INTRODUCTION:

  In the book The Wave by Todd Strasser, based on a true incident, a group of high school students studying World War II asked an important question:  "How could the Germans sit back while the Nazis slaughtered people all around them and say they didn't know about it?"  Before and during World War II, tragically the Nazis did kill over 10 million people, mostly Jews.  In searching for an answer for his students, teacher Ben Ross devised an experiment.  He knew the answer involved active propaganda on the part of the German government, so he used these methods to teach his students. Things got scary before they got better for Ben Ross's students.  For us, the question is still important.

• Does propaganda really work?
• How and why is it effective?
• Were the Germans the only country to engage in propaganda during World War II?

    In this WebQuest, you will learn more about Nazi Germany, see examples of propaganda and analyze its power, assume roles as citizens of Germany or the U.S., write persuasive pieces regarding your impressions of posters displayed during World War II, and participate in a town meeting.  You will also have fun working with others, develop your talents in web-based research, and learn about persuasive writing.  Have a great time with this Quest!

BACKGROUND: TERM TREASURE HUNT Reading The Wave or studying World War II can be more productive if you understand common terms relating to the Nazi movement.  Below is a link to fifteen terms you will need to know.  Take notes, print out the page, or use the handout copy your teacher provides.  Then use the links below to search for definitions for the terms.  When you're done, you'll have a working vocabulary for the Nazi movement. (Be ready for a Quiz on the Terms!)
 
 
 

   Now that you know more about World War II, let's get back to the big questions.  What is Propaganda?  Click on the links below, and take notes to answer the questions.

1. PROPAGANDA:  What is it?
2. What are the eight common techniques of propaganda?   List and give brief definitions of each.

ROLES:
    At this point, now that you understand more about propaganda, you're ready for assuming a role.
    You will be a German or American citizen during World War II.  (Your teacher may assign you to your role.)  Your specific role will be a Journalist, a Soldier, or a Farmer.  In your country you see and hear the images of propaganda that your government puts out, including songs, films, speeches, flags, and posters.
    Following the war an international group comes to your town to get citizen input about propaganda.  You are invited to a big "town meeting" with people from both the U.S. and Germany to express your views about the propaganda you've seen during and before the war, specifically the posters of your country.  This "town meeting" will be in a neutral country. You will represent your country at the meeting.  Your views as an individual about the importance of the war, your hopes, problems, and needs are all very important as you discuss the effects of the propaganda your country used.
    To present your impressions of the propaganda you will write a persuasive speech, which you will read at the meeting.  The purpose of the speech will be to convince those at the meeting about the effects the posters had on you and others. (More about the persuasive speech later in the Quest!)

    You will work as a team with someone who has the same role as you to read the following articles for your country and take notes on the Organizer. (Your teacher will give you a copy of the Organizer or you may take notes to make your own.)  Together, you will look at the articles linked below, while each takes notes on your own Organizer.
    These articles will help you realize what the countries were like before the outbreak of war.  What economic conditions were present?  What political forces influenced the countries?  Imagine how these would have affected you as a citizen.
 
 
 
 
 

    Now, working with your team partner, continue to examine the U.S. Propoganda Poster links below if you're an American, or the German Propaganda Poster links if you're a German.  Continue to take notes on your own copies of the Organizer.

LINKS for PROPAGANDA POSTERS

U.S. - Powers of Persuasion Exhibit   This Exhibit is divided into two parts.

U.S. - WWII Posters from the WPA (also, if time, look at other posters in the collection from the WPA.  WPA stands for Works Progress Administration, a New Deal Program from F.D. Roosevelt to get the country out of the Depression)

Germany - Nazi-Era Posters

Germany - Nazi Postcards

Germany -German Propaganda WWII

Germany - Nazi Propaganda 1933 - 1945.  Additional sources available, if you have time.
 
 
 

If you have time, when you finishing viewing the posters for your assigned country and have completed the Organizer, view the posters from the other country.

TASK:  PERSUASIVE WRITING.

    Your multiparagraph writing should include a strong "thesis statement", a powerful idea which controls the rest of your paper.  Your thesis statement should come at the end of the introductory paragraph of the paper, and should include hints about the three supporting ideas, each of which will be explained in the three body paragraphs. A concluding paragraph should sum up your most important ideas, and leave the reader with a strong impression. Explain how the propaganda has affected you, from your point of view as a German or American.  Your job is to convince your reader (or listener) that the ideas in the propaganda should or should not be used in the way in which they were used.

    Be specific as you refer to the needs, wishes, and problems you and others in your group had.  Also, be specific as you reflect on the posters, using exact examples and descriptions of the posters.  What about them was misleading, suggestive, or overly dramatic?  Did you support your country during the war?  Most people surely did.  Did you trust your country?  Most do.  Do you feel confidence in elected leaders?  People generally.need to trust their officials.

    In your introduction tell about your role, and tie that to what is happening in your country.  Be sure to mention the country's involvement in World War II, and state why that was important to your country.

    Keep these ideas in mind as you write.  The Electraguide will help you create a Thesis Statement and a simple Outline for your Persuasive paper. (The Electraguide "Thesis Statement" link may not appear clearly on some computers.  It is the bits of green writing that appear above the words "Welcome to Electraguide".  Click on the green writing and the Thesis Statement Builder should show up.)

    The Outline created for you by the Electraguide may then be printed out and used as your outline for your writing.  You may also copy the Outline from the Electraguide and paste it into Word before printing.
    See this Sample Paper from the point of view of a German farmer,  written by following the directions from the Electraguide.  The underlined sentences are those given by the Electraguide's Outliner function.

Format for Persuasive Paper, as directed by the Electraguide:

I. Introduction, First Paragraph - ends in Thesis Statement
II. Body Paragraph #1 - evidence, facts, reasons supporting the main idea you disagree witn
III. Body Paragraph #2 - evidence, facts, reasons supporting your thesis
IV. Body Paragraph #3 - evidence, facts, reasons supporting the strongest argument for your  thesis
V. Conclusion -
    *  begins by restating thesis (the Electraguide will help here)
    *  refers back to the "attention-getter" - in this case, you have stated you are an American or German Soldier, Journalist, or Farmer - this is your "attention-getter"
    *  asks you to conclude with a "So What" statement - think of this as an appeal to the reader, stating why they should care about the use of propaganda ("So if my country were. . . ")

Final Copy:

• prepared on the computer
• title
• heading
• good paragraph organization
• sentence structure
• grammar
• mechanics (spelling, capitalization, punctuation).

SO HOW'D YOU DO?  EVALUATE YOURSELF WITH THIS RUBRIC.
After reading the rubric, rate yourself in each of the following areas on your notepaper.  Attach your rating sheet to the final copy of your speech.
 
 
 
 

CONCLUSION
    You've learned about propaganda and its effects, and you're ready for the town meeting.  Once the writings have been shared and discussed, at least one will be chosen to send to the experts at the American Memory site of the Library of Congress, via e-mail as a reflection of our thoughts on propaganda.  The speeches should help us see propaganda as the tool it is, affecting all members of society.  Great work, everybody.
    When you read The Wave you'll understand it better too.  Propaganda isn't just limited to "the other countries".  Now you'll be able to recognize propaganda when you see it - and at least see it critically.  If you need to see more examples of propaganda, try this big collection of WWII Propaganda, including Cartoons, Fim, Music, and Art.

See Teacher's Link for additional information.