world war 2 critical thinking questions

Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda? Analyzing World War II Posters

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

In this lesson plan, students analyze World War II posters, chosen from online collections, to explore how argument, persuasion and propaganda differ. The lesson begins with a full-class exploration of the famous "I WANT YOU FOR U.S. ARMY" poster, wherein students explore the similarities and differences between argument, persuasion, and propaganda and apply one of the genres to the poster. Students then work independently to complete an online analysis of another poster and submit either an analysis worksheet or use their worksheet responses to write a more formal essay.

Featured Resources

• Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda? : This handout clarifies the goals, techniques, and methods used in the genres of argument, persuasion, and propaganda.
• Analyzing a World War II Poster : This interactive assists students in careful analysis of a World War II poster of their own selection for its use of argument, persuasion, or propaganda.

From Theory to Practice

Visual texts are the focus of this lesson, which combines more traditional document analysis questions with an exploration of World War II posters. The 1975 "Resolution on Promoting Media Literacy" states that explorations of such multimodal messages "enable students to deal constructively with complex new modes of delivering information, new multisensory tactics for persuasion, and new technology-based art forms." The 2003 "Resolution on Composing with Nonprint Media" reminds us that "Today our students are living in a world that is increasingly non-printcentric. New media such as the Internet, MP3 files, and video are transforming the communication experiences of young people outside of school. Young people are composing in nonprint media that can include any combination of visual art, motion (video and film), graphics, text, and sound-all of which are frequently written and read in nonlinear fashion." To support the literacy skills that students must sharpen to navigate these many media, activities such as the poster analysis in this lesson plan provide bridging opportunities between traditional understandings of genre and visual representations. Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
• Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda?
• Document Analysis for Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda
• Poster Analysis Rubric

Preparation

• Make appropriate copies of Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda? , Document Analysis for Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda , and Poster Analysis Rubric .
• Explore the background information on the Uncle Sam recruiting poster , so that you are prepared to share relevant historical details about the poster with students.
• If desired, explore the online poster collections and choose a specific poster or posters for students to analyze. If you choose to limit the options, post the choices on the board or on white paper for students to refer to in Session Two .
• Decide what final product students will submit for this lesson. Students can submit their analysis printout from the Analyzing a World War II Poster interactive, or they can write essays that explain their analysis. If students write essays, the printouts from the interactive serve as prewriting and preparation for the longer, more formal piece.
• Test the Analyzing a Visual Message interactive and the Analyzing a World War II Poster interactive on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

• discuss the differences between argument, persuasion, and propaganda.
• analyze visual texts individually, in small groups, and as a whole class.
• (optionally) write an analytical essay.

Session One

• Display the Uncle Sam recruiting poster using an overhead projector.
• Ask students to share what they know about the poster, noting their responses on the board or on chart paper.
• If students have not volunteered the information, provide some basic background information .
• Working in small groups, have students use the  Analyzing a Visual Message interactive to analyze the Uncle Sam poster.
• Emphasize that students should use complete, clear sentences in their responses. The printout that the interactive creates will not include the questions, so students responses must provide the context. Be sure to connect the requirement for complete sentences to the reason for the requirement (so that students will understand the information on the printout without having to return to the  Analyzing a Visual Message interactive.
• As students work, encourage them to look for concrete details in the poster that support their statements.
• Circulate among students as they work, providing support and feedback.
• Once students have completed the questions included in the  Analyzing a Visual Message interactive, display the poster again and ask students to share their observations and analyses.
• Emphasize and support responses that will tie to the next session, where students will complete an independent analysis.
• Pass out and go over copies of the Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda Chart .
• Ask students to apply genre descriptions to the Uncle Sam poster, using the basic details they gathered in their analysis to identify the poster's genre.

Session Two

• Review the Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda? chart.
• Elicit examples of argument, persuasion, and propaganda from the students, asking them to provide supporting details that confirm the genres of the examples. Provide time for students to explore some of the Websites in the Resources section to explore the three concepts.
• When you feel that the students are comfortable with the similarities and differences of the three genres, explain to the class that they are going to be choosing and analyzing World War II posters for a more detailed analysis.
• Pass out the Document Analysis for Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda , and go over the questions in the analysis sheet. Draw connections between the questions and what the related answers will reveal about a document's genre.
• Demonstrate the Analyzing a World War II Poster interactive.
• Point out the connections between the questions in the interactive and the questions listed on the Document Analysis for Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda .
• If students need additional practice with analysis, choose a poster and use the Analyzing a World War II Poster interactive to work through all the analysis questions as a whole class.
• Explain the final format that students will use for their analysis—you can have students submit their analysis printout from the Analyzing a World War II Poster interactive, or they can submit polished essays that explain their analysis.
• Pass out copies of the Poster Analysis Rubric , and explain the expectations for the project.
• Posters on the American Home Front (1941-45), from the Smithsonian Institute
• Powers of Persuasion, from the National Archives
• World War II Poster Collection, from Northwestern University
• World War II Posters, from University of North Texas Libraries

Session Three

• Review the poster analysis project and the handouts from previous session.
• Answer any questions about the Analyzing a World War II Poster interactive then give students the entire class session to work through their analysis.
• Remind students to refer to the Poster Analysis Rubric to check their work before saving or printing their work.
• If you are having students submit their printouts for the final project, collect their work at the end of the session. Otherwise, if you have asked students to write the essay, ask them to use their printout to write the essay for homework. Collect the essays and printouts at the beginning of the next session (or when desired).
• If desired, students might share the posters they have chosen and their conclusions with the whole class or in small groups.

The Propaganda Techniques in Literature and Online Political Ads lesson plan offers additional information about propaganda as well as some good Websites on propaganda.

Student Assessment / Reflections

Use the Poster Analysis Rubric to evaluate and give feedback on students’ work. If students have written a more formal paper, you might provide additional guidelines for standard written essays, as typically used in your class.

• Calendar Activities
• Professional Library
• Strategy Guides
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This resolution discusses that understanding the new media and using them constructively and creatively actually requires developing a new form of literacy and new critical abilities "in reading, listening, viewing, and thinking."

This strategy guide clarifies the difference between persuasion and argumentation, stressing the connection between close reading of text to gather evidence and formation of a strong argumentative claim about text.

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Critical Thinking Questions

13. What were some of the long-term effects of the Reagan Revolution and the rise of conservatives?

14. What events led to the end of the Cold War? What impact did the end of the Cold War have on American politics and foreign policy concerns?

15. Which issues divided Americans most significantly during the culture wars of the 1980s and 1990s?

16. In what ways was Bill Clinton a traditional Democrat in the style of Kennedy and Johnson? In what ways was he a conservative, like Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush?

17. Describe American involvement in global affairs during this period. How did American foreign policy change and evolve between 1980 and 2000, in both its focus and its approach?

American History from Reconstruction to the Present Copyright © 2022 by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Online Master's in World War II Studies

Through a partnered effort to offer learners the opportunity to discover new insights into the most significant event of the 20th century, The National WWII Museum and Arizona State University offer an online World War II Studies master’s degree program. Consisting of 30 hours of coursework taught by the world’s top WWII scholars, this interdisciplinary program is designed to meet the educational and professional needs of various types of students, from history and social studies teachers seeking a master’s degree to specialists seeking career advancement or degree credentials. Through in-depth discussions on the war’s campaigns, its impact on civilians, and much more, the program’s classes will further enrich your understanding of World War II, all of them accessible from the comfort and convenience of your own home.

Program Details and Admissions

Learn more about admission and degree requirements, or contact an admissions representative today.

The Student Experience

The World War II Studies master’s degree program is characterized by its intellectual rigor and flexibility. While students have to follow an academic schedule, complete assignments, and meet deadlines, they are freed from the constraints of the classroom—and can interact with faculty and fellow students as they experience learning no matter where in the world they may be at the time.

A variety of materials will be at students’ disposal, from standard class resources to short video lectures, and even artifacts and oral histories from the Museum’s collection. Some lectures taught by Museum and Arizona State University scholars will also be broadcast from the Museum’s galleries, providing an evergreen virtual classroom to students.

The estimated tuition is $543 per credit hour plus fees. All tuition amounts and fees are subject to change at any time. Please visit  ASU Online  or call the ASU Enrollment Services team at 1-866-277-6589 for more information.

Check out our YouTube page for more student and staff testimonials!

As a high school history teacher, this program had a significant impact on my perspective of history, and not just World War II, and how I approach teaching history. I have modeled critical thinking activities and questions used in class after the courses taken in this program. As a result of the program, I have been become a better writer, a better researcher, a better critical thinker, and a better teacher.

Michele LaFerriere, WWII Studies graduate

The WWII Studies program challenged me to think about the war in ways I would have never considered. The knowledge I gained goes way beyond facts and figures, but a deeper understanding of how to analyze key strategic decision points, explore the legacy of the global conflict, and confront issues of race and gender in the lived experience of the war. We were asked a lot of hard questions with no easy answers. After completing the program, I am prepared to tackle complex issues and participate in the global dialogue about the war.

Marnie Leist, WWII Studies graduate

This collaboration speaks to ASU’s pathbreaking work in the online space. This one-of-a-kind program means that geographic location no longer limits the ability of our students to engage with scholars and resources that would have been impossible to access unless you were on ground. Moreover, the flexibility built into this partnership between ASU and The National WWII Museum offers unique opportunities that benefit both institutions and our students.

Yan Mann, PhD, Program Lead World War II Studies MA Program

Meet Our Instructors

Taught by the scholars of The National WWII Museum’s Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy as well as leading faculty from Arizona State University, the World War II Studies program provides master’s degree students in-depth insights into the war and its legacies. Get to know some of the course instructors:

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Student Travel

Education and exposing students to the accomplishments of the WWII generation is the Museum's primary focus. With more than 200,000 square feet of venue and exhibit space packed with fascinating artifacts, immersive experiences and authentic cultural entertainment, The National WWII Museum is a leader in redefining the museum experience, by harnessing technology for history, learning and understanding.

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Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the Holocaust

Explore the ID Cards to learn more about personal experiences during the Holocaust

Timeline of Events

Explore a timeline of events that occurred before, during, and after the Holocaust.

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An Overview of the Holocaust: Topics to Teach

Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the Holocaust.

• remembrance

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When teaching the history of the Holocaust, the complexity of the subject matter can often seem daunting or challenging for educators. Teaching the Holocaust requires contextualizing the events of the Holocaust within many different strands of history. To understand how individuals and organizations behaved at the time, students need to know a number of key concepts and information. Below are recommended resources and topics to address when planning lessons or units on the Holocaust. 

The objective of teaching any subject should always be to engage the intellectual curiosity of students in order to inspire critical thought and personal growth. With this in mind, it also is helpful to structure a lesson plan on the Holocaust by considering your main goals and purposes for teaching the subject matter. Find more information on how to craft learning objectives for teaching the Holocaust . 

Historical Background

The Path to Nazi Genocide  provides general background information on the Holocaust for the instructor and for classroom use. 

This 38-minute film examines the Nazis’ rise and consolidation of power in Germany. Using rare footage, the film explores their ideology, propaganda, and persecution of Jews and other victims. It also outlines the path by which the Nazis and their collaborators led a state to war and to the murder of millions of people. By providing a concise overview of the Holocaust and those involved, this resource is intended to provoke reflection and discussion about the role of ordinary people, institutions, and nations between 1918 and 1945.

View The Path to Nazi Genocide .

This film is intended for adult viewers, but selected segments may be appropriate for younger audiences. The final 8 minutes of the film present very graphic material.

There is a worksheet with an answer key to go along with the film. Many of these questions could be used as discussion questions in class. Additionally, there is a one-day lesson that provides an introduction to the Holocaust by defining the term and highlighting the story of one Holocaust survivor, Gerda Weissmann.

Accessibility

To make the content of the Holocaust Encyclopedia more broadly available, any materials translated into various languages. Please select your language by using the globe icon. 

The Holocaust Encyclopedia also includes provides a glossary for students.

The following key articles in the Holocaust Encyclopedia now have audio versions for greater accessibility and to match different learning styles. 

• Anne Frank Biography: Who was Anne Frank?
• Anne Frank: Diary
• The "Final Solution"
• "Final Solution": Overview
• History of the Swastika
• Hitler Comes to Power
• Invasion of Poland
• Josef Mengele
• Kristallnacht
• Martin Niemöller: "First they came for the Socialists..."
• Nazi Medical Experiments
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• The "Night of Broken Glass"
• The Nuremberg Race Laws
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Context for Understanding the Holocaust

The encyclopedia articles below provide background and more context on the Holocaust. 

• Jewish life in Europe before the Holocaust
• World War I
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• Dictatorship under the Third Reich
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• The First Concentration Camps
• World War II in Europe
• Murder of the Disabled (Euthanasia Program)
• Persecution and Murder of Jews
• Mobile Killing Squads ( Einsatzgruppen )
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• Killing Centers
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• Jewish Resistance  
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If You Have One Class Period

Provide a historical overview of the history through use of the Path to Nazi Genocide film or other materials. Or refer to the   one-day lesso n , which provides an introduction to the Holocaust by defining the term and highlighting the story of one Holocaust survivor, Gerda Weissmann.

Based on your rationale, choose one or more topics to highlight. Include personal testimonies from the Museum's ID Cards  or oral history excerpts as appropriate.

Critical Thinking Questions

The most visited articles in the Holocaust Encyclopedia include critical thinking questions to encourage reflection on connections to contemporary events and genocide prevention, analysis of the range of motivations and behaviors, and further research on key topics.

The following are examples of articles with critical thinking questions. You'll find these questions at the foot of each page:  

Discussion Questions

A set of Discussion Questions aim to provide a framework for understanding how and why the Holocaust was possible. 

What made it possible?

• What conditions and ideas made the Holocaust possible?
• How and why did ordinary people across Europe contribute to the persecution of their Jewish neighbors?
• How did German professionals and civil leaders contribute to the persecution of Jews and other groups?
• How did the Nazis and their collaborators implement the Holocaust?
• What does war make possible?
• How did the United States government and American people respond to Nazism?
• How did leaders, diplomats, and citizens around the world respond to the events of the Holocaust?
• Which organizations and individuals aided and protected Jews from persecution between 1933 and 1945?

After the war

• How did postwar trials shape approaches to international justice?
• What have we learned about the risk factors and warning signs of genocide?

Other topics

• How did the shared foundational element of eugenics contribute to the growth of racism in Europe and the United States?
• What were some similarities between racism in Nazi Germany and in the United States, 1920s-1940s?
• How did different goals and political systems shape racism in Nazi Germany and the United States?

Thank you for supporting our work

We would like to thank Crown Family Philanthropies and the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation for supporting the ongoing work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. View the list of all donors .

Critical Thinking Questions

Compare and contrast the steamboats of the antebellum years with technologies today. In your estimation, what modern technology compares to steamboats in its transformative power?

Does the history of the cotton kingdom support or undermine the Jeffersonian vision of White farmers on self-sufficient farms? Explain your answer.

Based on your reading of William J. Anderson’s and John Brown’s accounts, what types of traumas did enslaved people experience? How were the experiences of Black women and men similar and different?

What strategies did enslaved people employ to resist, revolt, and sustain their own independent communities and cultures? How did enslaved individuals use White southerners’ own philosophies—paternalism and Christianity, for example—to their advantage in these efforts?

What are the major arguments put forward by proslavery advocates? How would you argue against their statements?

Consider filibustering from the point of view of the Cuban or Nicaraguan people. If you lived in Cuba or Nicaragua, would you support filibustering? Why or why not?

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Ukraine has right to strike targets in Russia - NATO boss; Putin insists Russian economy is strong

Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, says Ukraine has the right to strike "legitimate targets in Russia". Meanwhile, the Russian president takes to the stage in St Petersburg to address the International Economic Forum.

Friday 7 June 2024 14:36, UK

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Joe Biden has apologised to Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the recent delay in approving new US aid for Ukraine.

Last month, following months of political disagreements, the Senate passed $95bn (£76.2bn) in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan .

"I apologise for those weeks of not knowing," the US president said.

"Some of our very conservative members [of Congress] were holding it up. 

"But we got it done, finally. We're still in - completely, totally." 

The Ukrainian president thanked his counterpart for American assistance.  

"It's very important that you stay with us," he said. 

"It's very important that in this unity, the United States of America, all American people stay with Ukraine, like it was during World War Two - how the United States helped to save human lives, to save Europe." 

The two men were speaking in Paris, the day after D-Day commemorations in Normandy.

Russia needs to boost its use of non-Western currencies, Vladimir Putin said as he addressed the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He also said his country needs to reduce imports while calling for a major expansion of its domestic financial markets.

Trade with Asia is soaring, he told delegates, adding that almost two fifths of Russian external trade is now in roubles.

The share conducted in US dollars, euros and other Western currencies has declined.

Russia will try to boost the share of settlements conducted in the currencies of BRICS countries - which include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Mr Putin said.

"Last year, the share of payments for Russian exports in the so–called 'toxic' currencies of unfriendly states halved, while the share of the rouble in export and import transactions is growing - it is approaching 40% today," the president said.

Russia has referred to nations that imposed sanctions on it as "unfriendly".

 The session begins with an address by the Russian president. 

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He speaks of the need for countries to both establish partnerships and also to look internally to tackle challenges presented by the current global economic landscape. 

Despite all the "obstacles and illegitimate sanctions", Russia remains one of the world's economic leaders, he says. 

He adds that "friendly countries" - those that have not joined sanctions against Moscow - account for three quarters of Russia's mutual trade turnover, and praises them for that. 

Countries including India and China have strengthened economic ties since Mr Putin launched his war in Ukraine. 

Vladimir Putin has taken to the stage in St Petersburg to address the International Economic Forum there.

He's joined by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwais and Bolivian President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora. 

Chairing the session is Sergey Karaganov - a Russian political scientist. 

We'll bring you any key lines here in this live blog. 

A T-shirt is on sale at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum printed with a phrase attributed to Vladimir Putin, Sky News has discovered. 

"If a fight is inevitable, throw the first punch," it says.

The Russian president reportedly said it in 2015.

He apparently explained that it was something he had learned while growing up on the streets of Leningrad - a former name of St Petersburg. 

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However, one of the missiles damaged two residential apartment blocks, it added, claiming it was deliberate.

Sky News is unable to verify the allegations.

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Vladimir Putin is likely to adopt a provocative tone as he addresses the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum this afternoon, Ivor Bennett, Sky News's Moscow correspondent , has said.

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Bennett added: "Whether or not he'll be drawn more on that, giving specific examples, I'm not so sure. 

"But I think he could potentially talk more about nuclear weapons, reiterating Russia's readiness to use them.

"The Kremlin likes to say that it's not Russia making the escalations here - they're merely responding to Western provocations. 

"Russia is merely defending itself."

Ukraine has the right to attack legitimate military targets in Russia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said.  

"Ukraine has the right to self defence," Mr Stoltenberg said during a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a military base near Stockholm. 

He added: "The right to self defence also includes the right to hit legitimate, military targets on the territory of the attacking party, the aggressor - in this case Russia." 

Mr Stoltenberg continued: "This is a war of attack that Russia has begun against a peaceful, democratic neighbouring country - Ukraine - that at no point has been a threat to Russia.

"There is no question that Ukraine has the right to hit targets on Russian territory."

The United States recently gave Ukraine permission to use American weapons on Russian territory near Kharkiv.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, has claimed that HIMARS rockets have been used since then on civilian targets (8.36 post).

Vladimir Putin has said he is considering arming the West's enemies in retaliation.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked France for its support as he addressed the country's National Assembly.

President Emmanuel Macron has said his country will send Mirage 2000 warplanes to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president's speech was part of an official visit to France following the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day.

"I'm sure a day will come when Ukraine will see the same jets in our skies that we saw in Normandy skies yesterday," Mr Zelenskyy said.

"Your combat aviation [and] brilliant fighter jets under Ukrainian pilots' command will prove that Europe is stronger, stronger than [the] evil which dared to threaten it. 

"Now, just like 80 years ago, we can prove it — the power of our unity, the power of our alliance, the power of our shared ideals." 

He added: "Can Putin win the war? No, because we have no right to lose." 

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Chapter 28: Post-War Prosperity and Cold War Fears, 1945-1960

Critical Thinking Questions

U.S. History Copyright © 2014 by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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