First, we had to write a quick write and the essential question was, “What is the story of WW2?” I wrote, “Germany was mad for being blamed for all the reparations of WW1 due to the Treaty of Versailles, so Hitler promised that if the citizens of Germany followed him, then he would get Germany out of the Treaty. Hitler and his army of followers- the Nazis- became powerful through propaganda and started to dominate Germany. The Holocaust was a part of WW2. Germany invaded Poland and that helped start the war because it went against the Treaty. The U.S. entered after the Pearl Harbor attack”.
Second, we had to analyze a document that was reproduced at the national archives. The document is real because I determined that it was the McCollum Memo. I learned that in 1940, Lieutenant Arthur McCollum submitted the memo to Walter Anderson and Dudley Knox –navy captains that were two of presidents Roosevelt’s most trusted military advisors. The McCollum memo contained a plan for provoking Japan to attack the U.S. Throughout 1941; Roosevelt put the plan into action. The eighth step to the plan talked about why it was beneficial to have Japan attack us- “A prompt and early declaration of war after entering into suitable arrangements with England and Holland, would be most effective in bringing about the early collapse of Japan and thus eliminating our enemy in the pacific before Germany and Italy could strike at us effectively. Furthermore, elimination of Japan must surely strengthen Britain's position against Germany and Italy and, in addition, such action would increase the confidence and support of all nations who tend to be friendly towards us.” Japan did end up attacking America at Pearl Harbor and the U.S. finally entered WW2.
Second, we had to analyze a document that was reproduced at the national archives. The document is real because I determined that it was the McCollum Memo. I learned that in 1940, Lieutenant Arthur McCollum submitted the memo to Walter Anderson and Dudley Knox –navy captains that were two of presidents Roosevelt’s most trusted military advisors. The McCollum memo contained a plan for provoking Japan to attack the U.S. Throughout 1941; Roosevelt put the plan into action. The eighth step to the plan talked about why it was beneficial to have Japan attack us- “A prompt and early declaration of war after entering into suitable arrangements with England and Holland, would be most effective in bringing about the early collapse of Japan and thus eliminating our enemy in the pacific before Germany and Italy could strike at us effectively. Furthermore, elimination of Japan must surely strengthen Britain's position against Germany and Italy and, in addition, such action would increase the confidence and support of all nations who tend to be friendly towards us.” Japan did end up attacking America at Pearl Harbor and the U.S. finally entered WW2.