WWII

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The years 1941-1945 mark the U.S. involvement in WWII.  It was a very patriotic time as our nation pulled together to scrap metal, get supplies to our troops, and keep food on the table at home.

Opportunities for living history include, but are not limited to, certain battle reenactments, swing dance events, and diner re-creations.

Collectibles from this era are plentiful, too, which makes the history even more fun to learn.  With everything from military shaving gear and uniforms to comic books and Coca-Cola ads available at auction for reasonable prices, today’s collector can really get a first hand feel for life during WWII.

The best part about this history, however, is that we still have some of our brave WWII veterans among us.  Have you hugged a vet today?  Have you listened to their stories while you still can?

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Resource Suggestions

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Free Booklet Download: K-Rations and Navy Beans: Life in the Military During WWII, by Margaret Brooks.  This is a wonderful 21-page booklet appropriate for use in the classroom, grades 7-12.  Laid out in lesson plan format, it offers an interesting look at the soldier’s life on the WWII battlefront.  Right click the following link to download:

Download PDF
Download PDF w/ Word Doc Zip

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LPH 1940’s Swing Dance Page: Resources to get people swing dancing, and to host tributes to WWII veterans.

Sister Website: SwingMeAgain.com, featuring a more extensive collection of WWII-era goodies!

Blank Timeline Templates: WWII history can be overwhelming to the beginning student since there were so many famous battles, and so many participants around the globe.  Creating a timeline of major events can really help put the stories into perspective.  LPH offers a timeline series that includes a blank for specialty studies, such as WWII.  Available in print through Lulu.com/TeachFromTheHeart, and in digital format through the LPH Store.

First U.S. WWII History Museum Covering the Full War: We have a number of US museums dedicated to certain battles of WWII, but only one museum that covers the world-wide event:  The National WWII Museum located in New Orleans.  Visit:  www.NationalWW2Museum.org

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