Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To Book "A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor"

Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution: Justice

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:28:21 GMT

Students will learn about the efforts of Japanese Americans to receive justice after their internment during World War II. This section of A More Perfect Union, an online exhibition, uses artifacts from the Museum's collections, primary source documents, photographs and oral histories to discuss the court cases brought against the government, the formal apologies and efforts of redress by the government and the successes of members of the Japanese American community in post-war United States. Oral history transcripts are available in each subsection of this webpage.

Sheet Music: Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:20:21 GMT

On a Sunday morning in December 1941, a chaplain had his most difficult assignment — to say a prayer to sailors aboard a U.S. navy ship actively under low–flying attack by the enemy firing from all directions. He quickly realized the best he could do was walk the ammunition line saying, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!” Stories of the overheard phrase quickly turned into legend and passed between soldiers, eventually reaching the press and one Broadway composer and lyricist, Frank Loesser.

Remember Pearl Harbor Pin

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:35:23 GMT

After the December 7, 1941, bombing of the military base at Pearl Harbor, Americans rallied around the war effort with the patriotic cry, "Remember Pearl Harbor." Thousands of buttons or lapel pins were distributed to remind Americans of the tragic event and to solidify the war efforts.

Measurements: overall: 1 3/4 in x 2 in x 1/4 in; 4.445 cm x 5.08 cm x .635 cm

Object ID: AF*82244M

Use this Investigation Sheet to guide students through describing the object and analyzing its meaning.

World War II

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:24:47 GMT

Students will learn how Americans joined the Allies to defeat Axis militarism and nationalist expansion. Sixteen million Americans donned uniforms in this section of the online exhibition The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. The millions more who stayed home comprised a vast civilian army, mobilized by the government to support the war effort. The world-wide conflict that led to the emergence of the United States as an economic and military superpower is divided into sections that allow students to focus either on a specific aspect of the war, or the conflict as a whole. The sections included are titled: Axis Aggression, America Enters the War, Mobilizing for War, "You're in the Army Now", Battle of the Atlantic, The Mediterranean Theater, Storming Fortress Europe, The Pacific Theater; So Others Might Fight; Morale Boosters and Victory and Peace. A non-flash version of the site is available: World War II.