World War II Resources

Discover the history of World War II through activities that explore the roles of women, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Nazis, the Allies and other groups involved in the war. Short, informative lessons and quick activities will give students an engaging overview of the second World War. 28 reproducible pages, softcover, with answer key.

World War II Spotter Cards from U.S. Games Systems

Airplane Spotter Playing Cards - World War 2 A card game to die for Each card features 3 silhouettes of an airplane as seen from ground or another plane. Also, a regular deck of cards. Facsimile of a deck first issued in 1943.

In this inspiring true story of heroism in World War II, American Colonel Hank Reed and his soldiers capture a German spy and uncover an unexpected secret: Hitler has kidnapped the world's finest purebred horses and hidden them in a secret Czechoslovakian breeding farm – and the horses face the danger of becoming food as the starving Russian army from the East marches closer to the border. With little time to spare, the small American troop cross enemy lines to heroically save some of the world's most treasured animals. This young readers’ adaptation of the New York Times bestseller highlights bravery in the face of incredible obstacles and sheds light on a little-known piece of WWII history. 272 pages, softcover. Ages 8 to 12.

Originally published in 1944, Wings for Per is the story of a Norwegian boy growing up pre-WWII who dreams of flying. When his family’s country is invaded, they must leave, but he trains to be a fighter pilot, so that he can return to his country and fight for freedom and justice. Through beautiful illustrations, in the D'Aulaires unmistakable style, Per's journey from his hometown, to America, and then his return as a pilot, readers will see his determination to protect and free his family and homeland from tyranny. Extensive historical background information on the real-life Per and his adventures is included. 60 pages, softcover. Ages 5 and up.

In an intergenerational collection of true stories, witnesses to World War II share their memories with young interviewers so that their experiences will never be forgotten. More than 70 years after the end of the most devastating war in history, children interviewed family and community members to learn about the war from people who were there, to record their memories before they were lost forever. RAF pilots, evacuees, resistance fighters, Land Girls, U.S. Navy sailors, and survivors of the Holocaust and the Hiroshima bombing all tell their stories, passing on the lessons learned to a new generation. Featuring many vintage photographs, this moving volume also offers an index of contributors and a glossary. 320 pages, softcover. Ages 10 and up.

Gain a complete understanding of the players involved in World War II; stepping far away from the glory-filled praises of the Allies during World War II, "Uncle Eric" recounts the atrocities committed by Stalin (who killed twice as many people as Hitler), the British (who hunted Aborigines in Australia and set up concentration camps in S. Africa), and Americans (against Native Americans). Exposure of "Anglo-Saxonism", and Hitler's death tolls of Jews, minorities, and other political dissenters provide a wide-angle view of the Old World Conflict that began after a complex mix of the effects of the Treaty of Versailles and a long history of European conquests. Offering a different perspective on American involvement, World War II presents evidence that Roosevelt deliberately provoked the Pearl Harbor attack, that Hitler was already finished when America went to war, and other reasons why American neutrality should never have been abandoned. 349 indexed pages, softcover.

Based upon the Uncle Eric Book World War 2: The Rest of the Story and How if Affects You Today, A Bluestocking Guide to World War II provides reinforcing assigments and information to accompany the primary text. A variety of short answer, fill-in-the-blank, true/false, essay, thought questions and other activities are included to provide a full orbed experience. 95 pages, softcover, answers included. Non-reproducible.

History is more multifaceted, complex, and non-linear than standard textbooks would have students believe. Walch's Focus on US History series will encourage students to actually think about history, rather than regurgitating a simple set of concrete facts. Creative activities will extend and reinforce any American history curriculum through thought-provoking, analytical activities.

The Era of World War II Through Contemporary Times (1939-present) covers the United States and World War II, foreign policy and the Cold War, the postwar United States, civil rights and equal rights, and contemporary times.

Divided into four chronological and thematic sections that are guided by the National Standards for History, each unit includes a teacher guide and student background page in addition to student activity worksheets. Reading selections draw from primary document sources as well as contemporary material designed to help students with decision-making comprehension, comparative skills, map skills, and interdisciplinary connections. Teacher guide sections provide an overview of the unit, objectives, and specific teaching suggestions for each activity. Assessment questions are included in the back of the book with the answer key.

121 pages reproducible for a single teacher. Answer key, glossary, and additional resource list included. Grades 7-11.

The New York Times bestselling chronicle of one of the most famous moments in American military history--the raising of the U. S. flag at Iwo Jima during World War II--now adapted for young adults. Read the true story behind the immortal photograph that has come to symbolize the courage and strength of America and its armed forces.

This is a penetrating, epic look at a generation at war, told with keen insight and enormous honesty —also a major motion picture directed by Clint Eastwood. In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima–and into history. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire, they battled to the island’s highest peak. And there, they raised a flag, signaling a historic step towards the eventual defeat of the Axis powers of World War II. 
 
A powerful account of six very different men--three of which were killed in battle-- who came together in the heroic fight for the Pacific’s most crucial island. It is the story of the difference between truth and myth, the legacy of a hero, and the brutal cost of war.

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In the first volume of his monumental trilogy about the liberation of Europe in WW II, Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson tells the riveting story of the war in North Africa

The liberation of Europe and the destruction of the Third Reich is a story of courage and enduring triumph, of calamity and miscalculation. In this first volume of the Liberation Trilogy, Rick Atkinson shows why no modern reader can understand the ultimate victory of the Allied powers without a grasp of the great drama that unfolded in North Africa in 1942 and 1943. That first year of the Allied war was a pivotal point in American history, the moment when the United States began to act like a great power.

Beginning with the daring amphibious invasion in November 1942, An Army at Dawn follows the American and British armies as they fight the French in Morocco and Algeria, and then take on the Germans and Italians in Tunisia. Battle by battle, an inexperienced and sometimes poorly led army gradually becomes a superb fighting force. Central to the tale are the extraordinary but fallible commanders who come to dominate the battlefield: Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, Montgomery, and Rommel.

Brilliantly researched, rich with new material and vivid insights, Atkinson's narrative provides the definitive history of the war in North Africa.

This is a monumental and definitive study of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. At 7:53 A.M.,December 7, 1941, America's national conciousness and confidence were rocked as the first wave of Japanese warplanes targeted the U.S. Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. As intense and absorbing as a suspense novel,"At Dawn We Slept" is an unparalleled, exhaustive account of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor that is widely regarded as the definitive assessment of the events surrounding one of the most daring and brilliant naval operations of all time. Through extensive research and interviews with American and Japanese leaders, Gordon W.Prange assembled a remarkable historical study that examines the assault that sixty years later America cannot forget.

One of the world's leading historians re-examines World War II and its outcome

A clear-eyed reappraisal of World War II that offers new insight by reevaluating well-established facts and pointing out lesser-known ones, No Simple Victory asks readers to reconsider what they know about the war, and how that knowledge might be biased or incorrect. Norman Davies poses simple questions that have unexpected answers: Can you name the five biggest battles of the war? What were the main political ideologies that were contending for supremacy? The answers to these questions will surprise even those who feel that they are experts on the subject.

Davies has established himself as a preeminent scholar of World War II. No Simple Victory is an invaluable contribution to twentieth-century history and an illuminating portrait of a conflict that continues to provoke debate.

During World War II, thousands of Americans read Ernie Pyle's accounts of the war; he was sent overseas with only one assignment: to write a story every day on whatever he could find. What came from that assignment was a best loved column that gave people an insiders view on the GI's fighting in Europe and later, the Pacific. Deciding to actually live the same life as the soldiers, he made beach-invasions with them, including Normanday and Iwo Jima, saw their battles and lived at their camps. He raised morale, supported the men he was working with and provided information in a time when he was sorely needed. After his death in the Pacific, he was mourned alongside Roosevelt. One of the greatest journalists, and one that laid the groundwork for later war correspondents, this engaging work on a little-known figure engrosses and informs, providing a window of light into the history of war media. 319 pages, indexed.

During World War II, Black Americans were fighting for their country and for freedom in Europe, yet they had to endure a totally segregated military in the United States, After acquiring government funding for aviation training, civil rights activists were able to kickstart the first African American military flight program in the US at Tuskegee University in Alabama. While this book details thrilling flight missions and the grueling training sessions the Tuskegee Airmen underwent, it also shines a light on the lives of these brave men who helped pave the way for the integration of the US Armed Forces and helped the United States win World War II. 112 pages, softcover. Ages 6 – 12.

Newlywed American missionary Darlene Deibler Rose survived four years in a notorious Japanese prison camp set deep in the jungles of New Guinea. Thinking she was never to see her husband again, Darlene was forced to sign a false confession and face the executioner's sword, only to be miraculously spared in this true story of one woman's survival against the odds.

Battlefields & Blessings is a unique devotional offering 365 daily historical and spiritual insights into WWII and the lives of those who fought. You'll hear stories of selfless acts by soldiers, the kindness of chaplains, the faith of family at home, friendships forged and much more. As they did then, you'll be encouraged to draw near to God during difficult times.

The instant classic that changed the way we saw World War II and an entire generation of Americans, from the beloved journalist whose own iconic career has lasted more than fifty years.

In this magnificent testament to a nation and her people, Tom Brokaw brings to life the extraordinary stories of a generation that gave new meaning to courage, sacrifice, and honor.

From military heroes to community leaders to ordinary citizens, he profiles men and women who served their country with valor, then came home and transformed it: Senator Daniel Inouye, decorated at the front, fighting prejudice at home; Martha Settle Putney, one of the first black women to serve in the newly formed WACs; Charles Van Gorder, a doctor who set up a MASH-like medical facility in the middle of battle, then opened a small clinic in his hometown; Navy pilot and future president George H. W. Bush, assigned to read the mail of the enlisted men under him, who says that in doing so he "learned about life"; and many other laudable Americans.

To this generation that gave so much and asked so little, Brokaw offers eloquent tribute in true stories of everyday heroes in extraordinary times.

Praise for The Greatest Generation

"Moving . . . a tribute to the members of the World War II generation to whom we Americans and the world owe so much."—The New York Times Book Review

"Full of wonderful, wrenching tales of a generation of heroes. Tom Brokaw reminds us what we are capable of as a people. An inspiring read for those who wish their spirits lifted."—Colin L. Powell
 
"Offers welcome inspiration . . . It is impossible to read even a few of these accounts and not be touched by the book’s overarching message: We who followed this generation have lived in the midst of greatness."—The Washington Times
 
"Entirely compelling."—The Wall Street Journal

The Battle for Berlin was the culminating struggle of World War II in the European theater, the last offensive of Hitler's Third Reich, which devastated one of Europe's historic capitals and brought the Nazi leviathan to itsdownfall. It was also one of the war's bloodiest and most pivotal moments, whose outcome would play a part in determining the complexion of international politics for decades to come. This is the compelling account of that final battle, a story of brutal extremes, of stunning military depth alongside the stark conditions that the civilians of Berlin experienced in the face of the Allied assault.

Bestselling author Nicholson Baker, recognized as one of the most dexterous and talented writers in America today, has created a compelling work of nonfiction bound to provoke discussion and controversy—a wide-ranging, astonishingly fresh perspective on the political and social landscape that gave rise to World War II.

Human Smoke delivers a closely textured, deeply moving indictment of the treasured myths that have romanticized much of the 1930s and '40s. Incorporating meticulous research and well-documented sources—including newspaper and magazine articles, radio speeches, memoirs, and diaries—the book juxtaposes hundreds of interrelated moments of decision, brutality, suffering, and mercy. Vivid glimpses of political leaders and their dissenters illuminate and examine the gradual, horrifying advance toward overt global war and Holocaust.

Praised by critics and readers alike for his exquisitely observant eye and deft, inimitable prose, Baker has assembled a narrative within Human Smoke that unfolds gracefully, tragically, and persuasively. This is an unforgettable book that makes a profound impact on our perceptions of historical events and mourns the unthinkable loss humanity has borne at its own hand.

While we think of D-Day as the event that won WWII, it would have never even been possible without the code breakers from Bletchly Park, England. Presenting the history of code breaking during World War II, Battle of Wits provides extensive information on the Enigma Machine, explanations of how the Japanese codes were broken, and how American codebreaking machines helped to crack the Axis codes. Black and white photograph plates are included. 436 indexed pages, softcover.

In this riveting account, historian Stephen Ambrose continues where he left off in his "1 bestseller D-Day. Ambrose again follows the individual characters of this noble, brutal, and tragic war, from the high command down to the ordinary soldier, drawing on hundreds of interviews to re-create the war experience with startling clarity and immediacy. Citizen Soldiers tells the real story of World War II, from the hedgerows of Normandy to the overrunning of Germany, from the perspective of the men and women who fought it.

Stephen E. Ambrose draws from more than 1,400 interviews with American, British, Canadian, French, and German veterans to create the preeminent chronicle of the most important day in the twentieth century. Ambrose reveals how the original plans for the invasion were abandoned, and how ordinary soldiers and officers acted on their own initiative. D-Day is above all the epic story of men at the most demanding moment of their existence, when the horrors, complexities, and triumphs of life and laid are. Ambrose portrays the faces of courage and heroism, fear and determination - what Eisenhower called "the fury of an aroused democracy" - that shaped the victory of the citizen soldiers whom Hitler had disparaged.

Drawing on previously unpublished eyewitness accounts, prizewinning historian Donald L. Miller has written what critics are calling one of the most powerful accounts of warfare ever published. Here are the horror and heroism of World War II in the words of the men who fought it, the journalists who covered it, and the civilians who were caught in its fury. Miller gives us an up-close, deeply personal view of a war that was more savagely fought -- and whose outcome was in greater doubt -- than readers might imagine. This is the war that Americans at the home front would have read about had they had access to the previously censored testimony of the soldiers on which Miller builds his gripping narrative.

Newly in print for the first time in years, this is the classic story of the invasion of Normandy, and a book that endures as a masterpiece of living history. A compelling tale of courage and heroism, glory and tragedy, The Longest Day painstakingly recreates the fateful hours that preceded and followed the massive invasion of Normandy to retell the story of an epic battle that would turn the tide against world fascism and free Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany.