Tip: Press ctrl and F (or apple and F on a Mac) to perform a keyword search of this page. To keyword search all Best of History Web Sites pages use the search engine located on the home page. This page was last updated June 12, 2007.

Special Topics | Lesson Plans, Activities, and more

 Encyclopedia of the Second World War
The Second World War is a Spartacus Educational website and enables one to research individual people and events of the war in detail. The sources are "hypertexted" so that the visitor can research the newspaper, organization, etc., that produced the source. There are several subsections including those on: Background to the War; Nazi Germany, Chronology of the War, Political Leaders, European Diplomacy, Major Offensives, British Military Leaders, USA Military Leaders, German Military Leaders, Japanese Military Leaders, The Armed Forces, The Air War, The Resistance, Scientists & Inventors, War at Sea, Resistance in Nazi Germany, The Holocaust, War Artists, Weapons and New Technology.

America's War - World War Two in Color

 HyperWar: World War II
Hyper War is a "hypertext" history of the second World War and features diplomatic and political documents. The content is made up, primarily, of "public domain" (non-copyright) materials in English: Official government histories (United States and British Commonwealth/Empire); Source documents (diplomatic messages, Action Reports, logs, diaries, etc.); and Primary references (manuals, glossaries, etc). Wherever possible, hyperlinks between these histories and documents have been included.

 World War II Sites
This site serves as a gateway to World War II sites appropriate for students and teachers. Links revolve around the following topics: The Rise of Fascism-Germany, Italy and Japan, Holocaust, Pearl Harbor and America's Response, D-Day and the War in the Pacific, The Home Front, Plans for Peace and the Atomic Bomb, Personalities, Literature, Propaganda, Women in the War, and Miscellaneous. Updated regularly, the site leads you to movie clips, virtual tours, stories of the war, biographies, films, photographs, a links, and even a test.

 BBC Online: World War II
Covers various topics of the war such as campaigns and battles, politics, home front, and the holocaust. Multimedia zone offers interactive maps, photographs and audio and video clips. WW2 People's War is a new website from BBCi History, aspiring to create a new national archive of personal and family stories from World War Two.

 Open Directory Project: World War II
This comprehensive directory contains 737 websites on the Second World War: Air Forces (98), Arts and Literature (14), Atomic (56), Directories (3), Documents, Manuscripts and other Primary Sources (3), Education and Academic (3), Land Forces (36), Naval Forces (63), People (183), Regional (133), Theaters of Operations (162), War Crimes (2) and Weapons and Equipment (43).

 Armies of the Second World War
"Armies of the Second World War" is an online database of day-by-day orders of battle and information about hundreds of division, brigade, and regiment-sized units in World War II. Information currently available in the database covers Commonwealth, Dominion, Colonial, Exile, and "Minor" Allied armies in Europe, Africa, and western Asia from 1 September 1939 through 7 May 1945.

 World War II Remembered
Former Senator Bob Dole and historian Stephen Ambrose are among those who contribute to the site. It was created to preserve untold stories of those who lived during the World War II era.

 The World at War
The World at War, History of WW 1939 - 1945 is probably one of the best military history web sites of WWII. Its goal is to be as complete as possible about the history of WW 1939-1945 and serves as a well organized gateway to numerous sources. Information and links are organized around a timeline of events. The authors also provide a discussion forum, message board, and a mailing list and the site can be searched by keyword.

 Avalon Project: World War II Documents
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy offers a varied array of primary source documents on World War II as part of its major collections.

 World War II Resources
Dedicated to combatting "history by sound bites," the "Pearl Harbor Working Group" has produced this varied collection of original documents regarding all aspects of the war.

 The World War II Sound and Image File
Part of the The Historical Sound & Image Archive, this WWII "Sounds and Pictuers Page" features interesting graphics and radio excerpts. Topics include: Aircraft, Propoganda Posters, Warships, Sound Effects, and more. Has not been updated since 2001.

 The Price of Freedom: Americans at War
This Smithsonian website skillfully integrates Flash video and text to examine armed conflicts involving the U.S. from the Revolutionary War to the war in Iraq. Each conflict contains a brief video clip, statistical information, and a set of artifacts. There is also a Civil War mystery, an exhibition self-guide, and a teacher's guide. The World War II section contains an introductory movie and short essay on the conflict as well as historic images and artifacts.

World War II Special Topics
 D-Day
This PBS American Experience D-Day film is told entirely with rare archival footage and the voices of 43 people who were there. The special features of the companion web site include the "Did You Know?" section to learn about landing craft, battle reporting, the vast scale of the invasion, and what the "D" stands for; "Voices of D-Day" where the battle's fliers, the men who landed on Normandy's beaches, and German soldiers tell their stories; "Hot Off the Presses" where you can read a newspaper account and Americans' reactions to news of the D-Day assault; "Paratroopers" or soldiers who dropped behind enemy lines; and "Letters from the Front," first-hand accounts of soldiers' experiences after D-Day.

 Enola Gay
The Enola Gay exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum closed on May 18, 1998. This web page provides a brief overview with images and highlights from that exhibition. The most luring feature of the site is a series of movie clips showing the interior cockpit and the exterior forward fuselage.

 Homefront 1939-1945
This interactive UK National Archives Learning Curve exhibition examines life in Britain during Word War II. Sections revolve around essential questions for students to answer and feature diaries, activities, worksheets, a timeline, and video.

 Pearl Harbor: Remembered
This site is part of the USS Arizona Visitor Center located on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base adjacent to the sunken remains of the USS Arizona. The site provides an overview to the Pearl Harbour attack, a timeline of events, survivor remembrances, a map, audio files, and useful links.

 World War II Poster Collection
The Government Publications Department at Northwestern University Library has a comprehensive collection of over 300 posters issued by U.S. Federal agencies from the onset of war through 1945. Posters are searchable by Date, Topic, or Title.

 National World War II Memorial
The National World War II Memorial will be the first national memorial dedicated to all who served during World War II. The memorial will honor all military veterans of the war, the citizens on the home front, the nation at large, and the high moral purpose and idealism that motivated the nation's call to arms. The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004 and was dedicated a month later on May 29.

 Baatan Rescue
This PBS American Experience site relates the story of an elite Ranger battalion that went 30 miles behind enemy lines in the Philippines in 1944 to rescue 500 survivors of the Bataan death march who were held captive by the Japanese. There are interviews with liberated POWs, a tour inside a Ranger training camp, a teacher's guide, and more.

 Japanese American Internment
This site offers many primary sources, maps, photos, links, and other resources regarding the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Topics include: Pre-War Intelligence, The Politics, An Exclusion Poster, The Camps, Memories, Shootings, Disillusionment, Timeline, Glossary, and Gallery. Content has not been updated since 2003, but site continues to be maintained.

 World War II Posters: Powers of Persuasion (NARA)
An interesting National Archives exhibit that displays and explains American propaganda posters. It features 11 posters and 1 sound file from a more extensive exhibit that was presented in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, from May 1994 to February 1995. The exhibit is divided into two parts, which represent two psychological approaches used in rallying public support for the war.

 Women Who Came to the Front (Library of Congress)
This exhibit tells the story of eight different women who participated as journalists, broadcasters, and photographers during World War II. The women featured in this exhibit were chosen because of the strength and variety of their collections in the Library of Congress.

 Normandy
Normandy is part of a World War II study guide by Britannica online. Sections include: The Invasion, Leaders and Generals, and Veterans' Oral Histories. There are also combat videos, interactive charts and maps, a photo Gallery, war Documents, and learning activities guide.

 A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution
An online exhibit from the Smithsonian, this site explores how a government balances human rights with a need for national security. Immigration, Removal, Internment, Loyalty, Service and Justice are the areas available for viewing, with a special area for reflection by visitors. Classroom Activities are found under the Resources link at the bottom of the page.

 Women and the Second World War
This website examines the important role played by women in the war and includes biographies of twenty secret agents, twenty women involved in the anti-Nazi resistance movement in Europe and twelve women who risked their lives as war reporters.

 The Winston Churchill Home Page
Produced by the Churchill Center, this site covers all aspects of Churchill's life. Included are sound recordings of Churchill's speeches, a radio interview, and other primary source documents.

 Master Race: 1926-1945 (PBS)
Part of PBS's People's Century series, Master Race probes the Nazi takeover in Germany. In it, Germans talk candidly about the initial seduction of Nazism; Gypsies reminisce about life before Hitler; and Jews recall their persecution. There are eye-witness interviews, a teacher's guide, links to related sites, and a chance to tell your own story.

 Total War (PBS)
Part of PBS's People's Century series, Total War discusses the contributions of civilians during WWII and their victimization. In Total War, eyewitnesses from Britain, Germany, Russia, Korea, Japan, and the United States tell the story of how millions of civilians participated and came to be legitimate targets in the Second World War. There are eye-witness interviews, a teacher's guide, links to related sites, and chance to tell your own story.

 Remember.org (Holocaust)
Remember.org is an educational forum bringing together Holocaust survivors, children of Holocaust survivors, art by children, educational efforts, and Books by Survivors to promote learning and remembering. Founded in 1995, this site has reached over 3 million visitors a year and is a central tool for many traditional classrooms, sharing the best resources and giving access to projects like the upcoming Auschwitz Virtual tour.

 The Holocaust - Crimes, Heroes and Villains
Started in 1996 The Holocaust - Crimes, Heroes and Villains is today one of the largest Holocaust websites in the world. It is based on more than 30 year's research by the site's creator into the topics of World War 2 and The Holocaust. Most of the articles have been published in newspapers and magazines.

 Nuremberg - The Doctors Trial
This informative presentation is part of a larger site -- The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum -- and contains the testimonies and evidence used during this trial against Nazi physicians who conducted scientific experiments on concentration camp prisoners. There are numerous primary source documents that describe the surgical atrocities.

A Thousand Suns (Atomic Bomb)
A Thousand Suns is a Flash-generated, interactive look at the science behind, and precedent set by, the first atomic bombs. It utilizes atmospheric audio, video and imagery to engage the user, and create a sense of time and place. Complex statistical data has been made both educational and entertaining. Site has a flash pop-up that can only be viewed once any pop-up blockers are removed.

 Bismarck: The Final Days
This Discovery Channel interactive exhibit includes an interactive tour of the famous WWII battleship, a Flash presentation on "The Final Days'" discussion of the findings and historical relevance by James Cameron, a quiz and a "video peek" at the film.

 Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals
This United States Holocaust Memorial Museum online exhibition examines the campaign of persecution and violence against homosexuals in Germany under the Third Reich. The Museum offers online resources, bibliographies, personal histories, video clips, curator comments, and public programs.

 Paths of Memory
This multi-lingual European museums site has well organized sections on the First World War, Spanish Civil War, and the Second World War. In this developing project a team of European historians has included, in addition to well-known places, lesser-known sites that nevertheless were the locations of events that influenced conflicts in one way or another.

 Hitler's Bunker
This Discovery Channel photo gallery explores what happened in Hitler's bunker during the final months of the war. View the photo gallery of the people who lived in the bunker and find out their fate. Also offers a quiz on the "last gasp" of World War II.

 Oscar Schindler
Biography of the rescuer Oskar Schindler, who saved 1200 Jews during the Holocaust and World War II. Stories of war crimes, survivors, and the entire Schindler's List.

 Facing History
Through the excellent Facing History workshops and institute, students learn how issues of identity and membership, inclusion and exclusion, play out at one particular moment in history. As part of the journey students engage in a rigorous investigation of Germany's transition from a democracy to a totalitarian regime. They see how the Nazis rose to power, culminating in the horrors of the Holocaust. Throughout, students confront the moral questions inherent in this history .

 The Nanking Atrocities
Comprehensive accounts of the Nanking Atrocities that took place from 1937-38 in Nanking, China during the early stage of the Second Sino-Japanese War. This site includes interviews with leading historians in the field as well as historical photographs and video footages, and a number of other documented materials such as newspaper articles, diaries of former Japanese soldiers and American missionaries who were in Nanking when the incident took place, and the judgment of the Tokyo War Crimes Trial.

 Maps of World War II
Maps of World War II provides an overview of WWII through a collection of maps that present the battles and campaigns fought in the various theatres of war. The material is organized by theatre, in roughly chronological order. Most of these maps present operational level information.

 World War II in Europe Timeline
A hyperlinked timeline with text and images by The History Place.

 WWII Codes and Ciphers
In 1991 the Bletchley Park, the wartime home of Allied code breaking, was saved from destruction and transformed into a museum. This site is dedicated to the history, science and engineering of cryptanalysis in World War II and features a virtual tour of Bletchley Park.

 Go for Broke (Japanese American World War II veterans)
The educational Web site www.GoForBroke.org is one of the leading resources for educators, students, researchers and the general public to learn about the legacy of the Japanese American World War II veterans. It features lesson plans, student activities, streaming oral history videos, glossaries, timelines, photos, interactive maps and more,

Lesson Plans, Activities, and more
 BBC History Games: Battle of the Atlantic
Play this interactive game as Senior Officer Escort in charge of defending increasingly important convoys.

 BBC History: The Fall of France Animation
Follow the progress of the German forces as they cross the border, occupy Belgium and the Netherlands and trap the Allied forces at Dunkirk.

 BBC History: The North Africa Campaign Animation
Follow the three years of battles in the North African desert, and see how Axis and Allied forces chased each other across this hostile terrain.

 BBC History: Battle of El Alamein
In this BBC animation you follow the battle that signified 'the end of the beginning' of World War Two, as the Allies force the decisive breakthrough in the North African Campaign.

 BBC History: Operation Overlord Animation
Follow the Allies as they land on the Normandy coast on 6 June 1944, and then battle their way into Brittany and on to liberate Paris.

 BBC History: The Italian Campaign Animation
Follow the Allied forces as they invade Sicily and battle their way into Italy, all the way from Salerno in the south to the Alps in the north.

 Learning Resources Open Hearts/Closed Doors: Teachers guide
This thirteen-page guide contains lesson ideas, discussion questions, extensions and supporting resources that relate directly to the Jewish orphans' narratives and nine different themes. It provides opportunities for individual student and small group work. You must download the file to view it.

 WWII: A Soldier's View
"Imagine living in a fox hole for three days, praying that you live to see the next day. Wondering whether you will be blown to bits, shot or taken prisoner by the enemy." Internet-based activities help one try to imagine the horror and struggles of warfare in WWII. Topics include Bataan Death March, and D-Day.

 Decision to Drop the Bomb
This WebQuest simulates the decision-making process that went into President Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima

 Race for the Super Bomb
Research and debate the ethics, policy, and events that led up to Hiroshima. Students will also learn about the dawn of the Cold War, and how the Soviets joined the nuclear arms race.

 Course Models: World War II
Part of the California History-Social Science content standards and annotated course which include: background information, focus questions, pupil activities and handouts, assessment, and references to books, articles, web sites, literature, audio-video programs, and historic sites. Recommended for Grade 11.

 South Carolina Voices: Lessons from the Holocaust
A teacher's guide to teaching about the Holocaust and its aftermath. This page has several lesson plans as well as links to background information and printable handouts. Intended for grades 7-12

 A teachers guide to the Holocaust: High School lesson plans
This Florida Center for Instructional Technology page has multiple lesson plans. Lessons analyze all aspects of the Holocaust and urge students to take advantage of primary sources. The lessons come with their own worksheets. These are High School level assignments.

 America and the Holocaust
Complex social and political factors shaped America's response to the Holocaust, specifically the treatment of Jewish refugees from Europe. It was not until 1944 that a small band of Treasury Department employees forced the government to respond.

 Teacher's Guide: Total War
In World War II, fire bombs, air raids, and the atomic bomb kill millions of civilians and leave many more injured and homeless. As the fighting grows more fierce and sweeps across nations, ordinary citizens join the war effort, often at great sacrifice. Explore the effects of World War II on civilians.

 Was Hitler a Passionate Lunatic?
This exercise is aimed at getting pupils to look at conflicting evidence and assessing their reliability. It can be used as an introduction to looking at the issue of appeasement and the decisions that were made in the run up to the outbreak of the war. From Learning Curve. Key Stage 3-4.

 Assassinate Hitler: How Did the British Plan to Kill Hitler?
In 1944 the SOE (Special Operations Executive) drew up some plans to kill Hitler and as Head of SOE it is your job to decide which of two ways of killing Hitler should be given the go-ahead. From the Learning Curve (UK National Archives). Key Stage 3-4.

 Chamberlain and Hitler, 1938: What was Chamberlain trying to do?
Chamberlain's account of his meeting with Hitler over the Sudetenland crisis of 1938 is the centre of this activity. Is it unfair to criticize Chamberlain for mis-judging Hitler? Students could try to construct the case for Chamberlain. From the (UK) National Archives. Key Stage 3-4.

 German Occupation of the Rhineland, 1936: What should Britain do about it?
Documents reveal the motives and attitudes of the British government as they discuss their options. The extracts from the Cabinet minutes also show how little room for maneuvering British politicians actually had. This provides a good case-study of British appeasement policy. From the Learning Curve (UK National Archives). Key Stage 3-4.

 The American People: World War II
PowerPoint Presentation on America and World War II as part of the online companion to The American People. Click Chapter 25.

 A-Bomb WWW Museum
Sources on the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagisaki.

 Changing Perspectives on the Japanese Internment Experience
In this interactive and multi-disciplinary lesson, students learn about the role that perspective plays in the writing of history by focusing on the changing views about Japanese-American internment camps during World War II. Students will demonstrate what they've learned by creating a project that demonstrates a biased view of the Internment camps. Along the way, students will be asked to identify the ways in which biases affect what gets retold as a "history".

 Western Civilization: States in Conflict
The online study companion to Margaret King's Western Civilization: A Social and Cultural History has many features: chapter learning objectives, online quizzes, writing activities, essay questions, web links, built-in search engines, and faculty modules that include PowerPoint outlines, presentation graphics, and lecture hints and activities

 Asylum Talk Show
Role play various real-life persons in the case of the SS St. Louis, a German ship containing Jewish refugees seeking asylum from Nazi persecution in the late 1930s. PBS.

 Voices of the Past
An oral history project for students in grades 6 through 12, students follow oral history processes to contact and interview a World War II veteran or person alive during the World War II era.

 MacArthur
Explore the career of a controversial leader and understand events in the Pacific theater during WWII.

 The Battle of the Bulge: Teacher's Guide
Presented by PBS, this teacher's guide is a springboard for WWII discussion. Many important issues are addressed and offered for student debate. The guide also has several class activities and projects (map making, research, etc.)

 Teacher's Guide: Master Race
Study the racial philosophies and ethnic cleansing policies of Nazi Germany through this PBS People's Century teacher's guide.

 Nazi Designers of Death
Nearly 50 years after the Holocaust, discover how a British historian gathered powerful evidence to show how Nazi death camps were planned and constructed. PBS activity for middle school students.

 Drums of War: Exploring How Politics Shapes American War Policy
In this New York Times lesson, students will research the political climate prior to major American wars of the past, then reflect on the current call for power to confront Iraq.(September 23, 2002)

 World War II: The Home Front
This ThinkQuest site includes a timeline, an artifact museum and a simulation that allows students to follow the lives of five American families during the school year of September 1943-June 1944.

 Anne Frank in the World: Teacher Book
Produced by The Friends of Anne Frank in Utah and the Intermountain West Region the workbook features lesson plans and activities for grades 5-8, lesson plans and activities for grades 7-12, readings and overviews, timelines, and a glossary.

 Interpreting Primary Sources
Digital History provides brief excerpts from primary sources and statistics and questions to think about World War II

 History 20 (Normandy recreation)
The Saskatchewan Social Studies Curriculum has developed a "resource hot sheet" dealing with topics identified in the History 20 (Modern World History) curriculum. Each page has been supported with appropriate visual images, and where possible, first person accounts by individuals who were present during the event. In addition, a number of multimedia-learning objects have been place including sound bites, mini - movies and flash items. Two major simulations have been developed for students that can be used in a stand-alone delivery mode. Decision in Normandy provides students with the opportunity to recreate the events around the Normandy Invasion.

 The Holocaust: A Tragic Legacy (Think Quest)
An impressive student-produced site on the Holocaust

 Prisoners of Another War
In this high school lesson plan students will be able to identify violations of the Geneva Convention in the treatment of American POWs at Berga and understand the role of international bodies in judging war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 HomeFront 1939-1945: Bombing of Britain
This interactive UK National Archives Learning Curve exhibition examines around life in Britain during Word War II. Sections revolve around essential questions for students to answer and feature diaries, activities, worksheets, a timeline, and video. Try the activity at this page.

 HomeFront 1939-1945: Evacuation
This interactive UK National Archives Learning Curve exhibition examines around life in Britain during Word War II. Sections revolve around essential questions for students to answer and feature diaries, activities, worksheets, a timeline, and video. Try the activity at this page.

 War and Peace: Multiple Choice Quiz, Fill-in-the-Blank, Flashcards, American History Glossary, American History Appendix
The Student Resources section of The American Nation companion web site features introductions to chapters, interactive quizzes, flashcards, web links, an American History Glossary, and an American History Appendix

 The United States in an Age of Global Crisis Practice Test
High School level quiz on America and World War II from Prentice Hall.

 The United States in an Age of Global Crisis Document Based Essay
This Prentice Hall DBQ is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents and is based on the accompanying documents (1-6).

 Between the Wars Review Game
This exercise provides review for events, people, and terms associated with the period between World War I and World War II

 World War II in Europe and the Pacific: Blank Maps
The companion web site to The American People offers blank maps related to various topics in American history. The maps can be printed or placed in a PowerPoint presentation. Click Blank Maps for Quizzes

 Chronology of World War II Game - Pacific
Put WWII events in chronological order

 Identify the World War II Leaders Game
Identify the World War II leaders through descriptions of their actions and decisions during the war

 Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance: Teacher's Resources
Includes a Multimedia Learning Center, Virtual Exhibits, and a Teacher's Resources section that has a glossary, a timeline, bibliographies, 36 questions and answers about the Holocaust, and curricular resources for teachers.

 BBC History: Nazi Propaganda Gallery
Professor David Welch uses six Nazi-era posters to explain how Hitler used propaganda as a vehicle of political salesmanship.

 BBC History: Advertising and Information Posters Gallery
The BBC offers these photos of magazine illustrations, advertisements and government information posters, published during World War Two

 Government Publications from World War II
Digitial resources from Southerm Methodist University