat on Unemployment (1935)

People gathered around their radios to listen to the president. What do you think of his tone and/or message?

Scenes from the Great Depression

I also recommend you take a look at the video found at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4aPi0ZgN0E. I was unable to embed it on the Blog.

Al Capone (Prohibition and Gangsters)

While lengthy, this video thorougly covers the "career" of the famous gangster Al Capone. In addition the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Prohibition, and other gangsters are all discussed. I am still amazed by the wealth and power that gangsters like Capone were able to amass during this time period. Still, in the end, crime didn't pay for him, as he wound up in Alcatraz.

Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club

This is not a video but rather some of the Duke's music recorded live at the Cotton Club in Harlem. Enjoy.

The Paris Peace Conference at Versailles (1919)

You will find this informative and interesting, especially the part about the Germans scuttling the remaining vessels of their fleet. I also find it interesting to hear that Lloyd George of Britain was not interested in revenge (although the British people were). He, like Wilson, seemed to recognize the value of a revitalized, yet non-threatening, Germany.

The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

This is incomplete, but I found it covered much of the incident. I especially liked the way the clip used artwork combined with moving images and interviews to describe the incident. Is there anything here that surprised you or was different from what you have already learned?

Eddie Rickenbacker (WWI American Ace and Medal of Honor Winner)

Of course, given how much we like to talk about airplanes in class, I had to include this. I think you will find the information on Rickenbacker interesting. The Germans, you recall, had their own ace, the Red Baron. The following link takes you to Rickenbacker's memoirs online: http://www.richthofen.com/rickenbacker/.

The Christmas Truce of 1914

This photostory covers the Christmas Truce of 1914. The song is called "Christmas in the Trenches." If you listen to the lyrics all the way through (and view the accompanying images), you will have a pretty good sense of what happened that winter. I am always fascinated by stories like this one. If you want to learn even more about the Christmas Truce of 1914, take a look at: http://www.christmastruce.co.uk/article.html.

Last American Veteran of World War I

I posted this video for a couple of reasons. Frank Buckles is a veteran of World War I, the last surviving veteran, in fact. He was also born in 1901, which means he lived through the entire 20th century. Just think of the things he experienced in his lifetime (in addition to his wartime experiences). He is really right remarkable. Can you imagine living through an entire century?

The Lusitania (Toothpick Model--Really!)

This one is especially for you woodworkers and model makers, but I believe all of you will find this short clip amazing. It just shows what history can inspire someone to do. His creations really are amazing!

Trench Warfare in World War I

This short film by Claude Guilmain is very, very good. Through first hand accounts it gives a starkly realistic account of life in the trenches. How might you have handled such conditions? Can you even begin to imagine what it was like? For similar films, check out the following link: http://nfb.ca/film/front-lines-the-trenches/

The Great Train Robbery (1903)

This is the actual film we heard about in class. If you care to read more about the film, check out http://www.filmsite.org/grea.html
Movies sure have changed. Silent films must have required a different attention span than those we watch today. If you looked away, you might have missed a key event.

Read more about nickelodeon theaters here: http://tinyurl.com/ydaq5x9
.

Spiral Island (Student Recommended Video)

Guys, I posted this just because it is unusual and interesting. A number of you also asked me to put it on the Blog. It certainly isn't a choice I would make, but you are certain to have a variety of reactions.

The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

This is a clip from a 1950's documentary on the earthquake. You will definitely get a sense of how devastating this earthquake was. Have you ever been to San Francisco? Have you ever experienced an earthquake? Other reactions? What do you think of the music or the voice of the narrator?

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Watch to find out more about a novel that was written with one goal in mind, but actually accomplished more than Sinclair originally planned. Safety and sanitary conditions in the meat industry have their origins here. Your reactions?

The Voice of President Theodore Roosevelt

I don't expect you to listen the this in its entirety, but it is pretty cool to be able to hear Roosevelt's voice. The sound quality is understandably poor, but you certainly can get a sense of what it would have been like to listen to him speak. Feel free to share any thoughts you may have on the speech itself or even just the sound quality of the recording.

The following link will take you to a page containing various quotations from Theodore Roosevelt: http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/quotes.htm

The Panama Canal (Time Lapse Video)

Mr. Schmick discovered this video clip a couple of years ago. While it obviously moves quickly, you can definitely get the sense of what is involved as one travels through the canal today. What are your reactions? Have any of you actually been through the canal?

The R.M.S. Titanic

This slideshow contains some terrific and powerful images of the RMS Titanic. In an introduction to Walter Lord's book "A Night to Remember", Nathaniel Philbrick suggests that reading such a work begs the reader to ask himself "What would I have done?" This is not an easy question obviously. Were there points in the book where you found yourself asking this question, and if so, what do you think you would have done? Explain.

"Sports Images of the 20th Century"

The good, the bad, the highs, and the lows of sports. Enjoy! (Only one question: Where are the soccer and cricket highlights?)

"A Short History of the 20th Century"

I found this was especially interesting given its focus on the 20th Century. What do you think?

"Eight Minute History of the United States"

What is missing here? What changes would you make? Would you use different music?

The Fascinating Story of Doug Hegdahl (from National Museum of Americans in Wartime website)

The man called “the stupid one” by his POW captors had a secret…

Written by Will Armstrong, History Associates Incorporated

19-year-old Seaman Apprentice Doug Hegdahl wasn’t your everyday Prisoner of War. Assigned to an ammunition handling room aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Canberra, Hegdahl was blown overboard by the blast of the ship’s guns as they fired on North Vietnamese positions in April 1967. As his ship sailed on, he was left adrift in the Gulf of Tonkin without a flotation device.

A North Vietnamese boat eventually picked up Hegdahl, who quickly dumbfounded his captors. With no identification, they assumed he was a covert operative, refusing to believe his true story. Hegdahl, however, began playing dumb. By playing up his humble rural South Dakota roots and claiming to be completely illiterate, he made himself appear useless to the North Vietnamese.

The Vietnamese moved Hegdahl from prison to prison before he ultimately wound up at the notorious “Hanoi Hilton.” It would prove to be a huge mistake for the North Vietnamese. There, Hegdahl met USAF Lt. Joe Crecca, an F-4 pilot who had been shot down in November 1966. Assuming that Hegdahl, so young and apparently useless to the enemy, would be a logical candidate for early release, Crecca helped him memorize the names and other vital information of more than 250 prisoners held in North Vietnam.

Hegdahl continued to keep his true aptitude hidden from his captors, who began referring to him as “The Incredibly Stupid One.” So unconcerned were they about Hegdahl’s activities that they allowed him to roam free around the prison courtyard—where he mentally recorded his most minute observations. While the North Vietnamese observed Hegdahl mindlessly sweeping the sidewalks, his fellow prisoners listened to the coded messages embedded in his sweeps. His American cellmate, Navy Lt.Cmdr. Dick Stratton, observed him disabling five North Vietnamese trucks by putting dirt in the gas tanks.

In August 1969, Hegdahl was indeed released by his captors. Of the three American POWs released that day, Hegdahl was the only one who was considered a legitimate “early release” by his comrades back in the Hanoi Hilton. Lt.Cmdr. Stratton, his superior, had ordered him to go. What the Vietnamese thought would be a propaganda coup quickly turned sour, when the unassuming Doug Hegdahl promptly revealed the names of his fellow POWs to American intelligence officials. He was the first to expose the harsh living conditions and brutal treatment that were a part of life at the Hanoi Hilton. At the Paris Peace Talks in 1970, he was present to confront his former captors directly.

After the war, Hegdahl served as a Navy survival instructor. He has never forgotten the list of names. Said his former cellmate, Dick Stratton, “’The Incredibly Stupid One’, my personal hero, is the archetype of the innovative, resourceful and courageous American Sailor…As long as we have the Dougs of this world, our country will retain its freedoms.”

The National Museum of Americans in Wartime honors the service of Doug Hegdahl and all other Americans who have served the cause of freedom.

By Elizabeth Newberry on March 16th, 2009 |

There is a film somewhere that goes into further detail about Hegdahl. I will try to find out the name for any who are interested.

Voices from the Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident (1979)

I found this fascinating. Be forewarned that you will need to be a good listener to get the most out of this. What do you notice about the various responses that are given to the incident? Do you have any other reactions?

For more on the actual event you might consult the following on the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission page: Voices from the Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident 1979.

The Fall of Saigon (1975)

NOTE: This video replaces the former one that is no longer available. For this reason, not all of the comments already posted may seem relevant to the new content. NOTE FOR THE ORIGINAL VIDEO CLIP: This short clip does a nice job not only of discussing the Fall of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) but also of providing an overview of the entire war. Based on our study of the Vietnam War, is there anything that wasn't mentioned that you feel should be included? Do keep in mind that this is meant to be a brief summary of the war. (I apologize for the sound fade at the end. In short, you hear that Saigon falls to the North Vietnamese in 1975).

The Watergate Scandal (1972-1974)

The Washington Post (online edition) has a very good series of web pages on the Watergate scandal. View the information at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/index.html

Kent State Shootings in Ohio (May 4th, 1970)

This is an extensive collection of images related to the incident at Kent State. The first song you hear is Ohio by Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young (we listened to it in class). You guys can help me identify the other song in the presentation. As we discussed in class, this event did much to solidify anti-war feelings among America's young people at the time.

Questions Surrounding Apollo 11

The following comes from the How Stuff Works website (link at
http://science.howstuffworks.com/lunar-landing.htm)
Was the Apollo 11 Moon Landing a Hoax?
Some skeptics still believe that the Apollo 11 lunar landing was simply a movie studio hoax staged by NASA. In 2001, the Fox television network aired a program that gave the hoax theory second wind.

Guests on the show suggested that NASA didn't have the technology to pull off a lunar landing in the late 1960s. They noted that the pictures of astronauts sent back from the moon didn't show stars in the sky. A NASA expert refuted this by explaining that the stars wouldn't have shown up on film because the foreground image (the astronauts' space suits) was so bright.

People who are still unconvinced by the overwhelming evidence of man's landing on the moon can visit the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., where samples of rocks taken from the moon's surface are on display.

You might enjoy exploring this topic a bit more on your own.

Apollo 11 Lands on the Moon (July 20th, 1969)

The historic significance of this moment is clear. Still there were many who felt this was all part of a government hoax (more on this in another post). Can you imagine watching this on a TV in 1969? You might be able to understand how some viewers might have been skeptical given that this took place almost 40 years ago.

Apollo 1 Tragedy (1967)

What do you think? This incident certainly points out just how dangerous the job of an astronaut can be. For those of you who read or are reading The Right Stuff, feel free to add your remarks.

"Troops Patrol L.A." (The Watts Riots of August 1965)

This is a newsreel reporting the famous Watts Riots of 1965. If you are interested, I would encourage you to read a little bit on the riots after you view this (the research database is a good place to start). Did you find any information that contradicted the video? Do you feel the video gave an accurate portrayal of the event?

"I Have a Dream" Speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. (August 28th, 1963)

This is one of the most famous speeches of the 20th century. As you listen to the speech, you might reflect on some of the following questions. Can you see why many describe King as charismatic? Which lines make the biggest impact on you as you listen today? Also, did you know that Mr. Clark (who works in the Middle School) was there as a young man? You may want to ask him what he remembers about the speech when you see him.

MLK, Jr's Assassination.: The Lost Photos

This is from CNN's website (April 22nd). The photos were taken by Life photographer Henry Groskinsky and have only recently been released. Your thoughts? http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/04/21/slideshow.mlk.life/index.html

"Top Ten Mistakes by U.S. Presidents" (Opinion of Thomas Craughwell)

Craughwell (along with M. William Phelps) is the author of Failures of the Presidents: From the Whiskey Rebellion and the War of 1812 to the Bay of Pigs and War in Iraq. What do you think? For your information, I have not read the book. He compiled his list of the "The Top Ten Mistakes" on the Encyclopedia Britannica Blog, and it can be found at:http://www.britannica.com/blogs/author/tcraughwell

"Survival Under Atomic Attack" (1950's Civil Defense Film)

This film goes beyond the concept of "duck and cover" and discusses a number of other considerations that the general population was to consider. As always, I am interested in your reactions.

"Duck and Cover" (Civil Defense Film from early 1950's)

It may difficult for you to take this seriously, but at the time, the Soviet atomic threat was frighteningly real. School children viewed this government sponsored across the country. Can you imagine living in the midst of such paranoia? In your opinion what value would there be for the students to see this?

"Our Home Town" (Levittown, PA, 1954)

This is a really interesting glimpse of the 1950's. I don't recommend that you watch all of it, but skip around a bit and see what impressions you gain. Levittown, PA, was not the original Levittown, but rather the second. It was modeled after the original community built in New York (completed in 1951).

"Your Show of Shows" (Sid Caesar in "Boardroom Lunch")

This is an episode of the show we heard about in The Century video. "Your Show of Shows" was immensely popular at the time. Einstein, as you heard, was one of its biggest fans. Humor has changed over the years somewhat, and I am curious to find out if you all find it funny in 2009. What do you think? I know it is a bit hard to hear some of the dialogue in spots.

Eisenhower Campaign Commercial (1952)

What do you think of the approach they took in the Eisenhower commercial? Would it have appealed to you? Why or why not? I find the light-hearted tone interesting given Eisenhower's very serious and important role as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II.

Jackie Robinson Footage

I think you will enjoy the music that accompanies the footage. The song (words and music) was written by Woodrow Buddy Johnson in 1949. It is called "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?"

"Remembering Baseball's Negro Leagues" (ESPN)

Watch more ESPN videos on AOL Video

This is an interesting piece on the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. It includes some footage of Jackie Robinson. For more on the museum, you can visit the website at http://www.nlbm.com/

Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" Speech

In March of 1946, Winston Churchill delivered this speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. His message served as a stern warning of the intentions/aspirations of the Soviet Union. Although Churchill usually gets credit for the term "iron curtain," at least one journalist (David Maraniss of The Washington Post) credits Joseph Goebbels (Nazi propaganda minister) for first using it in his writing. Regardless, the Churchill's speech is a powerful one and well worth listening to. I am interested in your reactions.

Lucky Lady II Makes First Non-Stop Flight Around the World (1949)

I came across this in the March 2009 issue of Smithsonian Magazine. Here is the brief article on the flight:

"On March 2, 1949, ninety-four hours after taking off from Carswell Air Force base in Forth Worth, Texas, Lucky Lady II, a B-50 Superfortress piloted by Capt. James Gallagher, completes the first nonstop flight around the world. The crew of 14 refuels the plane four times in midair during the more than 23,000-mile trip. The secret mission surprises even the crew's families--"I'd have had a storming tizzy if I'd know about it before-hand," second pilot Arthur Neal's wife tells a reporter--but is announced on completion as a demonstration of American ability to deliver bombs to any location." (Smithsonian Magazine, March 2009, p.19)

Interestingly, I found the photo above at Life Images (www.life.com/life), and the caption read: "Lucky Lady II getting ready for take off for her round-the-world-flight." It sure doesn't look like the mission was top secret to me.

Early Footage of the Wilbur Wright and His Flying Machine (1909)

Thanks to Bobby for passing on this link (below). The footage is really something. You will need to click the thumbnail image of the Wright Brothers plane when you follow the link in order to view the video. Enjoy!
http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/PY/322/see-the-film-wilbur_wright_and_his_flying_machine'

USS Indianapolis (National History Day Project)

Learn about the USS Indianapolis and take a look at what a student like you created for a National History Day project.

The Battle of Midway (U.S. Government Documentary)

U.S. Government Newsreel on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

I am really interested to hear your reactions to the film clip. What do you think was the goal of the newsreel?

Combat Cameraman Norm Hatch

Mr. Hatch filmed the fighting at Tarawa in 1943. Take a look at the photo he sent to Mr. Steed and St. Christopher's (on the right).

Battle of Tarawa Questions for Mr. Steed (and information from veterans and their family members)

Please post any questions you have for Mr. Steed based on his Tarawa presentation here and look for his responses in the days ahead.

Cool Story of a Board Game and World War II

How a board game helped free POWs
By Brian McMahon
December 7, 2007

During World War II, the British secret service hatched a master plan to smuggle escape gear to captured Allied soldiers inside Germany. Their secret weapon? Monopoly boxes.
The original notion was simple enough: Find a way to sneak useful items into prison camps in an unassuming form. But the idea to use Monopoly came from a series of happy coincidences, all of which started with maps.

Smooth as silk
Maps are harder to smuggle than you might think. They fall apart when wet, and they make a lot of noise when unfolded. Allied officials feared paper maps might draw the attention of German troops, so they turned to an unlikely source for help -- silk. Not only would silk maps hold up in all kinds of weather, but they'd also come with the life-saving benefit of being whisper quiet.
To produce these silent maps, the Brits turned to John Waddington Ltd., a company that had recently perfected the process of printing on silk and was already manufacturing silk escape maps for British airmen to carry. What else was Waddington known for? You guessed it -- being the licensed manufacturer of Monopoly outside the United States.
Suddenly, the popular board game seemed like the perfect way to get supplies inside German-run POW camps. At the time, the Nazis were hard-pressed to get provisions to their own troops, much less to the Allied soldiers they'd captured.
Wishing to hide this less-than-stellar upholding of the Geneva Convention, they happily welcomed Red Cross aid packages for POWs. So throwing Monopoly games into the care kits along with food and clothing was met with little scrutiny. Monopoly was already a well-known game throughout Europe, and the German guards saw it as the perfect way for their detainees to remain occupied for hours.
Community Chest

In 1941, the British Secret Service approached Waddington with its master plan, and before long, production of a "special edition" Monopoly set was underway. For the top-secret mission, the factory set aside a small, secure room -- unknown to the rest of its employees -- where skilled craftsmen sat and painstakingly carved small niches and openings into the games' cardboard boxes.
Along with the standard thimble, car, and Scotty dog, the POW version included additional "playing" pieces, such as a metal file, a magnetic compass, and of course, a regional silk escape map, complete with marked safe-houses along the way -- all neatly concealed in the game's box.
Even better, some of the Monopoly money was real. Actual German, Italian, and French currency was placed underneath the play money for escapees to use for bribes.
Also, because of its collaboration with the International Red Cross, Waddington could track which sets would be delivered to which camps, meaning escape maps specific to the area could be hidden in each game set. Allied soldiers and pilots headed to the front lines were told to look for the special edition game if they were captured. The identifying mark to check for? A red dot in the corner of the Free Parking space.

Get out of jail free
By the end of the war, it's estimated that more than 35,000 Allied POWs had escaped from German prison camps. And while there's no way to set an exact figure on it, more than a few of those escapees certainly owe their breakout to the classic board game.
But despite its brave and noble role in all of it, Monopoly's heroic war deeds would go unrecognized for decades. Strict secrecy about the plan was maintained during the war, not only so that the British could continue using the game to help POWs, but also because Waddington feared a targeted reprisal by German bombers.
After the war, all remaining sets were destroyed, and everyone involved in the plan, including the escaped prisoners, were told to keep quiet. In the event of another large-scale war, Allied officials also wanted to make sure the seemingly innocent board game could go back into action.

Uncle Pennybags goes behind the Iron Curtain
Believe it or not, it wasn't long before Monopoly found itself in the middle of yet another international conflict -- this time defending itself from Communist leaders in Russia.
Being that Monopoly is essentially a game in which one player gets rich at the expense of others becoming poor, Soviet officials had long seen the board game as an overt symbol of capitalistic frivolity and greed. So, as its popularity soared, Communists took more and more efforts to curb the enthusiasm.
Cuba, the U.S.S.R., and other Eastern Bloc countries outlawed the game for fear it would corrupt the public with positive notions about a free-market economy. Soviet leaders even tried coming up with their own Marxist-themed spin-off games designed to highlight the virtues of frugality. The title of one such knockoff from Communist-era Hungary loosely translated to "Save," while another in Russia had a name that roughly meant "Manage."
But bans and spin-offs couldn't hold down the individualistic drive of the human spirit. Monopoly became an underground success, secretly coveted and played behind the Iron Curtain as a way of escaping the drudgery of Soviet life. It wasn't until 1987, four years before the collapse of the Soviet Union, that Monopoly was allowed to be legally sold there.
Today, Monopoly is licensed in more than 80 countries, and no fewer than 200 spin-off versions exist. Of course, playing it in the cozy confines of your living room, it's easy to take for granted that there was a time when, to many, Monopoly was a lot more than just a game.
(Source: http://www.discovergames.com/board_game_frees_pow.html)

Official Report of Doolittle Raid

The link below provides detailed information on the planes and crews. You can find out what happened to them during and after the actual raid.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/rep/Doolittle/Report.html
(Photo courtesy of http://www.doolittleraider.com/raid_photos.htm)

The Sinking of the Bismarck (from The London Times, May 28th, 1941)

The original text of the article describing the demise of the famous German battleship.http://tinyurl.com/c7wpdb

The Doolittle Raid (April 18th, 1942)

This daring raid was all the more remarkable due to the fact that bombers were launched from an aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet--no small feat.

Eva Schloss Website

A survivor of Auschwitz, Ms. Schloss will soon be visiting St. Christopher's on February 5th and 6th, and she will be speaking to the 7th grade during study hall on Friday, February 6th. Learn more about her at her website.
http://www.freewebs.com/evaschloss/

Stock Market Game

http://www.stockmarketgame.org/

Manzanar Relocation Center (1942)

After viewing the linked PowerPoint, what are your reactions?
http://www.sfmuseum.net/views/manzanar.ppt

Relocation of Japanese Americans from San Francisco (1942)

This is another PowerPoint from the Museum of the City of San Francisco. Your responses?
http://www.sfmuseum.org/views/sfevac.ppt

Pearl Harbor (An Interactive Experience)

This is the one we watched in class.
http://www.msnbc.com/modules/pearlharbor/experience/pearl.htm?ad=0