Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "The Soldier’s Experience: Vietnam versus World War I"

World War I

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:35:28 GMT

Americans reluctantly entered Europe's "Great War" and tipped the balance to Allied victory. The United States emerged from the war a significant, but reluctant, world power. Students will learn about American involvement in World War I and how American industrial and military might broke the stalemate that had existed for three bloody years on Europe's Western Front in this section of the online exhibition, The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. A non-flash version of this site is available: World War I.

The Vietnam War

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:12:24 GMT

From 1956-1975, Americans fought a protracted and divisive war against Communist expansion in Southeast Asia. Students will focus on the war in Vietnam and its effects on public opinion back home, look an in-depth at the realities faced by American prisoners of war, and the legacies of the war, including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in this section of The Price of Freedom: Americans at War, an online exhibition. A non-flash version of this site is available: The Vietnam War.

Comparing Confederate and Union Soldiers in the Civil War

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 07:47:27 GMT

Use primary sources as the inspiration for comparing and contrasting the soldiers on either side of the Civil War. After examining uniforms and viewing two short video clips, students will develop questions and perform short research projects to uncover the motivations behind the Civil War and the conditions for the soldiers who fought. This lesson plan (which includes background information and full-color primary sources) was produced to accompany the exhibition The Price of Freedom: Americans at War, by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.