Task
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, leading the U.S. to join World War II. You will build your background knowledge about the attack and our response to it. Then you will read President Roosevelt's speech and an explanation of the just war theory to evaluate whether or not FDR's speech adequately proves that our entry into WWII was justified.
Process
Build background knowledge about the attack:
You may either read this account on History.com or watch this video on pbs.org.
Read the Just War Theory here.
Read FDR's speech (and listen to it if you like) here.
(Be sure to scroll down or you'll look at a black page all day.)
Evaluation
Conclusion
Write an argumentative essay in which you support a claim that FDR's speech does or does not justify the US's entry into World War II.
You argumentative essay must contain the following:
- an introduction, in which you state your claim
- three body paragraph, each containing a thesis statement, evidence from both texts, and explanations for how that evidence helps support your claim
- a conclusion, in which you restate your claim and its relevance
Credits
Schur, Joan Brodsky. “The Declaration of War Against Japan and Just War
Theory.”PBS.org The War Lesson Plans, www-
tc.pbs.org/thewar/downloads/just_war.pdf.