the home fires: montana in worldwariimhs.mt.gov/portals/11/education/docs/footlocker/user...— 8...

User GuideProvided by The Montana Historical Society

Education Office

(406) 444-4789www.montanahistoricalsociety.org

Funded by a Grant from U.S. Bank, Helena

©2004 The Montana Historical Society

T H E H O M E F I R E S :

MONTANA IN WORLD WAR II

— 1 —

The Home Fires:Montana In World War II

Table of ContentsI. Introduction

Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Footlocker Use - Some Advice for Instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Evaluation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

MHS Educational Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Primary Sources and How to Use Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Standards and Skills for The Home Fires: Montana In World War II . . . . . . .22

II. Background InformationHistorical Narrative for Fourth Graders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Historical Narrative for Instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Outline for Classroom Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Vocabulary List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Amazing Montanans - Biographies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

III. Lesson PlansLesson 1: Read All About It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Lesson 2: Powers of Persuasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Lesson 3: A Simple Poem From My Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Lesson 4: Mail Call! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Lesson 5: The Ultimate Dr. Seuss Savings Bond Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Lesson 6: The Scrap Attack! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Lesson 7: Marching Madness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Lesson 8: Montana Memories Readers Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

IV. Resources and Reference MaterialsWorksheets and Independent Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Bibliographies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

— 2 —


Borrower: ___________________________________________ Booking Period: ____________________

The borrower is responsible for the safe use of the footlocker and all its contents during thedesignated booking period. Replacement and/or repair for any lost items and/or damage (otherthan normal wear and tear) to the footlocker and its contents while in the borrower’s care will becharged to the borrower’s school. Please have an adult complete the footlocker inventorychecklist below, both when you receive the footlocker and when you repack it forshipping, to ensure that all of the contents are intact. After you inventory the footlockerfor shipping to the next location, please mail or fax this completed form to the Education Office.

Inventory

ITEM BEFORE AFTER CONDITION OF ITEM MHSUSE USE USE

1 white US Navy enlisted man’s cap

1 white US Navyenlisted man’s shirt

1 green US Army overseas cap

1 green US Army “Ike” jacket with 4 medal bars and 2 round pins

1 WASP beret

1 woman’s dress with belt

1 child’s dress

1 US Army Officer’s hat

1 khaki US Army overseas cap

1 US Army Air Corps flight suit

(continued)

— 3 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIInventory (continued)


1 pair driver’s goggles

1 set of dog tags

1 stuffed dog

7 posters in tube

23 photographs in folder

1 God Bless AmericaCD

1 WWII RadioBroadcast CD

1 Bella Vista video

1 Growing Up in World War II book

1 To Win the War book

1 An Alien Place bookand DVD1 Italian Boys at Fort Missoula, Montanabook

1 pebble sculpture

1 Marine action figure

1 Lady Marine doll

1 Rosie the Riveter doll

1 coloring book

4 shadow boxes

(continued)

— 4 —

Education Office, Montana Historical Society, PO Box 201201, Helena, MT 59620-1201 Fax: 406-444-2696, Phone: 406-444-9553, [email protected]

Teachers Name_____________________________________________ Phone number __________________________________

School_____________________________________________________ Footlocker Reservation Dates ____________________

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIInventory (continued)


7 newspapers

22 documents in folder

1 “Mary of the WACs”paper doll set

1 User Guide

Search and Rescue war games

— 5 —


Footlocker Contents

Left: Flight suit, “Ike” jacket,Navy shirt

Right: Woman’s dress, girl’s dress

Left: Newspapers,Books, Coloring book,Paper doll

(continued)

— 6 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIFootlocker Contents (continued)

(continued)

Right: Shadow boxes

Left: Posters

Right: Documents

— 7 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIFootlocker Contents (continued)

Left: Driver’s goggles,Pebble sculpture, Video,Dog tags, CDs

Right: Photographs

Right: WASP beret, Navy hat,Officer’s hat, Overseas hats

Left: Stuffed dog, Mary of the WACs,Marine doll, Rosie the Riveter doll

— 8 —


Footlocker Use–Some Advice for Instructors

How do I make the best use of thefootlocker? In this User Guide you will find many toolsfor teaching with objects and primary sources.We have included teacher and student levelnarratives, as well as a classroom outline, toprovide you with background knowledge onthe topic. In section one there are introductoryworksheets on how to look at/read maps,primary documents, photographs, and artifacts.These will provide you and your studentsvaluable tools for future study. Section threecontains lesson plans for exploration of thetopic in your classroom—these lessons utilizethe objects, photographs, and documents inthe footlocker. The “Resources andReference Materials” section contains shortactivities and further exploration activities, aswell as bibliographies.

What do I do when I receive the footlocker? IMMEDIATELY upon receiving thefootlocker, take an inventory form from theenvelope inside and inventory the contents inthe “before use” column. Save the form foryour “after use” inventory. This helps uskeep track of the items in the footlockers,and enables us to trace back and find wherean item might have been lost.

What do I do when it is time to sendthe footlocker on to the next person?Carefully inventory all of the items again asyou put them in the footlocker. If any itemsshow up missing or broken at the next site,your school will be charged for the item(s).Send the inventory form back to:

Education Office, Montana Historical Society,Box 201201, Helena, MT 59620-1201 orfax at (406) 444-2696.

Who do I send the footlocker to?At the beginning of the month you received aconfirmation form from the Education Office.On that form you will find information aboutto whom to send the footlocker, with amailing label to affix to the top of thefootlocker. Please insure the footlocker for$1000 with UPS (we recommend UPS, asthey are easier and more reliable then the USPostal Service) when you mail it. This makescertain that if the footlocker is lost on its wayto the next school, UPS will pay for it andnot your school.

What do I do if something is missingor broken when the footlockerarrives, or is missing or brokenwhen it leaves my classroom? If an item is missing or broken when youinitially inventory the footlocker, CONTACTUS IMMEDIATELY (406-444-4789), inaddition to sending us the completed (beforeand after use) inventory form. This allows usto track down the missing item. It may alsorelease your school from the responsibility ofpaying to replace a missing item. Ifsomething is broken during its time in yourclassroom, please call us and let us know sothat we can have you send us the item forrepair. If an item turns up missing when youinventory before sending it on, please searchyour classroom. If you cannot find it, yourschool will be charged for the missing item.

— 9 —


Footlocker Evaluation Form____________________________________________________________ ______________________Evaluator’s Name Footlocker Name

____________________________________________________________ ______________________School Name Phone

___________________________________________ ________________ ______________________Address City Zip Code

1. How did you use the material? (choose all that apply)■■ School-wide exhibit ■■ Classroom exhibit ■■ “Hands-on” classroom discussion

■■ Supplement to curriculum ■■ Other___________________________________________

2. How would you describe the audience/viewer? (choose all that apply)■■ Pre-school students ■■ Grade school—Grade____ ■■ High school—Grade____

■■ College students ■■ Seniors ■■ Mixed groups ■■ Special interest

■■ Other____________________________________________________________________________

2a. How many people viewed/used the footlocker?______

3. Which of the footlocker materials were most engaging?■■ Artifacts ■■ Documents ■■ Photographs ■■ Lessons ■■ Video

■■ Audio Cassette ■■ Books ■■ Slides ■■ Other______________________

4. Which of the User Guide materials were most useful?■■ Narratives ■■ Lessons ■■ Resource Materials ■■ Biographies/Vocabulary■■ Other____________________________________________________________________________

5. How many class periods did you devote to using the footlocker?■■ 1-3 ■■ 4-6 ■■ More than 6 ■■ Other________

6. What activities or materials would you like to see added to this footlocker?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

(continued)

— 10 —

7. Would you request this footlocker again? If not, why?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. What subject areas do you think should be addressed in future footlockers?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

9. What were the least useful aspects of the footlocker/User Guide?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

10. Other comments.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIFootlocker Evaluation Form (continued)

— 11 —


Montana Historical Society Educational ResourcesFootlockers, Slides, and Videos

FootlockersArchitecture: It’s All Around You—Explores the different architectural styles and elements ofbuildings, urban and rural, plus ways in which we can preserve buildings for future generations.

Cavalry and Infantry: The U.S. Military on the Montana Frontier—Illustrates the functionof the U.S. military and the life of an enlisted man on Montana’s frontier, 1860 to 1890.

Coming to Montana: Immigrants from Around the World—Showcases the culture,countries, traditions, and foodways of Montana’s immigrants through reproduction clothing, toys,and activities.

Contemorary American Indians in Montana—Highlights the renaissance of Montana’sIndian cultures and their efforts to maintain their identities and traditions.

Daily Life on the Plains: 1820-1900—Includes items used by American Indians, such as apainted deerskin robe, parfleche, war regalia case, shield, Indian games, and an educationalcurriculum.

Discover the Corps of Discovery: The Lewis and Clark Expedition in Montana—Tracesthe Corps’ journey through Montana and their encounters with American Indians. Includes bisonhide, trade goods, books, and more!

East Meets West: The Chinese Experience in Montana—Explores the lives of the Chinesewho came to Montana, the customs that they brought with them to America, how theycontributed to Montana communities, and why they left.

From Traps to Caps: The Montana Fur Trade—Gives students a glimpse at how fur traderslived and made their living along the creeks and valleys of Montana, 1810-1860.

Gold, Silver, and Coal—Oh My!: Mining Montana’s Wealth—Chronicles the discoveriesthat drew people to Montana in the late 19th century and how the mining industry developedand declined.

Inside and Outside the Home: Homesteading in Montana 1900-1920—Focuses on thethousands of people who came to Montana’s plains in the early 20th century in hope of make aliving through dry-land farming.

(continued)

— 12 —

Lifeways of Montana’s First People—Emphasizes the various tribal lifeways of the peoplewho utilized the land we now know as Montana in the years around 1800.

Prehistoric Life in Montana—Exposes Montana prehistory (10,000-12,000 years ago) andarchaeology through a study of the Pictograph Cave prehistoric site.

Stones and Bones: Prehistoric Tools from Montana’s Past—Uncovers Montana’sprehistory and archaeology through a study of reproduction stone and bone tools. Contains castsand reproductions from the Anzick collection found in Wilsall, Montana.

The Cowboy Artist: A View of Montana History—Presents over 40 Charles M. Russellprints and hands-on artifacts that open a window into Montana history by discussing Russell’s artand how he interpreted aspects of Montana history.

The Home Fires: Montana and World War II—Describes aspects of everyday life inMontana life during the 1941-1945 war years. Illustrates the little-known government projectssuch as the Fort Missoula Alien Detention Center and Civilian Public Service Camps.

The Treasure Chest: A Look at the Montana State Symbols—Provides hands-oneducational activities that foster a greater appreciation of our state’s symbols and their meanings.

Tools of the Trade: Montana Industry and Technology—Surveys the evolution of tools andtechnology in Montana from late 1700s to the present.

Woolies and Whinnies: The Sheep and Cattle Industry in Montana—Reveals thefascinating stories of cattle, horse, and sheep ranching in Montana, 1870 to 1920.

(continued)

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIEducational Resources Footlockers, Slides, and Videos (continued)

— 13 —

SLIDE UNITS

Children in Montana—Presents life in Montana through photographic images of children.

Fight for Statehood and Montana’s Capital—Outlines how Montana struggled to become astate and to select its capital city.

Frontier Towns—Illustrates the development, character, and design of early Montanacommunities.

Jeannette Rankin: Woman of Peace—Portrays the life and political influence of the firstwoman elected to Congress.

Native Americans Lose Their Lands—Examines the painful transition for native peoples toreservations.

Power Politics in Montana—Covers the period when the copper industry influenced statepolitics.

The Depression in Montana—Examines the Depression and federal project successes inMontana.

The Energy Industry—Discusses the history and future of the energy industry in Montana.

Transportation—Describes the development and influence of transportation in the state.

(continued)


— 14 —

VIDEOS Bella Vista—Reveals the story of 1,000 Italian detainees at Fort Missoula’s Alien DetentionCenter between 1941 and 1943.

For This and Future Generations—Tells the compelling story of 100 grassroots delegatesand a staff of some of the best and brightest young people under the Big Sky, who gathered inHelena in 1972 for what many would recall as the proudest time of their lives. Their task: tore-write the lumbering, old state constitution. Two months later, all 100 delegates unanimouslysigned a document that would affect the lives of generations of Montanans to come.

Hands-On History!—Teaches how history can be fun through the experiences of ten Montanakids as they pan for gold, go on an architectural scavenger hunt, and commune with formerresidents in Virginia City. Accompanied by lesson plans.

“I’ll ride that horse!” Montana Women Bronc Riders—Captures the exciting skills anddaring exploits of Montana’s rich tradition of women bronc riders who learned to rope, break,and ride wild horses, told in their own words.

Montana: 1492—Describes the lifeways of Montana’s first people through the words of theirdescendants.

Montana Defined by Images: An Artist’s Impression—Surveys Montana’s artisticlandscape over the last 30 years and looks at the work of contemporary Montana artists and theways in which they explore issues of transition and conflicting needs in a changing physical andcultural landscape.

Montana State Capitol Restoration—Captures the history, art, and architecture ofMontana’s State Capitol prior to the 1999 restoration. Created by students at Capital HighSchool in Helena.

People of the Hearth—Features the role of the hearth in the lives of southwestern Montana’sPaleoindians.

Russell and His Work—Depicts the life and art of Montana’s cowboy artist, Charles M.Russell.

The Sheepeaters: Keepers of the Past—Documents the lifeways of a group of reclusiveShoshone-speaking Indians known as the Sheepeaters. Modern archaeology and anthropology,along with firsthand accounts of trappers and explorers, help to tell their story.

Sacagawea of the Northern Shoshoni—Traces the amazing life story of Sacagawea andher experiences with Lewis and Clark Expedition. Created by students at Sacajawea MiddleSchool in Bozeman.


— 15 —


Primary Sources and How to Use Them

The Montana Historical Society Education Office has prepared a series of worksheets tointroduce you and your students to the techniques of investigating historical items: artifacts,documents, maps, and photographs. The worksheets introduce students to the common practiceof using artifacts, documents, maps, and photographs to reveal historical information. Throughthe use of these worksheets, students will acquire skills that will help them better understand thelessons in the User Guide. Students will also be able to take these skills with them to futurelearning, i.e. research and museum visits. These worksheets help unveil the secrets of artifacts,documents, maps, and photographs.

See the examples below for insight into using theseworksheets.

ArtifactsPictured at left is an elk-handled spoon, one of 50,000 artifactspreserved by the Montana Historical Society Museum. Here are somethings we can decipher just by observing it: It was hand-carved from ananimal horn. It looks very delicate.

From these observations, we might conclude that the spoon wasprobably not for everyday use, but for special occasions. Furtherresearch has told us that it was made by a Sioux Indian around 1900.This artifact tells us that the Sioux people carved ornamental items, theyused spoons, and they had a spiritual relationship with elk.

PhotographsThis photograph is one of 350,000 in the MontanaHistorical Society Photographic Archives. After looking atthe photograph, some of the small “secrets” that we canfind in it include: the shadow of the photographer, therough fence in the background, the belt on the woman’sskirt, and the English-style riding saddle.

Questions that might be asked of the woman in the photoare: Does it take a lot of balance to stand on a horse, is ithard? Was it a hot day? Why are you using an English-style riding saddle?

MO

NTA

NA

HIS

TOR

ICA

L S

OC

IET

Y

MO

NTA

NA

HIS

TOR

ICA

L S

OC

IET

Y

(continued)

— 16 —

Documents

This document is part of the MontanaHistorical Society’s archival collection.Reading the document can give us a lot ofinformation: It is an oath pledging to catchthieves. It was signed by 23 men inDecember of 1863. It mentions secrecy, soobviously this document was only meant tobe read by the signers.

Further investigation tell us that this is theoriginal Vigilante Oath signed by the VirginiaCity Vigilantes in 1863. The two things thisdocument tell us about life in Montana in the1860s are: there were lots of thieves inVirginia City and that traditional lawenforcement was not enough, so citizens tookto vigilance to clean up their community.

MapsThis map is part of the map collection of the Library of Congress. Information that can begathered from observing the map includes: The subject of the map is the northwestern region ofthe United States—west of the Mississippi River. The map is dated 1810 and was drawn byWilliam Clark. The three things that are important about this map are: it shows that there is noall-water route to the Pacific Ocean, it documents the Rocky Mountains, and it shows the manytributaries of the Missouri River.

MO

NTA

NA

HIS

TOR

ICA

L S

OC

IET

Y

LIB

RA

RY

OF

CO

NG

RE

SS

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIPrimary Sources and How to Use Them (continued)

— 17 —


How to Look at an Artifact(Adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration Artifact Analysis Worksheet.)

Artifact: An object produced or shaped by human workmanship of archaeological orhistorical interest.

1. What materials were used to make this artifact?

■■ Bone

■■ Pottery

■■ Metal

■■ Wood

■■ Stone

■■ Leather

■■ Glass

■■ Paper

■■ Cardboard

■■ Cotton

■■ Plastic

2. Describe how it looks and feels:

Shape ____________________________________

Color _____________________________________

Texture ___________________________________

Size ______________________________________

Weight____________________________________

Moveable Parts ____________________________

Anything written, printed, or stamped on it

__________________________________________

■■ Other_______________________

Draw and color pictures of the object from the top, bottom, and side views.

Top Bottom Side

(continued)

— 18 —

3. Uses of the Artifacts.

A. How was this artifact used? __________________________________________________________

B. Who might have used it?_____________________________________________________________

C. When might it have been used?_______________________________________________________

D. Can you name a similar item used today? _____________________________________________

4. Sketch the object you listed in question 3.D.

5. Classroom DiscussionA. What does the artifact tell us about technology of the time in which it was

made and used?

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

B. What does the artifact tell us about the life and times of the people who made and used it?

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIHow to Look at an Artifact (continued)

— 19 —


How to Look at a Photograph(Adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration Photograph Analysis Worksheet.)

Photograph: an image recorded by a camera and reproduced on a photosensitive surface.

1. Spend some time looking at the whole photograph. Now look at the smallest thing in the photograph that you can find.

What secrets do you see? ____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Can you find people, objects, or activities in the photograph? List them below.

People _____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Objects_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Activities ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What questions would you like to ask of one of the people in the photograph?

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

4. Where could you find the answers to your questions?

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

— 20 —


■■ Stamps

■■ Other _________________________

■■ Letterhead

■■ Handwriting

■■ Typed Letters

■■ Seal

2. Which of the following is on the document:

How to Look at a Written Document(Adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration Written Analysis Worksheet.)

Document: A written paper bearing the original, official, or legal form of something and which can beused to furnish decisive evidence or information.

1. Type of document:

■■ Newspaper

■■ Letter

■■ Patent

■■ Journal

■■ Map

■■ Telegram

■■ Press Release

■■ Advertisement

■■ Diary

■■ Census Record

■■ Other__________________________

3. Date or dates of document: ________________________________________________

4. Author or creator:__________________________________________________________

5. Who was supposed to read the document? ________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. List two things the author said that you think are important:

1. __________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________

7. List two things this document tells you about life in Montana at the

time it was written:

1. __________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________

8. Write a question to the author left unanswered by the document:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

— 21 —


How to Look at a Map(Adapted from the National Archives and Records Administration Map Analysis Worksheet.)

Map: A representation of a region of the earth or stars.

1. What is the subject of the map?

3. Date of map: _______________________________________________________________

4. Mapmaker: _________________________________________________________________

5. Where was the map made: _________________________________________________

6. List three things on this map that you think are important: ______________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. Why do you think this map was drawn? ___________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. Write a question to the mapmaker that is left unanswered by the map.

_____________________________________________________________________________

■■ Compass

■■ Date

■■ Notes

■■ Scale

■■ Key

■■ Title

■■ Name of mapmaker

■■ Other ______________________________

2. Which of the following items is on the map?

■■ River

■■ Prairie

■■ Stars/Sky

■■ Town

■■ Mountains

■■ Other ________________________________

— 22 —


Standards and Skills

State 4th Grade Social Studies Standards

Lesson Number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Students access, synthesize, andevaluate information to communicateand apply social studies knowledge toreal world situations.

Students analyze how people createand change structures of power,authority, and governance tounderstand the operation ofgovernment and to demonstrate civicresponsibility.

Students apply geographic knowledgeand skill (e.g., location, place,human/environment interactions,movement, and regions).

Students demonstrate anunderstanding of the effects of time,continuity, and change on historicaland future perspectives andrelationships.

Students make informed decisionsbased on an understanding of theeconomic principles of production,distribution, exchange, andconsumption.

Students demonstrate anunderstanding of the impact of humaninteraction and cultural diversity onsocieties.

(continued)

— 23 —

Skill Areas

Lesson Number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔

✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔

✔

Using primary documents

Using objects

Using photographs

Art

Science

Math

Reading/writing

Map Skills

Drama, performance, re-creation

Group work

Research

Music

Bodily/Kinesthetic

Field Trip

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIStandards and Skills (continued)

— 24 —


The beginning of World War II forthe United StatesOn December 8, 1941, at 12:30 P.M.,President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spokethe following words to Congress:

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a datewhich will live in infamy – the United Statesof America was suddenly and deliberatelyattacked by naval and air forces of theEmpire of Japan. … Yesterday the JapaneseGovernment also launched an attack againstMalaya. Last night Japanese forces attackedHong Kong. Last night Japanese forcesattacked Guam. Last night Japanese forcesattacked the Philippine Islands. Last nightthe Japanese attacked Wake Island. Thismorning the Japanese attacked MidwayIsland … I ask that the Congress declare thatsince the unprovoked and dastardly attack byJapan on Sunday, December seventh, a stateof war has existed between the United Statesand the Japanese Empire.”

Count the number of times PresidentRoosevelt used the word “attack” or“attacked” in this very famous speech. Eventhough Japan is far away from Montana,people were worried as they gathered aroundradios and heard the word “attack” so manytimes. The Congress of the United Statessoon met. Each member had to vote.Should the U.S. declare war on the countryof Japan? Jeannette Rankin, serving as arepresentative of Montana, voted “no” – theonly member of Congress to vote againstgoing to war. All other members of Congressdid vote for going to war. By 2:00 P.M. thePresident had signed a Declaration of Waragainst Japan.

Countries involvedAs in World War I, many countries fromaround the world united into two maingroups in conflict with one another. In WorldWar II the groups were known as the Alliedpowers and the Axis powers. The UnitedStates joined with the Allied powers - thecountries of Great Britain, Canada, Denmark,Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium,Luxembourg, the Soviet Union (Russia), andFrance. On December 11, both Germanyand Italy officially joined with Japan anddeclared war on the United States. This actformed the group known as the Axis powers.

Soldiers from both sides of the Allied andAxis powers fought battles for almost fivemore years after the attack on Pearl Harbor.All of the battles during World War II (1941 –1945) were fought thousands of miles fromMontana. Finally, on two key dates, the warended. The main Axis power of Germanysurrendered to Allied forces in May 1945.Japan surrendered in September 1945, afterthe dropping of atomic bombs [explosiveweapons of great destructive power] on theJapanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Because the war was fought so far away fromMontana, people who lived here did notexperience the damage of war the waypeople in Great Britain, France, Italy,Germany, Japan and many smaller countriesdid. However, all Montanans’ lives weretouched by the war between 1941 and 1945.All struggled with a variety of changes, beliefsor convictions, and concerns.

General changesThe attack on Pearl Harbor caused somepeople to change their way of thinking aboutthe U.S. being involved in other countries’

Historical Narrative for Fourth Graders

(continued)

— 25 —

affairs. For example, before the attack,Montana’s Senator Burton K. Wheelerbelieved in a philosophy or point of viewknown as “isolationism” – staying out ofother countries’ problems and staying awayfrom getting involved in war. ManyMontanans followed him in this point of view,even though they were concerned that warmight happen anyway. They were alsoconcerned about what they might be asked togive up or sacrifice during a war. SenatorWheeler reversed his stand almostimmediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor.Most Montana people, shocked by this eventand inspired by President Roosevelt’s fieryspeech, joined him in supporting the wareffort. Most Montanans also knew that warmeant sacrifice of some kind for everycitizen.

Right away people began taking actions.Spoonful by spoonful, housewives saved thefat that drips from meat when it is cooked.

They gave their containers of fat to specialrecycling centers. The glycerin, a syrupyliquid found in fats and oils, was removedfrom it. The glycerin was then sent toammunitions factories and used in makingexplosives. Everyone, including children,gathered scrap metal and paper and turnedin enormous quantities to collecting stationsfor recycling. This effort allowed more rawmaterials to go straight to manufacturingneeds for the war. All citizens were asked touse smaller quantities of butter, sugar,gasoline, rubber tires, leather goods andmany other items. The U.S. governmentordered a system called “rationing” be putinto place. Under this system, peoplereceived coupons and stamps, which theykept in special pouches. When they went tothe grocery store, they could only buy thequantity of, for example sugar, that therationing system allowed. The coupons andstamps helped everyone keep track. All ofthese efforts, along with convincing messagesin ads, posters, movies, music, and speeches,kept most citizens involved, motivated, andpersuaded to unite and to make sacrifices tothe end of the war.

Military changesAnother change happened during thesummer of 1942 near Helena at Fort WilliamHenry Harrison, a military fort dating back tothe 1890’s. A group of commando-typetroops officially known as the First SpecialService Force started training there.“Project Plough” was the code name of thejoint Canadian and American plan designedto drop troops into mountainous and snowyNorway. The Axis power of Germany and itssoldiers, known as Nazis, had taken overNorway. The U.S. military planned tointerrupt the German war occupation thereby this action. The military signed up 133officers and 1,688 men for a highlydangerous mission. These soldiers were veryproud to be considered so highly trained.They excelled in hard physical conditioning,

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIHistorical Narrative for Fourth Graders (continued)

(continued)

Beverly (6) and Betty Lu (3) Joos, dressed asWACs (Women’s Army Corps) 1942,Jamestown, ND

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

BE

V A

LLE

N

— 26 —

specialized combat drills, winter warfareskills, and parachute and demolition training.The German soldiers called them “The Devil’sBrigade.” Half American and half-Canadian,the unit was the only one made up of troopsfrom two different countries, and their espritde corps (spirit of unity) was strong. Themission never took place as planned.However, the unit served effectively incombat operations in the Aleutian Islandsand in Europe. The First Special ServiceForce was disbanded in 1944.

Barks, yips, sleds, and kennels announcedyet another unique military presence in theHelena area – the War Dog Reception Centerat Camp Rimini. It was supposed to supplypack dogs for the First Special Service Force,described above. However, the militarydecided to use this special unit of sled dogsand handlers for search and rescue efforts.The dog teams that trained at Camp Riminiserved at downed aircraft sites in Alaska,Canada and Greenland. Some Montanafamilies even donated their dogs to the WarDog Reception Center as part of the “Dogsfor Defense” program.

The military chose Great Falls as the site fora new Army Air Force base, another changefor the state of Montana. The new base wasestablished by August 1942. Now known asMalmstrom Air Force Base, it remains a vitalpart of the region’s economy. During WWII,the U.S. joined forces with the (former)Soviet Union. President Roosevelt agreed toprovide war supplies and airplanes to theareas of the world where the Soviets werefighting the Nazis. The safest way to get thesupplies to those locations was to fly themfrom the U.S., up to Alaska and acrossSiberia. Great Falls proved the best U.S.link. Its location was within flying range ofAlaska, and the sun shines there at least 300days out of the year, providing good flyingweather. After the U.S-owned aircraft flewinto Great Falls, the military personnel

painted them with red stars, the Sovietinsignia, and prepared them for cold weatherflying. Women Air Service Pilots, or WASPs,were the pilots for many of these airplanes.

A war means there is a sudden need formany, many soldiers. These men had to leavetheir homes and lives in order to participatein a war. In both WWI and WWII, a highpercentage of Montanans joined the military.Many of these joined because they were“drafted” or “conscripted,” a term thatmeans they were selected by the governmentand had to serve a period of time in themilitary. As a result, the population,especially the male population, of Montanadecreased by the thousands between1941and1945.

The Information Please Fact Monster on theInternet describes the WWII SelectiveTraining Service Act put into place byCongress: “After the United States enteredWorld War II, a new selective service actmade men between 18 and 45 liable formilitary service and required all men between18 and 65 to register.” By the end of thewar, 57,000 Montanans – including recordnumbers of Native Americans - had joinedthe armed forces – some by their owndecision – many because they had beendrafted. Women were never drafted, butmany chose to serve in the military.

Not many people knew that Japan targetedMontana, along with other western states,with balloon bombs. Late in 1944, Japanfloated the bombs, known as Project Fu-go,high above the Pacific Ocean with the plan ofstarting forest fires in the West. Over thirtyballoon bombs actually landed in Montana,but newspapers did not report the incidents.The U.S. Office of Censorship, an officeestablished to control information for securityreasons, asked the news media not to reporton balloon bomb incidents. The concern wasthat the Japanese government would find out

(continued)


— 27 —

that some of their bombs were landing in thewestern U.S. and also exactly where theywere landing. For the Japanese military tohave this specific information representedexactly what the Office of Censorship wasworried about – increased security risks. Noserious fires were started in Montana, and noone was hurt in this state by the bombs.However, in Oregon on May 5, 1945, twoyouths found and handled a balloon bomb.Six people were killed in the explosion. Afterthis incident, newspaper articles came outwarning people not to touch them, if found.The war ended three months later.

In Hamilton, the team of scientists at theRocky Mountain Spotted Fever Laboratoryhad worked for years on developing ways tocontrol disease that came from ticks. Theyshifted away from their tick disease focuswhen so many American troops were nowserving in tropical areas where the diseaseyellow fever was a deadly concern. Yellowfever is a disease caused by a virus carried bymosquitoes in many parts of the world. Itattacks the liver and other organs of thebody. It is called “yellow” fever because aninfected person’s skin and the whites ofhis/her eyes begin to look jaundiced,meaning yellow, in color. The scientificteam at this lab in this small Montana townfocused almost entirely on the developmentof a yellow fever vaccine, a substance thatwould boost the immune system and helpward off this disease. They were successful indeveloping a vaccine and in helping toprotect the troops.

Economic changesOne of the most significant changes inMontana during WWII was the change in theeconomy, in other words, how people earnedtheir livings and how much money they had.During the late 1930’s, in Montana and therest of the U.S., the period of time known asthe Great Depression caused most people tosuffer economic hardships. Because

Montana is a state that depends onagriculture for much of its income, it needsadequate moisture for crops to grow well.One of the main reasons the Depressionoccurred was because of the severe droughtor lack of moisture conditions for severalyears in a row. By the time the attack onPearl Harbor happened, the weather hadbecome more favorable to agriculture. Thebeginning of war not only brought a muchgreater demand for timber, grain, sugarbeets, and livestock, but also an enormousdemand for metals. Three of Montana’s mostimportant livelihoods – logging,farming/ranching, and mining — boomedduring the war years. Farmers saw 1943 asthe best year ever in Montana - $188 millionin crop values and over $134 million in cashincome from livestock and livestock products.These trends or positive movementscontinued for years not only in farming andranching, but also in the timber, mining, andoil industries. Montanans, in general,profited – made more money – during thesetimes.

It was challenging at this time, however, tosupply the great demand for goods becauseMontana had fewer able-bodied men in theworkforce for several reasons. One reasonwas many families had already moved awayduring the previous decade of the GreatDepression (the 1930’s). They had moved toplaces that had better livings to offer thanMontana did during the 1930’s. The secondreason was that during WWII, thousands ofmen left the state when they joined themilitary. A third reason was many men andwomen moved from Montana so that theycould work in the strong war-driven industrieson the West Coast. Therefore, Montanasuffered a severe shortage of people able towork in fields, in forests, and in the mines.To help, many women went to work outsidethe home, as they had not done before. Theyworked in smelters, mines, on forestlookouts, and in offices – wherever there was

(continued)


a need. Also, more women started workingoutside the home at this time becauseopportunities emerged to learn new skills, toearn salaries, or, in some instances, to earnbetter salaries.

To help fill the gap in the mining industry,the Army assigned a unit of 600 African-American soldiers to work in the mines inButte to insure that the valuable metalswould continue to flow for the war, especiallycopper. Copper was needed for electronicsand communications. Also, in these times,the agricultural community started recruitingMexican people to work in the sugar beetfields. Some Japanese detainees (peoplekept in custody or confinement) and manyItalian detainees were used to help plant andharvest a variety of crops, as well. (Seesection about the Alien Detention Center atFort Missoula, near the end of this narrative.)

Because very little new industry came toMontana during WWII, the prosperousindustries that grew up in Washington andCalifornia drew many Montanans to them.Many never returned, resulting in an evensmaller population after WWII. Most womenwho worked non-traditional jobs at somepoint during the war (in smelters or mines orforest lookouts or as firefighters or mailcarriers) or who worked in offices,surrendered their jobs at the end of the warwhen the male workforce returned toMontana. Some women preferred going backto full-time homemaking, but others wantedto keep their jobs and salaries outside thehome. This change represented a complexsituation for many.

The Red Cross organization maintained ahigh profile in Montana during this time.Thousands of Montana women volunteeredwith the Red Cross – to conduct blood drives,to prepare bandages, and to help makesoldiers stationed in or passing throughMontana feel appreciated. The women in the

Red Cross served thousands of gallons ofcoffee and multitudes of cookies.

Convictions – strong beliefs andfeelingsThe attack on Pearl Harbor united mostMontanans behind the war effort. The U.S.government conducted an intense influentialand persuasive campaign to help make sureof their continued support. (This type of aneffort is known as propaganda.) Posters andads targeted citizens all over the country,including children. Savings bond drives,scrap drives, and rationing encouragedalmost constant participation in the wareffort. People heard the messagesencouraging them to support the war on theirradios, in the movies, in popular songs, inspeeches and in the workplace. They readthem in newspapers and in magazines. Thepersuasive campaign convinced mostconcerned citizens to continue to support thewar to its end, in spite of its great cost – inmoney, resources, and human life.

Of course, not everyone felt this way. Somepeople found ways to avoid the draft, tocheat on their rationing, or to buy and sellitems on the “black market” (an illegalactivity that arises when items people wantare in short supply and costly). In highnumbers, however, when Montanans wereasked to give ten percent of their salaries topurchase savings and war bonds in order tosupport the war effort, they did so. Theyalso collected huge amounts of scrap metal,rubber, paper, and fat. And, their childrenspent the war years doing likewise.

People made sacrifices on two levels duringthe war. When they lived with the rationingsystem, they used less (and sometimes no)sugar, gasoline, leather goods (shoes), tires,butter, and other consumer goods. Secondly,on a deeply personal level, they worriedabout the dangers to family members andfriends serving in the military. Surely, at


(continued)

— 28 —

— 29 —

times in private, the worry and concernpeople carried in their hearts must havecaused them to question. Were these warefforts really helping? But, the propagandaspoken of earlier – those persuasivemessages – that asked men, women, andchildren to maintain high spirits and toenthusiastically participate in all of the homefront efforts seemed to reinforce publiccommitment. The very term “the homefront” referred to fighting the battle righthere at home, making everyone a soldier.

Although it looked that way on the surface,not everyone supported the war. Montana’sRepresentative Jeannette Rankin made thefirst and most dramatic statement by castinga “no” vote against declaring war on Japan,the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.She said these words: “As a woman I can’tgo to war, and I refuse to send anyone else!”At the time, she was openly criticized for heraction, both in Montana and the rest of thecountry. After her term in Congress wasfinished, she never ran for public officeagain. She studied and worked forinternational peace efforts for the rest of herlife. Jeannette Rankin died in 1973. Now, inMontana and the rest of the country, she isstudied, honored, and respected for standingup for her convictions.

What about those American citizens whoobjected to military service because of theirpersonal and/or religious beliefs? A mandrafted by the Selective Service systemduring WWII, had the option of requesting“conscientious objector” status and serving in“Civilian Public Service” camps, as analternative to serving in the military. (Theterm “conscientious objector” literally meansrefusing or saying “no” because of one’ssense of right and wrong.)

A group of churches known as the HistoricPeace Churches – mainly, the MennoniteChurch, the Church of the Brethren, and theFriends/Quakers – encouraged the federal

government, after World War I, to include analternative or substitute system of serviceduring war time other than a military one. TheHistoric Peace Churches believed that thereshould be a satisfactory way for men to followtheir beliefs and still serve their country. Theywere successful in getting alternative service inplace before the attack on Pearl Harbor.Nationally during WWII, men granted CO or“conscientious objector” status worked indairy-testing centers, in medical researchfacilities, in juvenile-detention centers, and inthe construction of waste treatment facilities.Also on a national level, these men helped tochange the mental hospital system for thebetter because they worked one-on-one withmental health patients.

It is a little known fact that from 1942 to1946, three of these camps (there were over150 nationally) were located in Montana:Belton/West Glacier, Terry, andMissoula/Seeley Lake. The men classified asconscientious objectors served the country byperforming work different from the work of asoldier, but still considered important to thecountry.

In the Terry camp, the men constructed theBuffalo Rapids Irrigation Project for the FarmSecurity Administration from January 1943to July 1946. In the Belton/West Glaciercamp they performed maintenance work forthe National Park Service in Glacier Parkfrom September 1942 to October 1946. Inthe Missoula/Seely Lake/Huson camp, theyworked as smoke jumpers and fire fightersfrom May 1943 to April 1946. Attitudestoward these men and their camps varied.Some local citizens treated them as thoughthey were invisible. Some treated them withopen unfriendliness and resentment orbitterness, and some treated them withacceptance and respect. The U.S.government did not pay salaries to the menwho worked at the Civilian Public Servicecamps. The government did provide housing.

(continued)


— 30 —

The Historic Peace Churches supplied theother needs – food, clothing, and smallamounts of spending money. The fact thatthe camps existed in Montana and otherparts of the country has never been taughtroutinely as part of Montana’s World War IIhistory.

ConcernsAnother overlooked part of Montana’s WWIIexperience is the Alien Detention Center atHistoric Fort Missoula. In 1941, even beforethe attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. seizedItalian ships that were in American ports,mainly the Panama Canal. Officials placed1,200 of the seamen from these ships behindbarbed wire at Fort Missoula. Althoughguards were always present, the initialatmosphere of the camp with the Italian menis described as somewhat relaxed until PearlHarbor and the beginning of the U.S.involvement in war. At that point, these menwere considered “enemy aliens.”

Soon another group was sent to FortMissoula. Its population increaseddramatically after the attack on Pearl Harborbecause officials rounded up hundreds ofmen of Japanese descent (many of whomwere American citizens) living on the WestCoast and moved them to Fort Missoula, aswell. The Japanese (men mainly around theage of 60) and the Italians (men of a varietyof ages) did not share living space or mealsand rarely mingled. Some of the Italians weremusicians and performed for Missoula areagatherings. They also worked for the ForestService, in a variety of businesses, and onfarms, when manpower shortages came laterin the war. It is reported that most seemedto maintain amazing goodwill toward theirguards and the U.S. in general, even thoughthey were considered to be a part of theenemy. Although they missed their homesand families, they found the Missoula area tobe beautiful, saying “Che Bella Vista!”(Meaning “What A Beautiful View!”) After

U.S. victory was declared in Europe, theItalian men were allowed to move back toItaly. Some chose to stay in the U.S., somechose to come back to Missoula, and somechose to serve in the U.S. military.

For the Japanese men who had been livingand working in the U.S. for perhaps theirentire lives, their feelings and the feelingsdisplayed toward them were different – theyseemed to be considered much more “alien”than the Italians. After the attack on PearlHarbor, anti-Japanese feelings were so highthat these men were not wanted out in thecommunities to help with labor shortages,nor were most of them interested. They wereput through intense questioning and, finally,loyalty hearings. After that, most of theJapanese were transferred from FortMissoula to other detention camps in otherparts of the country, further inland. All ofthe so-called detainees were gone fromMissoula by March 1944. Their stories arestill being discovered and told.

The endHistorians still argue about the controversialuse of atomic weapons on Japan that finallybrought the war to an end. [“Controversial”meaning should or should they not have beenused …”] Montanans were as happy as therest of the country when they woke up on aSeptember morning in 1945 and realizedthat their soldier and sailor neighbors andloved ones would be coming home. They alsoknew that rationing would come to an end,that, at least for the time being and hopefullyfor forever, fear would be set aside. The warchanged all who lived through it. Thedecades of time that have passed since WWIIprovide opportunities for each newgeneration of Montanans to study, tointerview those willing to tell their stories, tolisten, and to learn more about who we arenow because of what went on then.


— 31 —

On December 8, 1941, at 12:30 P.M.,President Franklin Delano Roosevelt spokethe following words to a joint session ofCongress:

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 – a datewhich will live in infamy – the United Statesof America was suddenly and deliberatelyattacked by naval and air forces of theEmpire of Japan. … Yesterday the JapaneseGovernment also launched an attack againstMalaya. Last night Japanese forces attackedHong Kong. Last night Japanese forcesattacked Guam. Last night Japanese forcesattacked the Philippine Islands. Last nightthe Japanese attacked Wake Island. Thismorning the Japanese attacked Midway Island… I ask that the Congress declare that sincethe unprovoked and dastardly attack byJapan on Sunday, December seventh, astate of war has existed betweenthe United States and theJapanese Empire.”

Montanans huddledanxiously aroundtheir radios as theylistened to theirPresident’s speech. By2:00 P.M., Roosevelthad signed aDeclaration of War.Montana’s JeannetteRankin cast the onlyCongressional voteagainst thedeclaration. OnDecember 11, bothGermany and Italyofficially aligned withJapan and declaredwar on the UnitedStates, completing the

line up known as the Axis powers. TheUnited States aligned with the Allied powers:Great Britain, Canada, Denmark, Norway,Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, theUnited Soviet Socialist Republic (Russia), andFrance. Soldiers from both sides of the Alliedand Axis powers fought battles for four moreyears in what author Gary Glynn calls “themost dramatic and all-encompassing event inthe history of the human race.” Finally, ontwo key dates, the war ended: the main Axispower of Germany surrendered to Alliedforces in May, 1945, and Japan surrenderedin September, 1945, after the unprecedenteddropping of atomic bombs on the Japanesecities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Because all of the battles were foughtthousands of miles from Montana, the people

Historical Narrative for Instructors


(continued)

Painting by Col. C. Ross Greening(circa 1945) from “Not As Briefed,”Brown and Bigelow Publishers, St. Paul, MN.

— 32 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIHistorical Narrative for Instructors (continued)

here did not experience the destruction thatpeople in Great Britain, France, Italy,Germany, Japan, and many smaller countriesdid; however, all Montanans realized theeffects of war. Between 1941 and 1945,World War II touched the lives of allMontanans who struggled with a variety ofchanges, convictions, and concerns.

Before the bombing of Pearl Harbor,Montanans, like people in the rest of thecountry, were divided – many were thinkingabout what seemed to be the inevitability ofwar, how war would change their lives, andwhat sacrifices they might have to make, butothers followed Montana Senator Burton K.Wheeler’s philosophy. A prominent memberof an organization known as “America First,”Wheeler wanted the United States to stay outof other countries’ wars. (HelenaIndependent, Saturday, December 6, 1941)“I am for taking a firm stand with Japan andprotecting American rights in the Orient, orthe Atlantic, or wherever they exist, but I amfor settling our troubles in the traditionalAmerican way, around a peace table, ratherthan go to war.”

The bombing of Pearl Harbor changed mostpeople’s views, and Wheeler spoke for manyof his fellow Montanans when he said: “Let’slick hell out of them … We must now exertour every energy not only to win but to givethe Japanese such a whipping that they willnot want war again.”

President Roosevelt’s fiery, initial words – andthe shock of the event itself – convinced manyMontanans to actively support a war effort.Ads, posters, movies, music, speeches, scrapmetal, paper, and fat drives, war bond sales,rationing, and various other promotions keptmost citizens involved, motivated, andconvinced to unite and support the war effortto its end.

Helena area residents observed one of thefirst changes happening in Montana when the

military established a new presence at FortWilliam Henry Harrison, a military fort datingback to the 1890’s. “Project Plough” was thecode name of the joint Canadian andAmerican plan designed to drop commando-type troops into Nazi-occupied Norway inorder to disrupt the German war initiatives.The military officially named the unit the FirstSpecial Service Force and recruited 133officers and 1,688 men for what wasconsidered a suicide mission – a mission thatnever took place as planned. However, theybecame some of the most highly trainedsoldiers of WWII due to rigorous physicalconditioning, specialized combat drills, winterwarfare, and parachute and demolitiontraining. The German soldiers called them“The Devil’s Brigade.” Half American andhalf Canadian, the unit was the only onemade up of troops from two differentcountries, and their esprit de corps wasstrong. After serving in combat operations inthe Aleutian Islands and in Europe, the unitwas disbanded in 1944.

Barks, yips, sleds and kennels announced yetanother unique military presence in theHelena area – The War Dog Reception Centerat Camp Rimini. It was supposed to supplypack dogs for the First Special Service Force,but the military altered its mission also.Search and rescue crews at downed aircraftsites in Alaska, Canada and Greenland usedmany of the sled dogs that were trained atCamp Rimini. Some Montana families evendonated their dogs to the War Dog ReceptionCenter as part of the “Dogs for Defense”program.

Great Falls was chosen as the site for a newArmy Air Force base; it was well establishedby August 1942. Now known as MalmstromAir Force Base, it remains a vital part of theregion’s economy. When the U.S. alignedwith the Soviet Union (now Russia), PresidentRoosevelt agreed to provide war supplies andairplanes to the Eastern front where the

(continued)

— 33 —

Soviets were fighting the Nazis. The safestway to get the supplies there was to fly themfrom the U.S. to Alaska, and then on toSiberia. Great Falls proved the best U.S. link.Its location was within flying range of Alaska,and the sun shines there at least 300 daysout of the year. Women Air Service Pilots(WASPs) ferried many aircraft to Great Falls.Other personnel painted the airplanes with ared star (the Soviet insignia) and preparedthem for cold weather. Close to 8,000aircraft passed through Great Falls during thewar years along the Alaska-Siberia Air route.

As in World War I, Montanans joined themilitary in record numbers. For a sparselypopulated state, Montana gave more peopleper capita to war than most other states. In1941, 5,700 people joined the armed forces;two-thirds of these were drafted. In the weeksafter Pearl Harbor, 1,600 men enlisted. Bythe end of WWII, approximately 57,000Montanans had joined the armed forces.

Montana Indians participated in recordnumbers, as well. According to militaryhistorian Thomas D. Morgan, NativeAmericans made a greater per capitacontribution, and he claimed, “ … no groupwas changed more by the war.” Nationally,more than 44,000 Native Americans servedin World War II. Blackfeet Indians made funof the need for the draft: “Since when has itbeen necessary for Blackfeet to draw lots tofight?” Many Indian men gladly volunteeredto fight for the country that, ironically, hadstolen most of their culture from them.Indian women enlisted too, and also filled inwith the work back home, as did otherMontana women.

The potential for terror was high in Montanaand other parts of the Northwest when theU.S. government realized that Japan wassending balloon bombs (a project known asFu-Go) across the ocean with the plan tostart devastating forest fires in the West. Ofthe more than three hundred incendiary

devices floated high above the Pacific Oceanand either sighted or actually landed in NorthAmerica, over thirty landed in Montana.Were Montanans aware? Were thereheadlines warning of the dangers of this kindof enemy attack? Absolutely not! Initialincidents (beginning late in 1944) wereisolated, and people were not sure what theywere. In January 1945, the Office ofCensorship asked reporters not to report onballoon bomb incidents so the Japanesegovernment would not know for certain if orwhere their bombs were landing. Therequest was honored. No serious damageoccurred in Montana, but on May 5, 1945, inOregon, six people were killed when twoyouths came upon a balloon bomb andhandled it. After this incident, newspaperarticles came out warning people not totouch them, if found. The war came to anend three months later.

In Hamilton, the well-established RockyMountain Spotted Fever Laboratory turned itsefforts to a new concern – yellow fever. Withso many American troops serving in tropicalareas where yellow fever was a frequent andoften deadly occurrence, the scientific teamin this small Montana town focused almostentirely and successfully on the developmentof a vaccine to protect the troops.

One of the most significant changes inMontana during WWII was the change in theeconomy. Most Montanans, the ones whohad endured the previous Depression anddrought years, had learned to do without. ByPearl Harbor, the weather had become morefavorable to agriculture. The onset of warbrought not only a much greater demand fortimber, grain, sugar beets, and livestock, butalso an enormous demand for metals. Thewar profoundly impacted three of Montana’smost important livelihoods: logging;farming/ranching; and mining. All boomedduring the war years. 1943 was the mostnotable year Montana farmers had ever seen


(continued)

— 34 —

- $188 million in crop values and over $134million in cash income from livestock andlivestock products. These trends continuedfor years. Likewise, the timber, mining, andoil industries were intensely strengthened.

With demand greater than ever before inorder to supply the war needs, industryacutely felt the shortage of able-bodied men.The Depression years had somewhatdepleted Montana’s population as people hadmoved on in search of opportunity, andduring WWII, with thousands of men gone tothe military (or working in strong war-drivenindustries on the west coast), Montanasuffered a severe shortage of people able towork in field, in forests, and in the mines.Women went to work outside the home, asthey had not done before. Not only did theywork to fill the gaps, but also to takeadvantage of opportunities to learn newskills, earn salaries, or in some instances,better salaries; they worked in smelters,mines, and offices. Because copper wasparticularly critical to the war effort, theArmy assigned a unit of 600 Black soldiers towork in the mines in Butte to insure acontinued supply of the valuable metal usedin electronics and communications. Theagricultural community started recruitingMexican families to work in the sugar beetfields, and it also used some Japanese,Italian, and German detainees to help plantand harvest.

Because WWII brought little new industry toMontana, the thriving war-driven industriesthat grew up in Washington and Californiadrew an estimate of 69,000 Montanans tothem. Many never returned, resulting in aneven more depleted population after WWII.Most women who worked non-traditionaland/or higher paying jobs at some pointduring the war relinquished their jobs at theend of the war when the male workforcereturned to Montana. A complex situation –some women preferred going back to a full-

time homemaking career, but others wantedto keep both their jobs outside the home andtheir salaries.

The Red Cross organization maintained ahigh profile in Montana during this time.Thousands of Montana women volunteeredwith the Red Cross: to conduct blood drives;to prepare bandages; and to help makesoldiers stationed in or passing throughMontana feel more appreciated and lesslonely by visiting with them; and to make andserve thousands of gallons of coffee andmultitudes of cookies.

Even before Pearl Harbor, strong feelingsabout U.S. war involvement were evident inthis state made up of diverse people. On theone hand, there were isolationists. Theisolationists, people still drained and wearyfrom sacrifices made in WWI and theDepression years, thought the United Statesshould take care of its own and let the rest ofthe world worry about its problems. On theother hand, there were people who wanted toteach Hitler a lesson and not take any gufffrom Japan. There were also peopleconcerned about the fate of democracy inEurope and the rise of Fascism. Pearl Harborunited Montanans behind the war – and theU.S. government conducted an intensepropaganda barrage to make sure of theircontinued support. Most Montana citizens,like those in the rest of the country, were anapt target audience. The propagandamessages delivered by posters, ads, bonddrives, scrap drives and rationing, on theradio, in the movies, in popular songs, inspeeches, in the workplace, and innewspapers and magazines convinced mostconcerned citizens to continue to support thewar despite its great cost – in money,resources, and human life.

Of course, not everyone felt this way: somepeople found ways to avoid the draft, tocheat on their rationing, or to buy and sell


(continued)

— 35 —

items on the “black market” (an illegalactivity that arises when desired items are inshort supply and costly). In significantnumbers, however, when the governmentasked Montanans to give ten percent of theirsalaries to purchase savings and war bondsto support the war effort, they did so. Whenthe government asked Montanans to plant“victory gardens” (helping feed local peopleallowing commercially grown fruits andvegetables be sent to help feed the troops),they did so. They also collected hugeamounts of scrap metal, rubber, paper, andfat; and, their children spent the war yearsdoing likewise.

People made sacrifices on two levels. Livingwith the rationing system, they used less (andsometimes no) sugar, gasoline, leather goods(shoes), tires, butter, and other consumergoods. Secondly, on a deeply personal level,they lived in fear that family members andfriends serving in the military would beinjured or killed. Surely, at times in theirhearts, people must have questioned whetheror not the war efforts on the home front werehelping; however, the constant reminders tokeep morale high, to keep participating in allof the home front efforts, and to stay thecourse for the greater good seemed to keepmost people publicly committed. The veryterm “the home front” refers to fighting thebattles of war right here at home – andwhere everyone becomes a soldier.

Although it looked that way on the surface,not everyone supported the war. The firstand most dramatic statement against it wasthe “no” vote Montana’s RepresentativeJeannette Rankin cast against declaring waron Japan, the day after the attack on PearlHarbor. She spoke these words: “As awoman I can’t go to war, and I refuse to sendanyone else!” While Jeannette Rankin isstudied, honored, respected, and celebratedfor her courage and convictions now, at the

time she was openly vilified for her action,leading some to refer to her as “the mosthated person in Montana history.” Shortlyafter the vote, her brother, WellingtonRankin, telegraphed her that the people ofMontana were “110 percent against you.”

The following are some of her testimonialsjustifying her action, taken from a statementwritten immediately following the vote andsubsequently delivered to Montana. “I feltthere were not enough facts before us –especially since most of them were based onbrief, unconfirmed reports – to justify suchhasty action. … Had the vote to go to warbeen unanimous, it would have been atotalitarian vote, one not in keeping with ourAmerican way of life. … I remembered thepromises I had made during my campaign forelection to do everything possible to keepthis country out of war. I was thinking of thepledges I had made to the mothers andfathers of Montana that I would do all in mypower to prevent their sons being slaughteredon foreign battlefields. … It may be that it isright for us to enter the conflict with Japan.If so, it is my belief that all the factssurrounding the present situation should bebrought into the open and given to theCongress and the American people. I feel Ivoted as the mothers would have me vote.”

So how does Rankin serve out her term aftersuch a pivotal action? According to historianDave Walter, after her historic vote, “ … sheproved relatively ineffective … She was allbut ignored by her colleagues.” Walter alsowrites that her main focus her last year inCongress was an investigation consideringthe possibility that President Roosevelt andWinston Churchill had worked together toinvolve the U.S. in the war, and also, thepossibility that the Pearl Harbor attack couldhave been avoided. Although she never ranfor public office again, she studied andworked for international peace, and


(continued)

— 36 —

participated in a public protest against theVietnam War in the late 1960’s. The wordoften used to describe her now is“courageous.”

What about those American citizens who forphilosophical, moral, and/or religiousreasons objected to military service? Ifdrafted by the Selective Service during WWII,a man had the option of requesting“conscientious objector” status and serving in“Civilian Public Service” camps, as analternative to serving in the military. It is alittle known fact that from 1942 to 1946,three of these camps (there were over 150nationally) were located in Montana:Belton/West Glacier, Terry, andMissoula/Seely Lake. The men were toperform “work of national significance” – notconducting the soldier’s work of war, butwork equally important to the country.

A coalition of churches known as the HistoricPeace Churches – mainly, the MennoniteChurch, the Church of the Brethren, and theFriends/Quakers – negotiated with the federalgovernment even before the attack on PearlHarbor to have alternative service in placebefore the war began. During WWII, mengranted CO status worked in dairy-testingcenters, in medical research facilities, injuvenile-detention centers, in sanitary facilityconstruction, and CPS men broughtlandmark changes to the mental hospitalsystem by their one-on-one work with mentalhealth patients.

The men who were assigned to one of thethree camps in Montana performed differentkinds of work. In the Terry camp, theyconstructed the Buffalo Rapids IrrigationProject for the Farm Security Administrationfrom January 1943 to July 1946. In theBelton/West Glacier Camp they performedmaintenance work for the National ParkService in Glacier Park from September1942 to October 1946. In the

Missoula/Seeley Lake/Huson camp, theywere smoke jumpers and fire fighters fromMay 1943 to April 1946. Attitudes towardthese men and their camps ranged fromlocals treating them as though they wereinvisible, to treating them with open hostilityand resentment, to treating them withacceptance and respect. The U.S.government did not pay the men who weregranted CO status; the Historic PeaceChurches supported them financially – onlyhousing was supplied by the government.Basically the men received little or no salary(some got $2-$5 per month from the HistoricPeace Churches). The fact that the campsexisted in Montana and other parts of thecountry has never been routinely taught aspart of the fabric of the state, and inparticular as part of Montana history duringWorld War II.

Another overlooked facet of Montana’s WWIIexperience relates to a lack of teaching aboutthe Alien Detention Center at Historic FortMissoula. The Immigration and NaturalizationService (INS) at Fort Missoula placed 1,200Italian merchant seamen taken from Italianships seized by the U.S. in American ports,mainly the Panama Canal, behind barbedwire in 1941, months before the attack onPearl Harbor. What seemed to be a rathercomplicated INS issue involving theoverstaying of visas and difficultiessurrounding deportation of hundreds of menback to a country hostile to the U.S., becameeven more complex after the attack on PearlHarbor and the subsequent declarations ofwar on Japan and the other Axis Powers,including Italy, the homeland of these men.Although guards were always present, theinitial atmosphere of the camp with theItalian men is described as somewhat relaxeduntil Pearl Harbor and the war declarations;at that point, these men were considered“enemy aliens.”


(continued)

— 37 —

When out of fear of potential spy andcommunication capabilities, the FBI and theINS rounded up hundreds of men ofJapanese descent (many of whom wereAmerican citizens) living on the West Coast,Fort Missoula became a detention center formany of them, as well as the Italians, afterthe attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese(mainly men around the age of 60) and theItalians (men of a variety of ages) did notshare quarters or food and rarely mingled.Many of the Italians were musicians andperformed for Missoula area gatherings; theyalso worked for the Forest Service, in avariety of businesses, and on farms, whenmanpower shortages came later in the war.It is reported that most seemed to maintainamazing goodwill toward their guards and theU.S. in general even though they wereconsidered to be a part of the enemy, andthey missed their homes and families,terribly. They found the Missoula area to bebeautiful, some saying “What a beautifulview!” “Che Bella Vista!” After U.S. victorywas declared in Europe, the Italian men wereallowed to repatriate to Italy. Some chose tostay in the U.S., some chose to come back toMissoula, and some chose to serve in theU.S. military.

For the Japanese men who had been livingand working in the U.S. for perhaps theirentire lives, the feelings were different; theyseemed to be considered much more “alien”than the Italians. After the attack on PearlHarbor, anti-Japanese sentiment was so highthat these men were not wanted out in the

communities to help with labor shortages,nor were most of them interested. The INSput the Japanese through intenseinterrogation and, finally, loyalty hearings.After that, most of the Japanese weretransferred from Fort Missoula to otherdetention camps in other parts of thecountry. March of 1944 saw the end of FortMissoula as an alien detention center, butlong-time Missoula residents (includingformer Italian detainees), historicaldocuments and interviews by historians, andJapanese graves help tell this complexMontana story, the ramifications of which arestill not fully known.

The controversial use of atomic weapons onJapan – an act still debated by historians andethicists – finally brought the war to an end.Montanans, like all Americans, woke up on aSeptember morning and euphorically realizedthat their soldier and sailor neighbors andloved ones would be coming home, thatrationing would come to an end, and that atleast for the time being (hopefully for forever)fear would be set aside. The war changed allthose who lived through it. Decades of timehave passed, and a multitude of significantevents have occurred since World War II.Time can diminish the clarity of events inpeople’s minds, or even hide the factssurrounding them; however, it can alsoprovide opportunities for each successivegeneration of Montanans to study, tointerview those willing to tell their stories, tolisten, and to learn more about who we arenow because of what went on then.


— 38 —


I. Introduction and background

A. President Roosevelt’s Dec. 8, 1941 speech

B. Jeannette Rankin’s historic vote in Congress

C. Definition of Allied and Axis powers, the main countries involved in WWII

D. The beginning and end time frame

E. Discussion themes1. Changes2. Convictions3. Concerns

II. Changes

A. No longer in isolation 1. Burton K. Wheeler and stance before Pearl Harbor2. After Pearl Harbor

B. Military entities unique to Montana1. First Special Service Force

a. Canadian and U.S. collaborationb. Trained at Fort Harrison

2. War Dog Reception Training Centera. Camp Riminib. Purpose - for use in rescue and combat

3. Establishment of East Base/Malmstrom Air Force Base a. Airfield needed in northern U.S. within flying range of Alaskab. Great Falls selectedc. Impacts on Great Fallsd. Alaskan Highway terminus

4. Due to a manpower shortage, Black soldiers were deployed to work in theButte mines in 1942, ensuring that needed metals were available for thewar effort

C. Other military affairs1. The Montana draft of men acceptable for service2. Montana enlisted men and women3. Montana Indians in the service4. Military programs on college campuses5. Japanese Balloon Bombs6. Hamilton – Rocky Mountain Laboratory – research and development –

Yellow Fever vaccine

(continued)

Outline for Classroom Presentation

— 39 —

D. Economy1. Agriculture boom2. Copper industry boom3. Changes in workforce – the role of women4. Population displacements/shifts

III. Convictions – includes youth involvement

A. Supporting the war1. Scrap metal, paper, and fat drives 2. War bond sales3. Red Cross4. Morale and propaganda

B. Rejecting the war 1. Jeannette Rankin

a. Her vote against declaring war on Japan after Pearl Harborb. The WWI precedentc. The Montana response to her “no” voted. The “most hated person in Montana history?”

2. Civilian Public Service Camps in Montanaa. History and mission of CPS option for drafted menb. Locations of and work done by men in Montana camps

i. Terryii. Belton/ West Glacieriii. Missoula

c. Outcomes

IV. Concerns

A. Fort Missoula detainee camp, 1941 - 19431. Italian men

a. Where they came fromb. Life in Montanac. Outcomes

2. Japanese mena. Where they came fromb. Life in Montana c. Loyalty hearingsd. Outcomes

B. Propaganda – stereotypes - racism

V. Conclusion

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIOutline for Classroom Presentation (continued)

— 40 —


Allies—One of the two main groups ofcountries involved in WWII – included GreatBritain, Canada, Denmark, Norway,Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France,Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, andUnited States.

Axis—The other main group of countriesinvolved in WWII – included Japan,Germany, and Italy.

Bond—In finance, a certificate issued by thegovernment or business promising to pay theholder a specific sum of money plus interest.

Boom—A period of business prosperity orindustrial expansion.

Change—When something is altered ordifferent.

Churchill, Winston—1871 – 1965; PrimeMinister of Great Britain (1940 – 45 and1951 – 55).

Concern—A matter of interest orimportance.

Conscientious objector—One who doesnot believe in military action as a solution totroubles between countries – usually basedon religious beliefs.

Conviction—Strong belief.

Draft/selective service—A process ofselecting eligible men for service in themilitary.

Editorial—Writing that states opinion andusually tries to persuade others to have thesame opinion.

Enlist—The act of voluntarily joining themilitary.

Ford, Sam—1882 – 1961; Montana’sgovernor (1941 – 1948).

Front—As a military term, a combat zone.

Hirohito—1901 – 1989; Emperor of Japan(1926 – 1989).

Hitler, Adolf—1889 – 1945; Nazi dictatorof Germany (1933 – 1945).

Home front—Refers to “back home” duringa war – not the combat zones.

Inflammatory—Likely to bring about greatexcitement or anger.

Inverted—Upside down.

Mussolini, Benito—1883 – 1945; Italiandictator; prime minister of Italy (1922 –1943).

Propaganda—An organized method ofpromoting and distributing materials relatedto a policy or cause.

Ration—To allow only a controlled amountof something.

Redeem—In finance, to get back or recover.

Roosevelt, Franklin Delano—1882 –1945; thirty-second President of the U.S.(1933 – 1945).

Satire—Writing or graphics that makes funof or ridicules.

Stereotype—An oversimplified idea,opinion or image that typecasts or labels.Common stereotypes during WWII wereKrauts referring to Germans, Japs referringto Japanese, and Wops referring to Italians.

Truman, Harry S.—1884 – 1972; Vicepresident to Roosevelt during WWII –became President when Roosevelt died; USpresident (1945 – 1953).

Vocabulary List

— 41 —


“They were very strong. They could getthrough anything.” With these words, theirson Phillip and his wife Zoe remember Mr.and Mrs. Bushilla. Their lives gave themplenty of opportunities to practice beingstrong!

Born in 1917, Frank (also known as Curly)shared his early years with fourteen brothersand sisters in their small, rural Ohiocommunity. He found it necessary to quitschool and leave home by the age of fifteen.These were the times known as the GreatDepression in the country. For many largefamilies, there simply were not enoughresources to go around, and older childrenwere expected to go out into the world andmake their own way. After years of travelingand working wherever he needed to go tomake a living, Frank became a member of theCivilian Conservation Corps. This 1930’sU.S. government sponsored program provideda place for young men to live, work, earn asalary, and learn skills while they supplied alabor force to needed projects. He worked onthe Lewis and Clark Caverns project on theJefferson River. (The next time you arepicking your way through a dark tunnel there,think of Frank and the other men who carvedout a path for you!)

By Frank’s CCC camp at Cardwell, Montana,which is also near the Caverns, the Lahoods,an immigrant family from Lebanon, operateda general store selling everything from“toothpicks to automobiles.” In 1921, theirdaughter Eleanor was born, and she grew upworking in her parents’ store. Frank soonbecame Eleanor’s favorite customer, andEleanor became Frank’s favorite salespersonat the store. They fell in love and started

planning their future. Then, Frank was calledto serve in World War II. Eleanor, notknowing when or if she would ever see himagain, had to say goodbye to him,. Shepromised to wait for his return.

The Navy sent Frank on the USS Tanager tothe South Pacific where the war raged in thePhilippine Islands. His ship was sunk inbattle. On May 6, 1942, Japanese soldierscaptured Frank on the island of Corregidor.As a prisoner of war, the Japanese put him towork in shipyards. “That first year was plentyrugged … the cold was terrible - we were coldall of the time. There wasn’t even enough

Amazing Montanans—Biography

Eleanor and Frank Bushilla

Eleanor and Frank Bushilla

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

PH

ILLI

P A

ND

ZO

E B

US

HIL

LA

(continued)

— 42 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIAmazing Montanans—Biography (continued)

fuel to cook our meals. Every week someonewould get pneumonia and die.” He estimatedthat about one in every seven of the originalgroup of 400 died in the first year and onehalf. Those who made it through that timelived to be liberated. The captors doled outfish heads, rice, bread and water, andpumpkin - pumpkin boiled, stewed, andsometimes raw - to the POWs. They werealways hungry, and for the rest of his life,Frank’s comment when pumpkin pie wasoffered was, “Make mine mince!” Once hewent for a whole year without getting anymail.

Once also, Frank got up in the middle of thenight, and a guard stabbed him in the headwith a bayonet, thinking he was trying toescape. His fellow prisoners treated hiswound, and he healed on his own.

Sometimes little “accidents” happened to themachinery Frank worked on in the Japaneseshipyards. When the “accidents” happened,the machinery did not work well or wasdisabled. He was willing to risk severepenalties to carry out these acts.

Finally, after the U.S. dropped atomic bombson Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the POWs knewfor certain something was up. “… on August9, 1945 the guards informed us we were nolonger prisoners of war. We called for some

paint and made an American flag out of awhite sheet. We were told to stay at thecamp.” Within days, U.S. planes droppedfood, medical supplies and clothing. OnSeptember 13, 1945, U.S. troops freed Frankand the other prisoners. After three yearsand four months as a POW, Frank weighed128 lbs., and for the rest of his life wouldsuffer headaches and a dislike for crowds.Meanwhile, every single day of those threeyears and four months, Eleanor worked,waited, worried, and prayed. Most of thattime, she had no idea where or how he was.All she knew was that he was a POW and, forthe time being, still alive. And, she knew shewould never give up hope that he wouldreturn to her. Return to her he did! The warended in September 1945, and one year later,on Sept. 11, 1946, Frank and Eleanor begantheir forty-eight year marriage. While raisingtheir eight children, Frank worked as anelectrician and at the postal service. Eleanorworked as a homemaker. Along with theirstrength, dedication to family, and religiousfaith, their children remember them as terrificdancers - especially dancing the polka!

Frank and Eleanor Bushilla representthousands of ordinary Montanans whoendured the challenges of WWII. With greatrespect and pride and without bitterness, theygave their best throughout their lives.

— 43 —


Just as brothers Barney and Henry OldCoyote served together in World War II, sodid brothers John and Robert Harrison. Butwhile the military assigned the Old Coyotebrothers to duties together for the most part,it gave separate assignments to the Harrisonbrothers at the European Front. As the olderbrother, John took seriously his role,especially since he knew that his youngerbrother was a risk-taker. He looked out forRobert whenever he could, and alwaysincluded any news he had about Robert whenhe wrote letters home. John and Robert wereable to see one another at times, but olderbrother John was not nearby, and no matterhow much he would have liked to, could notprotect Robert when he was captured byGermans and held in a prisoner of war camp.Days before the end of the war with NaziGermany and being liberated from the camp,the daredevil Robert, escaped only to bekilled. The military already had informed Johnand Roberts parents, Ethelyn and Francis, ofthe basic facts by the time John’s letter to hisparents arrived. However, John was able tobring some comfort to the Harrison’s with hiswords. He told them how sad he knew theyfelt, as did he, to lose their beloved familymember. It is “... so like war where crueltricks of fate happen every minute that thewar is in progress.”

This letter became a gift not only to theHarrison family, but also the entire state ofMontana when John donated it, along with allof his other WWII family correspondence, tothe Montana Historical Society. Most of hisletters home to his mother and father hewrote in v-mail format (see Lesson 4 – MailCall!). The writing is in cursive and small so itwould fit on the small v-mail form. He was a

faithful letter writer – often more than once aweek! Between 1941 and 1945, Johndescribed in detail what was going on aroundhim, what he was experiencing as a soldier,and what he was seeing and feeling, as muchas the military mail censors allowed to protectU.S. security. His words show us mountainsand trees, when they made him feel like hewas back at home in Montana, and his wordsshow us what war-torn land and cities looklike. His words paint pictures of people indifferent countries and the effects of war onthem. John wrote these words on August 5,1944, in a letter to his mother. “About a half


John Conway Harrison

John Conway HarrisonM

ON

TAN

A H

ISTO

RIC

AL

SO

CIE

TY

(continued)

— 44 —

block away they are burying a French womanand her little daughter – killed by arty.[artillery]. The church bells seem to remind usthat the French also pay a price.” He doesnot dwell on the sadness and destruction ofwar, nor does he leave it out. From him, welearn firsthand what it was like to be a soldierin World War II in Europe.

John was born in Michigan on April 28,1913, but his family soon moved toHarlowton where John’s father practiceddentistry. He spent many, many yearsstudying. First, he graduated from HarlowtonHigh School in 1931, enjoying football,basketball, and track. Then from 1931-34, hestudied at Montana State College (now MSU),going on to the University of Montana from1935-37, and finishing his law degree atGeorge Washington University 1938-40. Asan attorney, John constantly used and furtherdeveloped the thinking, writing, and decision-

making skills he demonstrated while serving inthe Army. As a lawyer, he represented Lewisand Clark County, the city of East Helena,and the Montana Taxpayers Association.Then, John Harrison, husband, devoted fatherof six, humanitarian, long-time supporter ofthe Boy Scouts, gifted thinker and writer waselected as a Supreme Court Justice.Everything in his past had prepared him forthis all-important service to the state ofMontana. In this position as the highest levelof all judges in the state of Montana, he wouldbe called upon for many years to make someof the most important and far-reachingdecisions concerning the people of the state ofMontana. John Conway Harrison representsnot just WWII era Montanans, but allgenerations who believe in working hard,developing their talents, exercising wisdom,fairness, dedication to family, and service tohumanity.


— 45 —


[pronounced -oi- as in boil and -ye- with along a sound, such as in hay]

Most pictures of George Oiye show himsmiling. He loved to live his life having fun,no matter what the situation - even during hisfirst military training. Prankster George and afriend caught and dangled a tarantula from astring above a bald-headed commander’s bedwhile he was sleeping! The commander wasbitten upon awaking, but did not becomedeathly ill, and somehow George and his goodfriend “Sus” escaped severe punishment.

Born February 19, 1922, to Japaneseimmigrants Tom and Taka Oiye who workedas miners near Basin, George grew up inLogan and Three Forks when the familymoved there so that George’s father couldwork in the nearby cement plant. The familyalso bought a small farm and raisedvegetables. The Oiye’s expected their childrento work hard, do well in school, and get alongwell with everyone. George met theirexpectations everywhere. Not only did heexcel academically, he was extremely wellliked by his classmates, loved to fish and hunt(becoming a good shot with a rifle), andquarter-backed the Three Forks Wolves six-man football team in 1939 to a division title,undefeated.

George Oiye, a gifted engineering student atMontana State College (now MSU) respondedthe same way thousands of his fellowMontanans did after the December 7, 1941Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor – heimmediately tried to enlist in the military andserve his country. He specifically wanted toserve in the Army Air Corps. Even though he

was healthy, strong, and intelligent, themilitary looked upon him with suspicion anddistrust because of his ancestry. He wasrejected from service based on the fact that hewas a second generation Japanese American.Disappointed by not defeated, Georgecontinued on in college, maintaining highgrades. He also continued to inform as manypeople as possible that he still wanted anopportunity to serve his country.

Finally in 1943, two of his college professorsappeared in front of the Adjutant General ofthe Army Air Corps, and defended George’s


George Oiye

George Oiye

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

VA

NN

ES

SA

PA

LLIS

TE

R

(continued)

— 46 —

right as an American citizen to enlist. He wastold that he had to pass a physicalexamination and produce five letters ofcommendation (formal statements of praise)from prominent citizens, both easily done.But his goal of being a member of the ArmyAir Corps was never accomplished. By thistime in the war, President Roosevelt hadestablished a special military fighting force –the 442nd Regimental Combat Team – madeup entirely of Japanese Americans (also calledNisei). Much to his dismay, he was sent tojoin a field artillery battalion as part of thisunique unit. Growing up, George avoided hisidentity as a Japanese-American. Now, hewas immersed in this identity. He learnedmore than he had ever known before aboutbeing Japanese-American and found strengthand pride. His group trained twice as long asother groups because the military was notsure where the 442nd should be used in thewar. When they were finally sent to fight inItaly and then on to France and into Germany,they were extremely well-trained, excellentsharp-shooters, in top physical condition, andwith the motto “go for broke” - all qualitiesthat helped them become the most decoratedfighting unit of its size in American history.

George quickly rose into positions ofleadership, demonstrating kinship with hisfellow soldiers, courage and calm, and alwaysmaking wise decisions even while underdevastating fighting conditions and often closeto death. He observed and remembered, asbest he could, the local people and the effectsof war upon them. He recalls a French

woman standing out in the street during abattle between German and Americansoldiers. She was sweeping rubble from thestreet in a vain attempt to cope with war’sreality. He remembers how hard it was toshoot at the young 16 and 17-year oldGerman soldiers. Finally, George’s unithelped liberate some of the Naziconcentration camps - a task that made himeven more keenly aware of how horrible warcould be. By the end of duty, the 442nd hadsuffered the loss of half of its soldiers.

During WWII the Oiye family also enduredracism - George’s father, Tom, lost his job atthe cement plant, and one of George’s sistersand her husband, residents of California, wereplaced in a Japanese detention center.

After WWII, back home in Montana, Georgerealized that he was not quite ready to goback to college. He needed time to adjustfrom his war experiences. He worked as afarmer and a railroad hand for a bit, and thenmoved to California in 1948 where hegraduated from college and pursued a careerin the aeronautics field. He married MarySumie Toyoda, a Japanese-American woman.They raised two children. Although Georgeand his wife still live in California, Georgestays in close contact with his MissouriHeadwaters roots. He comes home almostevery summer to fish. . His experience withhis fellow Nisei soldiers in WWII led him to alifelong commitment to preserving their story,sharing their proud service to the US, andcelebrating his ancestry.


— 47 —


“I can fix it so we both can go.”

In “brotherly fashion and in the Crowtradition,” older brother Henry said thesewords to seventeen-year old Barney whentheir parents refused to give permission forBarney to enlist in the military after the attackon Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Olderbrother Henry spoke to their parents saying,“If you let him go, maybe we can sticktogether.” Their mother then wrote a letteraddressed to the “General” in Washington,D.C., requesting that if she allowed her sonsto go to war, they be kept together. Shereceived a reply from General Hap Arnoldstating, “ … if it is not in the best interestsof the military, your sons will be kepttogether.” So it came to be. Older brotheraccompanied younger to war. Henry andBarney, raised and schooled on the CrowReservation, trained together, and as gunnerson B-17 aircraft, flew many bombing missionstogether over the European andMediterranean Theaters during World War II.They kept the letter General Arnold wrote totheir mother with them and used it at leasttwenty-four different times throughout theirmilitary careers between 1941 and 1945, sothat they could keep serving together. Thetimes they served duties apart were few. Themilitary decorated the Old Coyote brotherswith many medals, including the Air Medalwith oak clusters, the Silver Star with Cluster,Campaign Medals, and several Battle Stars.When they came home to Montana after thewar, the Crow people celebrated their goodfortune in coming home safely, their braveryin battle, their skill, and their high honors.

Both Henry and Barney chose occupationsand activities in public service and becameenduring bridges between their native Crowculture and non-Indians, in both their personaland professional lives. Henry, who died in1988, among other duties and tasks, servedas a bilingual consultant, an interpretivespecialist, an guest lecturer on the collegecircuit, an member of a Senate committee onIndian Affairs, a Principal member of the


Barney and Henry Old Coyote

Henry and Barney Old Coyote Jr., members ofthe 341st-97th bombardment group.

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

HE

NR

Y &

WA

ND

A A

LSA

KE

R

(continued)

— 48 —

Native Rights Foundation, and a member byPresidential appointment to an Indian TaskForce on National Issues. At a very youngage, he was initiated into the War DanceSociety of the Crow Tribe and continued as ahighly respected dancer and singer for therest of his life. He traveled the world sharinghis Crow culture.

Barney also served as a consultant togovernment officials, to colleges, and to thefinancial world. He helped found the firstIndian owned, Indian controlled and Indianoperated commercial bank. Barney’sdaughter, Patricia, recalls living inWashington DC … “at the place ourforefathers recognized as the place wheredecisions were made, policies determined.”Both Barney and Henry strongly influencedpeoples’ lives by being a part of the process,by testifying before Congress, and by helpingdetermine indigenous peoples’ rights. Also,Barney has always believed that “education isthe key to better things for the currentgeneration [and] … the fortunate ones whosucceed then have a special job to do for theothers.” The Native American Studiesprogram at Montana State University thanksBarney as its founder and initial professorand director.

Again, in 1988 shortly after Henry’s death,the brothers were honored together again.The Smithsonian Institute of Space andAeronautics awarded them the NationalService Award for their deeds in WWII. In1999, Barney spoke at the Pentagon,delivering a keynote address, invited by thesecretary of the Army. Currently, heparticipates as a designer consultant in thePentagon’s Memorial to American IndianVeterans. Respect for the Old Coyote’senduring warrior spirit continues.

Perhaps the Old Coyote brothers’ mosteverlasting gift to humanity is their

contribution of stories, delivered in the Crowlanguage as respected elders in the 1950’s.Henry and Barney, along with other familymembers, taped storytelling sessions andthen translated them into English. In 2003,Barney’s granddaughter, Phonecia Bauerle,published a book The Way of the Warrior,based on her study of their landmark work.Along with descriptions of the Crow way oflife, values, and four important stories, herbook shares Barney’s and Henry’s lifelong“passion, commitment, and dedication to theperseverance of a culture.” These samewords describe their proud and lifelongservice to Montana and the United States.


Barney Old Coyote Jr. (left) and Henry OldCoyote (right) at the Crow Fair, Crow Agency,1940

FR

OM

TH

E W

AY O

F T

HE

WA

RR

IOR

— 49 —


“This is not a time when women should bepatient. We are in a war and we need tofight it with all our ability and ever weaponpossible. WOMEN PILOTS, in this particularcase, are a weapon waiting to be used.”Eleanor Roosevelt, 1942 (Wife of FranklinDelano Roosevelt, President of the UnitedStates, 1933-1945)

While teaching in Glasgow, Montana,Margaret Roberts probably agreed with Mrs.Roosevelt when she read about the WomenAirforce Service Pilots program set up by themilitary to allow more male pilots to fly incombat duty. She decided she wanted to join.First, she took all of her savings, moved toBlythe, California, and completed thirty-fivehours of flying school. Then, she, along withnearly 25,000 other women applied for theWASP program. Only 1,830 were accepted,including Margaret (in December of 1943).Off she went to Sweetwater, Texas fortraining, and she became one of the 1,074women who earned wings as a WASP. Aunique group, they were the first women inhistory trained to fly American militaryaircraft. They performed test flying, towedtargets, simulated bombing runs and strafingmissions, carried out radio control, gaveinstrument instruction, flew ambulance planes,carried messages, mail and cargo, and ferriedaircraft.

Born October 3, 1917 in Reidel, Montana,she grew up in the Bear Paw Mountains,attended country schools, and graduated fromBig Sandy High School. School, classrooms,education, learning and teaching became herlife. After high school, she went on to

Northern Montana College in Havre and tothe University of Washington in Seattle, andbecame a teacher. Then, her desire to becomea WASP took her back into the classroom asa student, an aviator-in-training. As an officialWASP, Margaret actively contributed to thewar effort by flying a variety of aircraft - BT-13s (basic trainers), PT-17s (double-wingedprimary trainers), and AT-6s (advanced


Margaret Ann Roberts Goldhahn

Margaret Ann Roberts GoldhahnC

OU

RT

ES

Y O

F A

NN

GO

LDH

AH

N

(continued)

— 50 —


trainers). She said of the AT-6 aircraft, “Itwas a tremendous airplane at that time. Itwas fun to fly.” She was not the only militarywoman in her family during WWII - her twinsister Mary served as a Navy nurse, and hersister Nancy served in the Marine CorpsWomen’s Reserve.

By December 1944, the Allies weredominating the air war in Europe. Therefore,male veteran pilots started returning to duty inthe U.S. At this point, the Army deactivatedthe WASP program. It would be thirty moreyears before women would fly again for theAmerican military. Margaret came home withher certificates of honorable service anddischarge, but she along with her comrades inthe skies, did not receive any service medalsor veterans’ benefits until 1977.

Her first stop on the way home was Kansaswhere fellow Montanan John Goldhahn wasstationed. They got married, but John still hadmilitary duty that took him out of the country.So, Margaret flew a Piper J-3 home to

Geraldine, Montana where she soon receivedher instructors’ rating and began giving flyinglessons until her three children were born.After that, she still flew occasionally. Herdaughter Ann recalls her pilot motherstrapping her into a seat and taking her flyingwhen she was a little girl.

Margaret Roberts Goldhahn spent seventeenyears teaching in Geraldine classrooms. Overthe years, she and family members attendedseveral events commemorating the service ofthe WASP. At these times, the women wouldgather and proudly remember their serviceand their adventures together. They alsoremembered their sacrifices. There wereaccidents, and thirty- nine pilots in thisprogram died serving their country. Margaretrepresents Montana women who first lookedand then traveled beyond everyday boundariesin order to more fully develop their skills andtalents while serving their country. Wherevershe was in her life, she gave the gifts ofinspiration and service.

“We live in the wind and sand...and our eyes are on the stars.”

WASP motto.

— 51 —


Lesson 1: Read All About It!

Objectives:At the conclusion of the lesson, students will beable to:

• State the purpose of newspaper headlines.

• Explain the inverted triangle format of newsarticles.

• Use a WWII era news article, find and statethe answers to the five W’s (who, where,when, what, why).

• Optional – Use an atlas/map to locate placesin the world referenced in the news articles.

Older students and/or more abstract thinkerswill be able to:

• Analyze, interpret, and state the meaning ofa political or editorial cartoon.

• Pick out inflammatory language in a newsarticle.

• Write or state points comparing newspapersnow with those published in the 1940’s.

Time:Part One - Approximately 40 minutes (headlines;inverted triangle format; 5 W’s)

Part Two - (optional) 15 min. (editorial cartoons)

Materials:• Footlocker Materials: Laminated newspaper

sections from 1941 – 1945

• User Guide Materials: Transparency of 1941news article “Senator Wheeler WouldDeclare War Immediately;” Five W’s Master;“V for Victory” inverted triangle master; and(optional) transparencies of contemporaryand archival editorial cartoons.

• Teacher Provided Materials: overheadprojector; chalk or marker board; duplicatedFive W’s sheets; (optional) set of studentatlases/world maps

(continued)

Pre-lesson Preparation:Read over and familiarize yourself witheach of the five WWII era news articlesand cartoons. Note that the articlesrepresent key WWII events between1941 and 1945. Recall that during thetimes before television, the Internet, andfor some Montanans even before radios,newspapers provided necessarycommunication and information, as wellas entertainment. In small towns,newspapers usually came out weekly – inlarge towns, daily. People who lived farout of town on ranches or farms lookedforward to buying a newspaper whenthey came to town. They could getcaught up not only on local happenings,but also, on national and internationalones. By reading the newspaper, theycould learn their President’s andCongress’ latest decisions and whatbattles the soldiers were fighting in – allof critical importance during a time ofwar to Montanans who were so far awayfrom both Washington D.C. and thetheaters of war, and who likely hadloved ones and neighbors in harm’s way.

Make five copies of the Five W’s Sheet.Make copies of “V For Victory” invertedtriangles. Prepare to divide the classinto five small groups. Each group willget a different laminated archivalnewspaper section and a five W’s worksheet. (Opt. Locate student atlases/worldmaps, if you also want students to locatethe places mentioned in the articles.)

— 52 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 1: Read All About It! (continued)

(continued)

Part One Procedure:1. Before passing out anything, generally

and briefly discuss newspapers and theirpurposes. (A print medium that informsand entertains.) Discuss the importanceof newspapers during WWII. Also, pointout that a news article is supposed topresents facts, not opinions.

2. Put the 1941 “Senator Wheeler …”article transparency on the overhead andread it together. If students have readthe “Historical Narrative for FourthGraders,” they will be somewhat familiarwith the name Senator Burton K.Wheeler.

3. Point out the headline, noting that itspurpose to catch one’s attention and tellyou just enough to make you want toread the article. Ask which words in theheadline seem “strong” or “interesting.”Ask which ones are verbs/words thatshow action.

4. Write the questions who, what, where,when, and why (or how) on the board.

5. Place the “V For Victory” triangleoverhead on the article transparency onthe overhead.

6. Go through the 1941 news articlepointing out that basic answers to thequestions who, what, where, when, why(or how) can be found in the first fewlines of a news article. (News articlesare written this way to allow the editorto cut from the bottom up toaccommodate space needs and not haveto rewrite an article in order to keep themost important information. This formatis called the “inverted or upside downtriangle” format, obviously because themost important information is at the top,and the lesser important at the bottom.)

7. Draw a line at the point in the articlewhere all 5 W’s are answered. Note thatthe rest of the article contains detailssupporting the 5 W’s. These detailscould be cut, however, without

eliminating the basic information – aspace-saving device used by newseditors.

8. Place students in five small groups.

9. Pass out archival newspaper front pages,a different one per group, the “V ForVictory” inverted triangles, and (opt.)atlases/ maps. NOTE: Students can cutout, color or decorate their “V ForVictory” inverted triangles at anyconvenient point.

10. Groups place their “V For Victory”inverted triangles on the selected article,work through the articles finding theanswers to the five W’s and write theanswers on the provided sheet. (Opt.)Students use maps to identify thecountries referenced in the articles.

11. When groups are finished,representatives from each group canshare their headline and five W’s, whichare summaries of their articles. Askthem to share the information in thechronological order of their articles.

12. If time, read and discuss some of theother articles.

Optional Part Two Procedure:1. Place the contemporary editorial cartoon

transparency on the overhead and readthrough it with the class. Ask thestudents to help you find words andsentences that tell the writers opinionabout something. Emphasize that thepurpose of an editorial cartoon isdifferent than the purpose of a newsarticle. The purpose of an editorialcartoon is to express an opinion orconvince people of a point of view. Pointout that images and pictures are sharp,clever, and efficient ways ofcommunicating ideas. (Cartoon art elicitsfeelings through shadings and images.Look at light and dark, sizes of images,where one’s eyes are focused, and theminimal words.)

— 53 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 1: Read All About It! (continued)

2. Help students figure out the opinionshown in the cartoon. Do the same withthe WWII era editorial cartoon.

3. Remind students of the ConstitutionalRight to Freedom of Speech, but thatthat right does not include slandering,saying untruths, or “trashing” someone inthe newspaper.

Discussion Questions:1. Are there any words in any of the

headlines make you feel proud, happy,fearful, sad, triumphant or angry? Wouldyou consider any of those words“inflammatory,” in other words, theyreally “rile you up,” intensify yourfeelings, and make you want to act?

2. How important are newspapers thesedays?

3. Was the archival news article hard foryou to read? Why or why not?

4. If the news is bad about a particularsituation that is really important toeveryone, such as one occurring in wartime, should a newspaper provide thecold, hard facts, no matter howdiscouraging they might be or should thenewspaper focus on just the positive?

5. Do you think that your article evercrosses over the line and becomes more“editorial,” opinion than “news,”meaning facts? Why or why not?

Further Exploration: (Pick and chooseaccording to age, reading and abstractingability.)

1. Either in a partnership, groups, orindividually, students write news articlesabout a recent happening in their class orschool (for ex. a field trip, a guestspeaker, an assembly). Start with thefive W’s and turn them into sentences.Emphasize the need for strong words inheadlines (active verbs) and that the fiveW’s are answered in the first few lines ofthe article, with the rest of the articlecontaining lesser important details.Follow the writing process of drafting,peer editing, revising, and rewriting.Publish the articles.

2. Explore newspapers on line. Compare“cyber” news with “paper” news. Whatare some advantages and disadvantagesof each?

3. Compare and contrast the archivalnewspapers with contemporary ones.How are they alike and different? Arethere differences in the types of wordsused in the WWII era newspapers,compared to ones from contemporarytimes?

4. What events have happened your lifetimethat are as monumental as the WWIIones? Research news articles about oneof these events.

5. Write an editorial or create an editorialcartoon about a controversial school ruleor decision. Publish.

6. Research the history of newspapers inyour community. What were their namesand who ran them? What is availablenow? Does a group that owns manynewspapers own your local newspaper oris it an independent one? How mightnewspaper ownership affect how news isreported?

— 54 —


THE HELENA INDEPENDENTHelena, Montana, Monday, December 8, 1941

“Senator Wheeler Would Declare War Immediately”

To Go To Capital

Billings, Dec. 7 –(AP)- SenatorBurton K. Wheeler of Montanatonight called for an immediatedeclaration of war against Japanand united support of theadministration in Washington.

“In view of the vicious and uncalledfor attack upon the United Statesby the Japanese government,congress must declare war uponthat government,” the senator said.

“The Japanese have chosen war.We must now exert our everyenergy not only to win but to give

the Japanese such a whipping thatthey will not wart war again. I hadsincerely hoped that we could avoidwar both in the Atlantic and thePacific. War seldom if ever, settlesanything and it is inconceivable tome that the Japanese governmentwould be foolish enough to wantwar with this country.

Everyone, regardless of partyaffiliations, must back up theadministration to the end that wewin. This applies to labor, capitaland all other classes.”

Senator Wheeler had planned toleave for Great Falls today when helearned of the attack at PearlHarbor. He had intendedremaining in Montana several daysbut immediately changed his plansand is leaving this evening by trainfor Washington.

“The only thing now is to do ourbest to lick hell out of them,”Senator Wheeler said.

He said the attack was a completesurprise, and that so far as heknew no one in Washington hadexpected it.

“They must have gone crazy,” hesaid referring to Japanese militaryleaders.

— 55 —


Group members: _____________________________ _____________________________

_____________________________ _____________________________

_____________________________ _____________________________

Name of newspaper ______________________________________________________________

Date of newspaper _______________________________________________________________

Title of article ____________________________________________________________________

READ YOUR ARTICLE CAREFULLY AND DISCOVER THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS:

WHO? ____________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

WHAT? ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

WHERE?__________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

WHEN? ___________________________________________________________________________

WHY? (OR MAYBE HOW?) _______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

5 W’s Worksheet

— 56 —


— 57 —


Objectives:At the conclusion of thislesson, students will be ableto:

• State a definition ofpropaganda

• Explain why the U.S.government usedpropaganda methods inWWII

• Complete a writtenanalysis of propagandamessages found inrepresentative WWIIposter art

• (For older students)Discuss how themessages relate toadvertising techniques

Time:30 – 40 minutes

Materials:• Footlocker – Laminated

Poster Art of World WarII; book, America Onthe Home Front

• User Guide – Posteranalysis sheets.

• Teacher Provided - None

Pre-Lesson Preparation:Guns, tanks, and bombs were the principal weapons of WorldWar II, but there were other, more subtle, forms of warfare aswell. Words, posters, and films waged a constant battle forthe hearts and minds of the American citizenry just as surelyas military weapons engaged the enemy. Persuading theAmerican public to support the war effort became a wartimeindustry, almost as important as the manufacturing of bulletsand planes. The government launched an aggressivepropaganda campaign to galvanize public support, and someof the nation’s foremost intellectuals, artists, and filmmakersbecame soldiers on that front.

The persuasive messages found in World War II posters thathelped convince citizens to actively support the war effort aresimilar to those used in advertising. Advertising sellsattitudes, as did messages in the posters. It works this way -basically, humans have similar emotional needs: they want tofeel safe, they want to belong, they want to be patriotic, theywant to feel confident, positive, and successful, and they wantbelieve what credible individuals tell them. In the WWIIposter art, colors, images, symbols, and wording all werecarefully put together to produce messages instilling feelingsthat became positive, supportive attitudes towards the warefforts. Also, some posters were designed to help ward offcomplacency; they featured grim, unromantic visions of war.All of these persuasive messages became important strands inthe fabric of the Home Front in Montana, as in the rest of thecountry.

You may want to peruse the book America On the HomeFront, found in the footlocker. It is filled with colorfulexamples of the multitude of messages communicated duringWWII. While many parts of this book are appropriatefor all student use, depending on the age and maturityof your students, you may want to look it overcarefully before making it available to students.

Lesson 2: Powers of Persuasion

(continued)

— 58 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 2: Powers of Persuasion (continued)

Procedure:1. Students may work in partnerships,

groups, or as individuals.

2. Duplicate poster analysis sheets.

3. Display the posters. Allow studentstime to look them over and respond tothem. Explain that they arereproductions of actual postersproduced during WWII.

4. Discuss the meaning of the wordpropaganda. (This term may be tooabstract for some fourth graders, butthey will grasp the concept ofmessages.)

5. Provide each group or student with aPoster Analysis Sheet and a differentlaminated archival poster to analyze.When finished, groups or individualsshare their findings with the class.

Discussion Questions: (Pick andchoose according to age, reading andabstracting ability.)

1. Put all of the posters on a bulletin boardand vote on the class favorite. Discusswhy it is well-liked. Is there one thatmost seem to not like? Why?

2. What colors and/or symbols are used intoday’s world to elicit patriotism?

3. Why is it important for a government toconvince the majority of its citizens tosupport a war effort?

4. What happens when many citizens donot support a war effort in theircountry?

5. Do the messages in the posters tell thewhole story about a war? If not, what ismissing?

6. Would posters like these be effective incontemporary times? Why or why not?

7. Discuss the word “propaganda,” again.Does it have negative connotations?Are the messages in the posters“propaganda?” Why or why not?

Further Exploration: (Pick and chooseaccording to age, reading and abstractingability.)

1. Students create their own persuasiveposters. They choose their topic(s) –something that would be good for all tosupport. They model their own postersafter the WWII ones, choosing theimages, colors, and words they feel willeffectively “sell” their message.

2. Research advertising techniques; analyzethe WWII era posters based on thosebasic strategies.

3. Research poster art from other wartimes in the U.S. and compare with theWWII messages.

4. Research persuasivemessages/propaganda from othercountries, either past or present. Howare the messages similar and how arethey different from the WWII ones?

— 59 —


Poster Analysis

Name(s) _______________________________________ ______________________________________

_______________________________________ ______________________________________

_______________________________________ ______________________________________

NAME OF POSTER ______________________________________________________________

Study your poster very carefully, talk with your partner(s), and answer these questions.1. What are the main colors used in the poster? What do you think the artist used these colors?

2. Describe anything you see in the poster that you think is a “symbol.” (A symbol issomething that stands for something else. Example – the eagle is a symbol that stands forAmerican freedom).

3. Does the poster tell you more with words or with pictures? Explain. Are the words that areused necessary to make the message of the poster clear? Why or why not?

4. In your own words, tell what you think the message of this poster is.

5. Is the poster asking people to take some kind of action or to do something? If so, what?

6. How does the message in the poster make you feel?

7. Is there a certain group of people you think is the “target” for the message in this poster?

— 60 —


Lesson 3: A Simple Poem From My Heart

Pre-Lesson Preparation:Review this summarized informationabout the Italian and Japanese detaineesat Fort Missoula. It would also be helpfulto skim parts of Van Valkenburg’s andBenedetti’s books.

From the introduction in An Alien Placeby Carol Van Valkenburg, pp. 2-3.

“In the early months of 1941, PresidentFranklin Roosevelt ordered theimpoundment of Axis ships stranded inU.S. ports, and the government assumedcustody of the crews. This act by thepresident would open a new chapter inthe history of Fort Missoula. The menfrom these ships would soon findthemselves at this old army post, wheremost would remain for the next three tofour years.

The Italians sent to the fort hadlanguished on merchant ships docked inU.S. ports from the time war broke out inEurope in late 1939. In 1941 theAmerican government ordered the shipsimpounded when officials suspected thatcrewmen, on the orders of Axisgovernments, were sabotaging the ships.These nations apparently feared that theUnited States was about to take controlof the vessels and turn them over toGreat Britain to be used against the Axisin the war. When the United Statesseized the ships, it charged the crewmenwith overstaying the limits allowed bytheir visas, an offense punishable bydeportation. However, because the warprevented their safe return home, andbecause their ships were damaged andcould not sail in any case, the men weresent to Fort Missoula.

Objectives:At the conclusion of this lesson, students will beable to:

• State factual information regardingJapanese and Italian detainees at FortMissoula, Montana during WWII

• Write and illustrate haiku poetry based onthe imagined Japanese experience as adetainee at Fort Missoula

• Translate lines from a poem aboutMontana written in Italian by Mr. UmbertoBenedetti, Italian detainee, and illustratehis poem

Time:Part 1 - Japanese Haiku - approximately 40 minutes

Part 2 - Italian translation - approximately 30 minutes

Materials: • Footlocker – Archival photos of Japanese

and Italian detainees at Fort Missoula;books, An Alien Place and The ItalianBoys; video, Bella Vista; facsimile ofpebble sculpture.

• User Guide – Part 1 master to beduplicated for student use containingHaiku process, examples, and topicsuggestions; Part 2 master to beduplicated for student use containing Mr.Benedetti’s poem in Italian and an Italianvocabulary list for use in translation;teacher copy of English translation of Mr.Benedetti’s poem; partial list of Italiandetainees.

• Teacher provided - Make available tostudents, if your library has one, a copy ofFarewell to Manzanar: A True Story ofJapanese American Experience Duringand After the World War II Internmentby James and Jeanne Houston. (continued)

— 61 —

Six months later, the Italians and a fewGermans at the fort would be joined by athousand Japanese. While most Americansare familiar with the details of the later massmovement of nearly 120,000 Japanese fromthe West coast of the United States, thearrest and detention of hundreds of otherJapanese in the weeks immediately followingthe bombing of Pearl Harbor has gone almostunnoticed and undocumented. TheseJapanese arrested in December 1941 andJanuary and February 1942 were not menwhom the United States government hadproven were saboteurs or enemy agents.They were, for the most part, leaders of theJapanese community in America, people thegovernment thought would be most influentialshould Japanese on the mainland organizeagainst the United States.

Though many of these men were the mostimportant and powerful Japanese who wouldbe detained over the course of the war, littlehas been written about their arrests, hearingsand detention.”

Review haiku – the deceptively simpleJapanese poetry form written in three lines(five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables)in which the poet usually uses the naturalworld to illuminate human experience.

Procedure:

Part 1 - Japanese Haiku1. Display the photos of the Japanese

detainees at Fort Missoula and thepebble sculpture. Students should havean opportunity to look them over (alsothe photos in An Alien Place) and tostudy the faces of the men carefully.Ask them to note their pebble/rocksculptures in the foreground. Brieflybrainstorm possible reasons why theymade these objects. Explain that thesemen did not choose to live in Missoula,Montana during WWII – that they were

placed there and kept under armedguard between 1941 and 1944. Theywere called “detainees.” Discuss themeaning of that word. Explain, insimple terms for the fourth graders, themen were told to pack one bag and thenthey were transported from their homeson the west coast of the U.S. Tell thestudents that these men were ofJapanese descent, the United States wasat war with Japan, and that is why thegovernment felt that for security reasonsthe men had to be detained in asecluded and somewhat isolated place.They were not allowed to have cameras,radios, or any electronic devices. Brieflydiscuss.

2. Ask students to choose one of theJapanese men from the photos to tryand put themselves in his place. Theydo not know his name or exactly wherehe is from, but they know he is far fromhis family and home and does not knowwhen he will see them again. At thetime of the photo, none of the men hadbeen found guilty of treason [thebetrayal of one’s country by aiding anenemy].

3. Ask students to make brief lists in fourdifferent columns. Label the columnsfeel, see, hear, and think. What specificthings might he be thinking and feeling?What does he think about the climate ofMissoula, Montana as compared to theCalifornia or Oregon coast? What doeshe see when he looks outside thewindow or steps out of the door of hisquarters at Fort Missoula? Describe hisfamily. What would he like to say to hisfamily? Does he have pets at home?What would he like to say about hissituation? Add any others ideas you orthe students have. Reinforce that somemen might have experienced somepositive feelings about the setting, eventhough their circumstances werenegative.

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 3: A Simple Poem From My Heart (continued)

(continued)

— 62 —

4. Hand out the student Haiku sheets.Remind them of the form of haiku andbriefly read aloud the examples.

5. Try writing a haiku together as a classabout something simple a detaineemight have seen that also can representor be connected to a feeling - ex. abutterfly freely moving from flower toflower or an armed guard standing bythe fence in the rain. (See examples onstudent Haiku sheet.)

6. Ask students to consult their lists andwrite one or more Haiku poems,allowing their Japanese detainee toexpress himself.

7. Not only is the goal for students to tryand walk in someone else’s shoes at animportant time in U.S. and Montanahistory, but also, for them to stretchtheir creative minds; it will be easy todetermine that these men felt sadness orhelplessness or anger - the challengewill be to connect the sadness, etc., to“something ordinary in the naturalworld,” which will facilitate their abilityto abstract, using the haiku process.Some students will be able to make thisleap, but not all. Accept where theyare.

8. Encourage the students to copy or wordprocess their poems on unlined paper,and then illustrate. The poems could allbe displayed on a banner or individually.

9. If time allows, conduct a poetry reading,allowing the students to more fullyappreciate the range of feelingsprobably experienced by these men.

Part 2 - Italian poem translationProcedure:

1. Display the photos of the Italiandetainees at Fort Missoula and Mr.Benedetti’s book, The Italian Boys.

2. Explain that Mr. Benedetti chose tocome back to Missoula after WWII andmake his life there as an Americancitizen. Even though he would not havechosen to be “detained,” he fell in lovewith Montana and worked positively withhis challenging situation during WWII.

3. Hand out the student copies of hispoem, Tempo di primavera inMontana, written while he was adetainee at Fort Missoula.

4. Invite students to try to read the Italian;many words look and sound similar toEnglish ones.

5. They will find words they easilyrecognize, as well as, ones they don’t.

6. Either as individuals or in small groups,the students attempt to translate thedesignated section and/or any otherparts of the poem.

7. Based on this section, ask them whatthey think the general idea of the poemis.

8. Encourage students to illustrate thepoem, reinforcing its sincere spiritappreciating the beauty of the area.

9. Read aloud or ask a student to readaloud the English translation of thepoem.

10. Students share their translations andillustrations - display if possible.

Discussion Questions:Lesson One and Lesson Two -

1. Ask the students to list three - five factsthey remember about the Japanese andItalian detainee situation during WWIIand share.

2. Ask the students to list three - five morethings they would like to know aboutthe situation.


(continued)

— 63 —

3. The Japanese men were suspected ofbeing traitors to the U.S. because theycame from Japan, originally. However,they were removed from their homes,their businesses, and their familiesbefore it was proven they were enemyagents. What must that have been like?Brainstorm a list of concerns or feelingson the board.

4. Think about the differences betweenMissoula, Montana and the California orOregon coast, where many of theJapanese detainees came from.Brainstorm a list of differences – inweather, housing, scenery, foods, other?

5. Ask students to think about thesepeople and their WWII situation, and thefact that although today’s students aretaught about this part of Montana andU.S. history, students of the past oftenwere not. Why do you think this part ofhistory was not always taught in thepast?

Further Exploration:1. Research other writings or Internet

articles about Japanese detention duringWWII.

2. Peruse the book Farewell to Manzanar.

3. Research any contemporary situations;such as Iraqi detainees in Cuba,students might be aware of.

4. Compare the country of Italy and thestate of Montana, geographically. Whatsimilarities might have contributed tothe Italian men feeling somewhatcomfortable during their forced stay inMissoula. What is different between thetwo?

5. Discuss human and civil rights issues.Older students may want to debate orbrainstorm ideas as to how governmentsshould deal with these issues and war.

6. Research and discuss currentimmigration issues.


— 64 —


NAME____________________________________________

Japanese Haiku

Read the three Haiku poems on this page. If you were a Japanese detainee at Fort Missoula,Montana during World War II and wrote these words, what were you thinking about? Whatfeeling or mood? Write a possibility below each poem.

In Haiku, a form of poetry developed in seventeenth-century Japan, small, ordinary things showemotions, experiences, or comments about life. The natural world is usually a part of the poetry.

YOUR TURNUsing the list you made about what you think a Japanese detainee might have felt, heard, seen,experienced, and thought, while he was at Fort Missoula, start experimenting with words in orderto create one or more Haiku poems. Focus on one idea at a time, one that seems strong to you.Keep your poems simple. Try to work the words in your poems into this pattern: three linestotal - five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in thethird line. Remember, in poetry, you can place your words in any order that works for you!

The geese flying south

In a row long and v-shaped

Pulling in winter.

Sally Anderson

Gray window revealsRain puddles at the guard’s feetSoon now he goes home.

Julie Keenan

Closed inside I wait

You fly freely to flowers

Closed stays my cocoon.

Julie Keenan

— 65 —


Conoscete la Primavera in Montana?

Quando le strade ororose

s’adornan di profumate rose?

Quando le dolci colline

s’ammantan di verde

e nel soave infinito

lo sguardo si perde?

Quando il tenero Bitterroot accarezza

fiori e tronchi mossi dalla brezza?

Quando le primule e i gialli narcisi

ricoprono,

come tiepida coltre,i prati

che d’oro sembrano intrisi?

Oh! belleza dei giorni

quando, insieme al Meadowlark,

il pino Ponderosa oscilla

al primo tepore

del sole che brilla?

Oh! Dolcezza delle calde ore

del mezzogiorno de’Aprile, Maggio e Giugno!

Quando le pietre dei muri

ai primi calori della Primavera

scintillan lontano

e sui campi impera

ilverde-oro del grano!

Dai lontani orizzonti

sembrano giungere a noi

le azzurre cime dei monti

e penetrar conardore

nella intimita del cuore!

Tempo di primavera in Montana

by Umberto Benedetti

al/il - the

belleza - beautiful

brilla - shines

che - that or what

dei - of the

giorno - day

insieme - together or with

oscilla - sway

primavera - spring

quando - when

sole - sun

tepore - warmth

NAME____________________________________________

Translation of Italian Poem

Umberto Benedetti wrote this poem, Tempo di primavera in Montana, while he was an Italiandetainee at Fort Missoula during WWII. Try reading his words aloud. Many Italian words lookand sound like English words. Many also have the same meanings as English words.

Using the Italian vocabulary list below, try to translate the title and section of the poem in italics.Then, on the back of this sheet, write what you think the poem is about and how Mr. Benedettifeels about Montana.

— 66 —


Translation of Tempo di primavera in Montanaby Umberto Benedetti

Do you know Springtime in Montana?

When the roses and flowers begin

To blossom on the street?

When up the gentle hills flow

The tender Bitterroot flowers

With blooming fruit trees?

When Primroses and yellow Daffodils

Gaily cover the Meadows

Bedecked with Gold.

Oh the beauty of the day

When the Ponderosa pine

Sways with the Meadowlark (and)

The first warmth of the sun that

shines.

Those hot noon hours

April, May and June.

When the Stone sails

Along the Mountain Trails

Begin to glow gently. And,

The first warm Spring Sun

Is shining in that pleasant

Green Gold of the Bluebunch

Wheat Grass.

How the distant Mountains

Reach Toward us, ever more

Blue filled with tender Heart.

Original translation by Dr. Alfonso Manzi, old

friend and Italian neighbor of Mr. Benedetti.

Selected section translation by Bonnie

Bowler.

Springtime in Montana

by Umberto Benedetti

— 67 —


Lesson 4: Mail Call!

Pre-Lesson Preparation:As long as people have had the skillto read and write, letters have beenan important means ofcommunication, especially whendistance is a factor. The situation ofwar has always heightened thatimportance. Throughout the world,the letter sent from home to thesoldier and the letter sent from thesoldier to home represented keenlyimportant contact for both parties. Aletter sent during war can provideinformation or reinforce relationshipsor reassure or provide hope in a waythat no other form of communicationcan; the receiver can fold a letter up,tuck it away into a very small space,and read it over and over again,extending its benefit indefinitely.Historians have long consideredletters written during times of war tobe some of the best primarydocuments for research.

During the latter years of World WarII, V-mail became a government-encouraged way to correspond with aloved one serving overseas. V-mailletters were written on forms thatcould be purchased at five and tencent stores or the post office. Aperson wrote the letter on the form,it was then photographed, put onfilm, flown across the world, and thenreproduced at the mail center closestto the recipient’s position. Americanson the home front were encouragedby the government to use V-mailmainly because it reduced in size andweight the letters being transported

Objectives:At the end of this lesson students will be able to:

• Identify and place correctly the five parts offriendly letters: the heading, the salutation, thebody, the closing, and the signature.

• Tell the role and importance of mail as a way ofcommunicating with people in military service,both in WWII and in current times.

• Write a friendly letter to a military veteran,following the process of drafting, editing,polishing, and finalizing

• OPTIONAL –Correctly word process the letter,using your school’s computer technology

Time:Part One – Review samples of World War II era letters– 15 min.

Part Two – Teach or review the five parts of a friendlyletter – 15 min.

Part Three – Either in groups or individually, write athank you letter to a veteran staying in a hospital ornursing home facility – 30 min.

Materials:• Footlocker – the John Harrison archival v-mail

letters

• User Guide – WWII era postcards depictingsoldiers wanting to hear from loved ones;Amazing Montanans biography of John Harrison;“Cookies for Rookies” recipe; transparencyshowing the five parts of a friendly letter andcorrectly addressed envelope; list of veterans’facilities;

• Teacher provided – Overhead projector;envelopes.

(continued)

— 68 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 4: Mail Call! (continued)

leaving room for crucial military supplies oncargo planes. For example, it took 37mailbags to carry 150,000 one-page letters,but a single mailbag could carry the samenumber of letters converted to V-mailmicrofilm. In V-mail form, the weight of thisquantity of mail would be reduced from 2,575pounds to 45 pounds. In spite of the push touse V-mail, most people still sent regular firstclass letters to their loved ones overseas.

Please review stereotype on the vocabularylist. Especially during war times groups ofpeople often regard the people considered theenemy with stereotypes. Note that JudgeHarrison refers to German soldiers as“Krauts” in his letters. Although the term wascommonly used in both WWI and WWII, it isnot acceptable today.

Procedure:

Part One 1. Share the WWII letters and postcard

images of soldiers.

2. Ask students to read some aloud.Discuss what it must have been like tohave a parent so far away, both for theparent and the child.

3. Discuss any aspects of the letters thestudents find interesting.

4. Discuss the word stereotype found onthe vocabulary list and ask students ifthey find examples of stereotyping in theHarrison letters. Reinforce that the useof the term “Krauts” would not beacceptable today.

5. Also, share the Amazing Montanansbiography of John Harrison.

Part Two 1. Review the style of a friendly letter using

the sample and identified parts on thetransparency.

2. Point out the necessary punctuation in afriendly letter.

3. If you have time, prepare a sample witherrors in the five main parts andchallenge students to correct the errors.

Part Three 1. Explain that there are hundreds of

Montanans, in a hospital or nursinghome, who served in the military atsome time in their lives and who wouldlove to get a letter – a letter thatdemonstrates today’s students are awareand do appreciate veterans’ service tothe United States.

2. With the class, brainstorm a list of thingsstudents could tell the veterans or say tothem that they think would help showrecognition and appreciation. Many ofthese people are receiving medicalassistance and/or are living in nursinghomes that are veteran’s facilities. InMontana, the Federal Governmentoperates some of these facilities, and theState of Montana operates others.

3. Explain that there are people of all agesin these facilities; some have been in awar situation, but not all have.

4. Brainstorm a list of the war settingspotentially experienced by veterans inthese facilities (WWII, Korea, Vietnam,Gulf War, Iraqi Freedom).

5. Discuss the jobs performed by themilitary in times of peace, as well astimes of war.

6. Either as a class or as individuals, thestudents write letters of appreciationand/or recognition to a veteranaddressed: “Dear Veteran ”

7. Follow your established writing processas to drafting, editing, and revising.

8. The final product(s), including addressedenvelopes, can be mailed to one facilityor split between all of the facilities onthe provided list. All of the facilitiesknow that letters may be forthcomingfrom a variety of classes, and the staff ateach facility guarantees that the patientswill be delighted to receive mail!

(continued)

— 69 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 4: Mail Call! (continued)

IMPORTANT *** PRIVACY IS AN ISSUEBOTH FOR THE VETS AND FOR THESTUDENTS. PLEASE ASK STUDENTS NOTTO ADDRESS THEIR LETTERS TO ASPECIFIC PERSON, AND PLEASE HAVESTUDENTS SIGN WITH FIRST NAMESONLY. (If a vet wishes to respond, he/shecould write a return letter to the class.)

OPTIONAL: Either the class could bake (ifkitchen facilities are available) one of the“Cookies for Rookies” recipes or perhaps aparent volunteer could coordinate a fewstudents baking at home. The cookies couldbe sent along with the letters.

Discussion Questions:1. Why do you think that letters are a good

source of information for historians?

2. What kinds of things might be learnedfrom reading letters from past times?

3. Which letter from the WWII letters wasyour favorite? Why?

Further Exploration:1. Censorship was an issue concerning

letter writing during WWII and duringother wars. Find out about censorshipand what actions the U.S. governmenttook during WWII to insure strategicinformation was not leaked to theenemy.

2. Search the Internet for other examplesof letters written during war times.What similarities and differences do yousee compared to and contrasted with theWWII letters?

3. Diaries and journals are also valuableresearch tools that show what humansexperience during a war. Search theInternet for samples of diaries orjournals written during war times.

4. Coordinate a class or school project toseek out letters, diaries/journals thatrelatives, neighbors, or friends ofstudents may have in their possessionand would be willing to share.

— 70 —


Veterans Facilities In Montana

These facilities are either hospitals or nursing homes that care for veterans. Included with theaddress and phone number is the name of a contact person. It is not necessary for you to callahead of sending the letters. All of the facilities are aware that letters (and possibly cookies!)from Montana students may be coming their way. They may post the letters for a group toenjoy or they may give them to individuals. They would love to hear from your students!

Eastern Montana Veterans Home2000 Montana AvGlendive, MT 59330406-345-8855Attention: Social Services Director – MelodyTrusty

Fort Harrison VA CenterPO Box 167Ft. Harrison, MT 59636406-442-6410Attention: Director of Voluntary Services –Kathleen Hensen

Miles City Primary Care Clinic and Nursing Home210 S. WinchesterMiles City, MT 59301406-232-8284Attention: Marielaine Hegel

Montana State Veterans HomePO Box 250Columbia Falls, MT 59912406-892-3256Attention: Jill Lawrence

— 71 —


Lesson 5: The Ultimate Dr. Seuss Savings Bond Challenge

Objectives:At the conclusion of thislesson students will be ableto:

• Practice basic mathskills using the WWIIera Savings bondredemption chart

• Apply problem solvingskills relating to math

• State a definition of“savings bond,”“redeem/redemption”,and “issue price”

• State the purpose ofsavings bonds soldduring WWII

Time:30 – 40 minutes

Materials:• Footlocker – none

• User Guide – Colorcopy of original WWIIera Savings BondRedemption chart;copy of originalsavings bond; mathproblem sheets withDr. Seuss illustrations

• Teacher Provided –None

Pre-Lesson Preparation:War is expensive. When a country wages war, it has toconsider how to adequately fund the high costs of maintainingthe military personnel, equipment, communications systems,weapons, and etc. During WWII, one of the ways the U.S.asked its citizens to help defray the high costs of the war wasto encourage and promote their buying savings bonds or warbonds, as they were sometimes called. Men and women wereasked to give ten percent of their paychecks at their jobs topurchase savings bonds. Grandparents bought them for theirgrandchildren, and children were encouraged to earn and savemoney in order to purchase them, as well. Over all, Montanaand the rest of the country believed in buying savings bonds toactively support the war. Basically, by buying a bond, a personallowed the government to use the money, in return for a gaindown the road. To define “savings bond” explain that “savings”means money put away or saved, and “bond” means thecertificate or piece of paper that officially states how muchmoney the person who purchased the bond has loaned to thegovernment. Define the verb “redeem” as to get back – in thiscase, to get back the money loaned to the government for thewar efforts. The noun form of the verb “redeem” is“redemption,” the word used on the provided table. Define“issue price” as the amount a person paid to purchase asavings bond, in other words its cost. There were several issueprices available.

During WWII, Theodore Geisel, the famous children’sillustrator, was hired to create persuasive images that wouldhelp sell savings bonds. A different Dr. Seuss illustration isincluded with each math problem sheet. This lesson relates toLesson #2 – The Power of Persuasion.

Procedure:1. Students may work in partnerships, groups, or as

individuals.

2. Review the provided math problem sheets.

(continued)

— 72 —

3. Photocopy the “Ultimate Dr. SeussSavings Bond Challenge” math problemsheets.

4. Take a few minutes to briefly explain theconcept of savings bonds and theirimportance in WWII.

5. Define savings bond, and show thestudents how formally and elaboratelythey were designed. Define redeem andredemption. Brainstorm what thestudents think the term “maturity value”on the chart means.

6. Go over the redemption table so thatstudents understand how it works.

7. After you hand out the math problemsheets, you may want to do the firstproblem together to insure that yourstudents can “read” the table.

8. The students may work the remainingproblems on their own time.

9. If time, discuss the Dr. Seussillustrations. You may want to use theanalysis questions from Lesson #2.

Discussion Questions:1. Would you be willing to wait ten years

to make ten dollars profit? Why or whynot?

2. Would you be willing to buy savingsbonds in today’s world to help support awar? Why or why not?

3. What do you think of the Dr. Seussillustrations?

Further Exploration:1. Find out whether or not savings bonds

or something similar are issued by thegovernment in today’s world. Comparethem to the 1940’s ones.

2. Create your own illustration encouragingpeople to buy savings bonds.

3. Research how much money the U.S.Government raised selling savings bondsduring WWII.

(continued)

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 5: The Ultimate Dr. Seuss Savings Bond Challenge (continued)

— 73 —


You purchased two savings bonds for the issue price (cost) of $18.75each. You kept them for 5 – 5 1/2 years. After that time, youredeemed them.

A) How much money did you spend to purchase your savings bonds?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

B) How much money did you receive when you redeemed them?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

C) How much profit did you make?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Problem #1

— 74 —


Below are two options for purchasing savings bonds. Of these twooptions, which one would earn you the most money?

Option A) You purchase two $375 savings bonds and keep them for 9¹⁄₂ – 10 years.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

— Or —

Option B) You purchase one $750 savings bond and keep it for 9¹⁄₂ - 10 years.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Problem #2

— 75 —


You purchased a $75 savings bond in February of 1942 and redeemedit in August of 1944. How much was the savings bond worth when youredeemed it?

______________________________________________________________________

Problem #3

— 76 —


Look carefully at each column of the redemption table. Try to figure outthe rate each savings bond increases.

A) Does the $18.75 savings bond increase at the same amount at each time span given in the column?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Explain your answer. ________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

B) Choose any one of the other bonds listed in the chart and describe its rate of increase.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Problem #4

— 77 —


Which bond would you purchase and how long would you keep it in order to earn the most money?

______________________________________________________________________

How much would you earn? _________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Problem #5

— 78 —


In 1942, you were eleven years old.You mowed lawns, shoveled snow,and babysat to earn money, andyou saved your allowance. What akid! In December of that year, youmade a savings bond purchase. In1945, you redeemed your savingsbond investment for a $10 profit.What an investor!

Which bond(s) did you buy? Describe your investment.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Extra Credit

— 79 —


Lesson 6: The Scrap Attack!

Objectives: At the conclusion of this lesson students willbe able to:

• Apply organizational skills

• Perform math skills

• Practice communication skills

• Create a recycling award using artand/or computer lab skills (optional)

Time:• Background information, planning, and

organization – 40 minutes

• Scrap collection, sorting, weighing,storing, and transporting – time willvary depending on the scope of yourproject. Consider if you want theproject to last several days, a week orlonger.

• (Optional) Award design – 20–30 minutes

Materials: • Footlocker materials: Photograph of

Webster School children in Butte ontop of scrap heap; and the rationbook.

• User Guide materials: LaminatedWWII Montana “Paper TrooperAwards;” WWII document on renderingand saving fat; the application topurchase shoes; sample chart fordocumenting scrap collection.

• Teacher Provided Materials: Artsupplies if students design their ownawards and/or access to computertechnology.

Pre-lesson Preparation:The U.S. Government heavily emphasized“scrap drives” during World War II for twomain reasons. One reason was that themilitary acutely needed raw materials for thewar effort, - metal, aluminum, rubber, leather,and wood. The other reason was that whenmen, women, and children participated inthese efforts, they felt like they were activelysupporting their troops and contributing tothe successful, and hopefully swift, conclusionof the war. Rationing goods, such as butter,and things made from paper, metal, rubber,or leather also insured that adequate suppliesof these materials would be available for thewar effort. A unique and specialized recyclingeffort with which most contemporary studentswill not be familiar is the rendering (cookingdown) of animal fats leftover from food use.Many housewives diligently participated, andcollected liquid fat in containers by thespoonful. After the liquid cooled, itcongealed back into a solid form. Thecontainers of rendered fat were sent tospecialized collection centers where workersextracted glycerin from the fat. The glycerinwas then used in ammunitions and explosivesproduction. Montana’s Governor Sam Fordused the “Paper Trooper” award (copy oforiginal in User Guide) to reward schoolchildren for collecting large quantities ofscrap paper. In today’s world, children arefamiliar with recycling paper, aluminum,newspapers, metal cans, and glass; however,they do not collect and recycle for a wareffort, as the WWII era children did. Be sureto visit with your class about the reasons forrecycling in today’s world; and, help themcome to the conclusion that the past and thepresent do have some shared aims in thisarea - all people and their societies benefit by

(continued)

— 80 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 6: The Scrap Attack! (continued)

avoiding excessive materials in landfills andby recycling materials that can be turned intonew ones instead of using up more finitenatural resources.

Procedure:1. Go over the background information on

WWII scrap drives with your class.Show footlocker items as needed forsupport.

2. Involve your students in the followingorganizational and planning steps:

• Determine the scope of your scrapdrive project.

• What materials will you collect -paper, aluminum, other?

• Will other classes and/or the wholeschool be involved?

• Will the students collect materialfrom both inside and outside ofschool?

• Where will you have “collectionstations?”

• How and where will you store thematerial you collect?

• How will you weigh/measure thematerial you collect?

• Who will transport the material to arecycling center?

• Is there a parent volunteer who couldhelp with the project?

• Will the students work on teamsconcentrating on certain aspects ofthe project or as individuals?

• How will you conclude the project?Awards? Publication of results?Other?

3. Students design a chart for recordkeeping based on the scope of yourproject. See example.

4. Students design awards (class and/orindividual), based on the “PaperTrooper” award, either using artsupplies or computer technology.

5. Students plan the culminatingevent/awards ceremony.

5. Budget daily time for collectionmanagement. This time will varydepending on the scope of your project.

6. Students carry out the project.

Discussion Questions:1. Do you think children of today respond

to recycling requests with the sameenthusiasm that many children of WWIIresponded to them? Explain.

2. If time, look closely at the document forrendering and saving fat, used mainly byhomemakers. Who are the Axis Powerleaders represented by the cartoonfaces? Are these illustrations a form ofstereotyping [meaning typecast orrepresenting a set image]?

2. Take a position and defend it:RECYCLING IS NOT WORTH THEEFFORT or RECYCLING IS WORTHTHE EFFORT.

Further Exploration:1. Find out about your local landfill

process. What is the cost to taxpayers?How many tons of garbage are taken ineach year? What materials cannot bedisposed of in your landfill?

2. Find out about your local recyclingopportunities. How do you recycle inyour community? What materials canbe recycled? How efficient is thesystem?

3. How is recycled paper used? Recycledaluminum? Recycled metal? Recycledglass? Recycled plastic?

— 81 —


PoundsCollectedin Day #1





ITEM

Paper

Newspaper

Soda Cans

Cardboard

Metal

Other

Scrap Drive Record

— 82 —


— 83 —


Lesson 7: Marching Madness

Objectives:At the end of this lessonstudents will be able to:

• Demonstrate thatthey can “march”following 1941Basic Field Manualinstructions

• Identify thetraditional songsassociated with eachbranch of themilitary (Refer to theGod Bless AmericaCD)

Time: 30 minutes

Materials:• Footlocker – God

Bless America CDcontaining militarysongs; archivalphotograph of FirstSpecial ServiceForce marching in aparade

• User Guide –reproduced sectionsfrom 1941 BasicField Manual –Physical Training

• Teacher Provided –CD player

Pre-Lesson Preparation:Go over the section from the 1941 Basic Field Manual –Physical Training on marching. Familiarize yourself with thesongs, if you wish to use them with the marching exercise. Listento: The Marines’ Hymn (Marine Corps), The Caissons goRolling Along (Army), Anchors Aweigh (Navy). Identify theother “marching” songs on this CD; students will recognize someof them.

Procedure:1. Play one of the military songs to set the stage.

2. Tell the students that every military person learns to marchin basic training, not only during WWII, but also now.Marching in a group teaches coordination, taking orders,group unity, and helps develop a sense of patriotism,fearlessness and pride. It also helps with fitness andendurance.

3. Individual identity is not important when marching with agroup. The individual must not stand out.

4. Explain that soldiers march for practice in training, forspecial ceremonies or parades, and sometimes they marchin actual battle situations. They also march for inspectionsby high-ranking officials.

5. If possible, use the gym or even perform this exerciseoutside. If you are inside, push the desks back to allow aspace large enough for the class to form a square or circle.

6. You should be the first leader. Stand in the middle of thegroup.

7. Try marching first without music.

8. Read the general instructions for marching and demonstratehow it is to be done. Start with Section VI “MARCHINGAND EXERCISES WHILE MARCHING.”

9. Modify the length of steps and number of steps per minute,as you and the class see fit, although it might be fun to aska student volunteer try to match the 30-inch step length at arate of 120 steps per minute, as dictated in the manual.

10. Stress that they are all to march exactly alike. No oneshould stand out. (continued)

— 84 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 7: Marching Madness (continued)

11. After students have practiced, tryleading them through a simple exercisefor 1-2 minutes. Then go on to morecomplicated ones as time and interestallow.

12. Encourage students to volunteer asleaders.

13. Finally, try marching to one of thesongs.

Discussion:1. Have you heard any of the songs

before? Where?

2. What do the songs have in common?How are they alike?

3. Have you ever seen a group of militarypeople marching? In real life? In amovie or TV show? Describe.

Further Exploration:1. Find out how people from other

countries march – either in the past or incontemporary times. Demonstrate somesteps for the class.

2. For one week, organize the class tomarch wherever they need to go in theschool building – to the library, thelunchroom, the gym, out to recess, etc.At the end of the week, discuss thepositives and negatives of this kind ofstructure.

— 85 —


(continued)

— 86 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 7: Basic Field Manual (continued)

(continued)

— 87 —


(continued)

— 88 —


(continued)

— 89 —


(continued)

— 90 —


— 91 —


(continued)

— 92 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 7: Marching, Running and Grass Drills (continued)

— 93 —


Lesson 8: Montana Memories Readers Theater

Objectives: At the conclusion of this lesson, students will beable to:

• Play the role of a World War II era Montanan

• Compare and contrast, in discussion or writing,the various experiences of Montanans duringWorld War II

• Demonstrate, in discussion and/or writing, aknowledge of the some of the facts andfeelings surrounding these people’s experiences

Time: • Approximately 10 min. - Read through the

Historical Narrative for Fourth Graders withyour class to provide background for them.

• Approximately 10 min. - Choose/assign roles.

• Approximately 20 min. - Discuss roles themwith the individual students.

• Allow time for a rehearsal and also time forstudents to practice roles on their own. (Timewill vary).

• Approximately 40 minutes - MontanaMemories Readers Theater

Materials:• Footlocker Materials – Each role card suggests

a supporting item from the footlocker. All footlocker items are appropriate; WWII era CDs; song lyrics to The Home Fires

• User Guide Materials – Montana Memories Identity Sheet; you may choose to add The Amazing Montanans, as well

• Teacher Provided Materials – CD player; for an audio version of Keep the Home Fires Burning,” accesshttp://firstworldwar.com/audio/keepthetrenchfires.htm

Pre-lesson Preparation:Read through the Historical NarrativeFor Educators and the MontanaMemories Identity Sheets. Identify thesuggested support items for each rolefrom the footlocker. Determine thenumber of “Memories” you want toinclude in your Readers Theater. (Ifyou wish, you could include theAmazing Montanan biographies in thislesson, as well.) Photocopy theMontana Memories Identity Sheets.

Procedure:1. Determine whether the students

will assume roles/identities bytheir own choice, by lottery, or byassignment.

2. Emphasize to your students thatthe roles are based on real peopleand their experiences.

3. After students have their roles,allow them time to think aboutthe people they are brieflybecoming; encourage respectfulreflection. This is a time forsincerity.

4. Allow them time to practicereading the information providedand ask questions. If you have,time, have an actual rehearsal.Each role includes a suggesteditem from the footlocker that canbe held or worn by each role-player. Students can retrieve thefootlocker items just before theMontana Memories performance.If you have time, considerbeginning and ending theperformance with provided WWIIera songs or radio programs.

(continued)

http://firstworldwar.com/audio/keepthetrenchfires.htm

— 94 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IILesson 8: Montana Memories Readers Theater (continued)

5. If you use the songs, this also might bean appropriate time to discuss messagesin the song lyrics.

6. Perform the Montana Memories ReadersTheater.

7. Perform the Montana Memories ReadersTheater for another class or a group ofsenior citizens, if time allows.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (Led either by narrator or teacher):

1. Was there any one here today you felthad a more challenging time that anyoneelse? Explain.

2. Which person’s experience would havebeen hardest for you? Explain.

3. Which person’s experience would havebeen the most exciting or interesting foryou? Explain.

4. If you could ask one person a question,what would it be?

5. Do you think these people had somethings in common? Explain.

6. Do you think some people were theexact opposite of one another? Explain

7. Are there people who might not want tosit down together and visit? Explain.

8. What value is there in remembering thepast? For these people? For us? Explain.

FURTHER EXPLORATION:1. Collect WWII stories from your

community. Ask family members andneighbors about their memories of thistime in history. Many of the storiesmight come from the “secondgeneration” instead of the actualparticipants. Visit nursing homes. Findout about both the WWII militaryveterans and Home Front veterans stillliving in your community. Interviewthem, when possible, and collect theirstories in a book. Illustrate withphotographs, when possible.

2. Identify objects, photographs,documents, and uniforms from the WWIIera, and ask the owners for permissionto borrow them. Create a temporarydisplay in your school or communitycenter. Invite the community to visit.Include WWII era survivors as special,honored guests. Consider performingthe Montana Memories Readers Theater,making “Cookies For Rookies,” andlistening to some of the songs fromthese times.

— 95 —


Montana Memories Identity Sheet

INTRODUCTION BY NARRATOR:

Welcome to Montana Memories Readers Theatre.

Today, special visitors from the past tell us their stories. Their stories walk

us over a bridge in time. Perhaps their stories are like those of our

relatives. Their stories help give us pictures of what life was like during

World War II.

We will hear their words and look at some of their things. We will imagine

what it must have been like to live in such dramatic and difficult times, over

sixty years ago in Montana.

CONCLUSION BY NARRATOR:

Thank you to all of our special visitors. We honor you and your stories.

— 96 —



UMBERTO

Italian Detainee, Fort Missoula, Montana [Footlocker item - photos of Italian detainees]

Please call me “Bert.” That’s what most people call me. I never thought that

my life as a crewman on a cruise ship would take me to Missoula, Montana

during World War II! I was one of hundreds of Italian men who were held in

a detention camp in a place that was so beautiful we called it, “Bella Vista!”

Those words mean “beautiful view.” When I got off the train in Missoula, I

was amazed that we would be taken to a valley with mountains, blue sky, and

trees. This place helped make my difficult situation better. Even though I was

being held against my will, far from my home and family in Italy, I got along

with the American guards and people in charge of the camp at Fort Missoula.

Many of us were musicians, fine musicians! I loved to sing and entertain!

Many of us gave concerts and sometimes music lessons to people in

Missoula. Be sure to look closely at the photograph of a group of us playing

soccer in 1943. Some people think that the international sport of soccer

was not played in Montana until the 1980’s. The photo tells the true story.

The people in charge of the detention

center helped us build a soccer field.

They knew how important soccer was

to us, and that we all needed

exercise. We were all very good

soccer players! I loved Missoula so

much that I came back at the end of

the war. Proudly, I became a U.S.

citizen and built a life in Missoula,

Montana. Italian detainees soccer team at the Fort.

FR

OM

ITA

LIA

N B

OY

S A

T F

OR

T M

ISS

OU

LA

— 97 —



ROSE MARY

Bozeman high school student

[Footlocker items – ration book and sheet music]

There were six people in my family in Bozeman. In those days, my mother, likemost mothers, worked at home caring for her family. My dad worked at a flourmill.During the war, he helped grind Montana wheat into flour and then bag it for use bythe Red Cross, or the military, or for sale to citizens. He helped Montana contributelarge quantities of two important products needed for the war effort – grain andflour. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, my two olderbrothers, Jack and Joe, enlisted in the United States Navy. I remember our mothercrying often after they left to go to the war. She was so afraid for them. Thankfully,they both came home, safe. I also had a sister, Theresa, who was younger than I.Hardly any kids at our school drove cars in those days. Gasoline was rationed andso were tires. It would not have been right for us to use up the family resource ofour car just driving around, so we walked almost everywhere we went. A frequentdestination for Theresa and me and our friends was the train station. Often a trooptrain (a special train loaded with military personnel) would stop in Bozeman. Thewomen who volunteered with the Red Cross always had coffee and cookies readywhen a train was coming through. And who was better to hand those hundreds ofsoldiers cups of coffee and handfuls of cookies through the train windows? Me andmy sister and our friends!!! We were certain that the smiles, waves, and shouts ofthank-you, as the trains rolled away, meant our hand-delivered chocolate chip andpeanut butter cookies helped these men through a lonely and difficult time. Ofcourse, where they were going was top secret, for security reasons! Once, mybrother Jack broke the rules when he knew his outfit was traveling throughBozeman, our hometown. He got off the train several stops before Bozeman andcalled home to let us know he would be there for a few minutes. We all agreed afterthose few tearful minutes, “It was better than not seeing him at all!” I spent my highschool years singing and dancing. My friends and I listened to the radio and learnedthe words to every popular song of the day. We sang songs like “Til We Meet Again”which made us cry with sad memories of loved ones who were fighting the war, butalso gave us hope. We sang songs like “The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy” becausethey were fun. And, we sang silly songs like “Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats andLiddle Lamzy Divey” because they made us laugh and forget our worries. Whenthere weren’t enough guys to be our dance partners, we girls practiced the latestjitterbug dance steps together. Everyone I knew danced and loved to dance! Wecouldn’t wait until all the guys came home, so we would all have partners again!The war finally ended and they did come home, including my brothers.

— 98 —



DAVE

Rimini War Dog trainer [Footlocker items - toy dog and photo of dog team]

I came from Massachusetts to the War Dog Reception Center at Camp Rimini, which

is near Helena, in February of 1943. I loved dogs and had worked in kennels where

I grew up. I was earmarked for this special assignment to work with dogs because

of my background. We were told that we were to train dog teams to pull sleds and

help support the First Special Service Force with the plan to drop behind enemy

lines and help free Norway from German occupation. When the First Special Service

Force was assigned to other challenges, so were we. But, between February 1943

and August 1944, we trained ourselves and our dogs to become so strong and fit

that we could take on our next job – rescue work at downed aircraft sites in New

Foundland. We were teams – the human trainers and the dogs. The humans

pushed themselves every day, working with the dogs in deep snow, up and down

mountains. The dogs pushed themselves too. But, they had to learn how to pull a

sled together and obey human commands. They loved to run! Especially my

favorite group of dogs! I called them the “Cream Team.” They were all light-

colored, smart, hard-working – the best dog team I ever had. Jack and Jill, Saucy

and Darka, Noel and Nome, and Jill Senior and Mala were their names. Sometimes

people planned ways to use the dogs that did not work. If you go to the Military

Museum at Fort William Henry Harrison, near Helena, you can see my winter

training uniform, dog sled and a small parachute – designed for a dog. Yes.

Someone thought that dogs would be able to parachute out of an airplane, along

with humans. Thankfully, the plan was cancelled! We all were glad we were doing

what we were doing in those days. We loved the training. When I left Camp Rimini

and worked in search and rescue, I did my job well because of my Montana training.

We had to be both physically and emotionally strong to carry out our jobs. I left the

service in September 1945, married my wife Alice in 1947, went to school in Maine,

and then moved back to Montana, where I live not too far from Camp Rimini. I still

raise and train dogs to pull sleds. Sometimes, I still run dog teams in races. Local

schools invite me to visit and tell my stories. I always take a dog or two along. I

have a great time talking with kids these days.

— 99 —



ANNE

Smelter worker in East Helena

[Footlocker items – 40’s era dress and Rosie the Riveter doll]

When I left my home in Yugoslavia, I was 21 years old. I left because myhusband, Joe, had moved to East Helena and it was time for me to join himthere. Before I got on the boat to cross the ocean, I had to tell my mother Iwould probably never return. In the U.S. Joe and I both worked on farms. Iwent to night school to learn English, but I did not like to go shopping inHelena because my English was not very good. In the 30’s, during theDepression years, we grew a big garden, and we traded work for milk andmeat, so we were not hungry. When World War II came, women wereencouraged to come work at the smelter. We were recruited because therewere not enough men to do all of the work. I worked there for two and one-half years between 1942 and 1944. I worked just like the men. I ran ninemachines. Other women worked in the smelter yard, cleaning and piling ore.We felt we had the same rights as the men, and they treated us well. Thewomen workers got together in the change house, where we could changeour clothes, at lunch to visit. That was the only time we could visit. Ourforeman was very kind to us. He brought a burner to us so we could cookhot lunches. But, the work conditions were dirty, gassy-smelling, and notpleasant. One woman had a leg amputated because of a severe injury.Sometimes, Joe worked a different shift from me at the shelter, and everyfew weeks, our shifts changed. He hated for me to work the night shift.When he was home and I was at work, he took care of our sons, cooked, anddid the laundry. Sometimes our young boys had to stay alone. We taughtthem to stick together, to cook, and to bake cookies! It was good for them -really good for them! We never had trouble with our kids. Sometimes theywould come to visit me at the smelter. I walked to work every day. We didnot have a car, and only the people from Helena rode the bus to work. Inever learned to drive a car. When the war was over, my boss told me Icould keep working at the smelter if I wanted to. I thought it was toodangerous. I kept working, though, for many more years in a restaurant inHelena. I learned to love baseball living in East Helena. In my Yugoslavianaccent, I would say, “I loved the bezball, I just loved it!”

— 100 —



HUB

Ace fighter pilot

[Footlocker items - officer’s cap]

My real name is Hubert, and I came from Missoula.I got the nickname “Hub” when I won 56 out of 59fights and became a middleweight boxing champion.Before I enlisted in the military, I worked as a forestfire lookout on the Lolo National Forest. I camefrom an American-German family, and I had to fightagainst German people during the war. It was whatI had to do to serve my country. I flew my fighterplanes in the skies over Europe for at least 450hours of combat time and 154 missions. People willtell you I was very good at my job. By the end ofthe war, I had destroyed 19.5 enemy planes on theground and 8.5 in the air. On October 30, 1944, Iwas flying my last mission over Germany. I hitturbulence and my P-51 fighter plane starteddisintegrating. I parachuted out and was safe for aday. Then some German farmers captured me,interrogated me, and put me on a train headed for aprison camp. Suddenly, I was the target ofAmerican warplanes! I had destroyed at least 50locomotives, myself, and there my own countrymenwere shooting me at! I tried to help the German people get out of the burningtrain, but when they realized I was an American soldier, they turned on me. I feltlike I was in a movie! A German lieutenant rescued me in a car that crashed soonafter we left the train site. Finally several German officers took me to a huntinglodge where they tried to convince me to join them and lead a squadron againstthe Soviets. I refused. They put me back on a train, which, also, was bombed byAmericans warplanes. I survived. The Germans sent me to a prisoner of warcamp called Stalag Luft I. In the spring of 1945, we were liberated from thecamp. The war was over! Before I could come home, though, I still had work todo. I helped track down missing prisoners of war. I retired from the military in1954, after thirty years of service. Colonel C. Ross Greening, who also had beena POW, painted this picture of me in 1945. Maybe someday, you might want toread the books I wrote about my experiences in World War II: Zemke’s Wolfpackand Zemke’s Stalag.

PAIN

TIN

G B

Y C

OL.

C.R

OS

S G

RE

EN

ING

Hubert “Hub” Zemke

— 101 —



MARGARET

Wife of a Navy man

[Footlocker items – white Navy hat and sheet music]

A daughter of homesteaders, I loved my farm life. My mother worked in our home at bothinside and outside work. She taught my sister, Roberta, and me how to cook, bake, preservefood, and chores like milking cows and stacking hay. My strict Norwegian father taught us howto play musical instruments, as well as how to do all of the farm work. We practiced almostevery evening, and even though it was drilled into us to play perfectly and mistakes were nottolerated, we loved our music making times. Our family even played for local dances. Theyusually lasted until after midnight. I remember my family getting home at dawn – just in time togo out and milk the cows before we could go to bed! We grew up in a time when kids had tolearn how to do everything. We attended a tiny one-room school. When it was time for highschool, I had to beg to be allowed to go. It meant living with my grandparents in town duringthe week and coming home on weekends, if the weather was good enough. After I graduatedfrom Roy High School, I went on to college in Billings and earned a teaching certificate. Then Itaught in a country school for a year and then worked in the courthouse. Life soon changed! Imet a man I wanted to marry, and my life took me far away from central Montana! He hadenlisted in the Navy just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. We got married when he was homeon leave, in June 1942. At that time of my life, even though I knew how to do all kinds ofthings, I had never traveled beyond Montana and my mother’s home in Kansas. I knew smalltowns and the country. When my husband was stationed on the east coast, I got on a train inMontana and traveled by myself all the way to Grand Central Station in New York City. I knewthat sooner or later, he would have to go to the battles. I wanted to spend as much time aspossible with him. We lived in a little house on Long Island. For the first time in my life, I sawacres of tulips in bloom and the crashing ocean waves. My first child was born while we werethere. Once a hurricane hit. Since the ships had to be out at sea in large storms, my husbandhad to be on duty with his ship. A friend had a baby too, so we sat up all night rocking oursleeping babies while the hurricane winds battered my house. The Navy transferred my husbandto the West Coast next. So, again, I traveled by train – this time with my young son – from NewYork to Oakland, California. In those days, everyone was so helpful on the train. It was fun.Then, my husband was sent to the South Pacific on an aircraft carrier. I never knew where hewas, for sure. We could mail letters to one another, but for security reasons, he could never tellme where he was. Finally, I moved back to my parents’ Montana farm to wait out the rest ofthe war. Every night I played songs on the piano that reminded me of what all of us were goingthrough. We worried every day about our loved ones and neighbors who were in harm’s way. Wedreaded getting a telegram telling one of us that someone was injured, missing, or killed. I wasfortunate. That telegram never came to me, even though my husband, Ralph, served on twodifferent ships that were critically damaged in battle. When the war ended and he came home,our children, a son and a daughter, played with his Navy hats until they wore them out.

— 102 —



JAKE

Member of Civilian Public Service Camp # 55 in Belton/West Glacier

[Footlocker item – reproduction of THE TRAILMAKER]

I was a college student in Oregon when I was drafted for military service in1943. I strongly believed in my Methodist religion, and I strongly opposedwar. The Selective Service system in our country during World War IIgranted me a classification called IV-E. That meant I could be assigned to aCivilian Public Service camp, as an alternative to military service. I arrived inBelton, Montana in early September. I helped clear trails, construct alookout tower, and plant trees. As the weeks went on, I became more andmore convinced that I was not being true to my beliefs. Somehow, I neededto make a stronger statement that I believed war was wrong. I walked awayfrom the camp, knowing that I would be arrested, tried, and sent to federalprison. I remained in prison at Leavenworth, Kansas from January 20, 1944until I was released in 1947. I wrote a letter to the men at the camp toexplain my actions. Here is part of my letter.

“… Christian pacifists must accept the responsibilities of their belief. … Therefusal … to participate in war. …We must try to relieve the suffering causedby war or any other social conflict; we must try to seek ways and means ofeliminating the tensions which tend to cause them … Although there areperhaps such opportunities within the C.P.S. program, it can hardly be saidthat an honest attempt to eliminate war and its results and evils is one of thebasic aims of the program.

C.P.S. is not alternative to war, but merely an alternative to military service.There is a great difference. A real alternative to war must include honest,positive action, by self-sacrificing men and women, working together towardreal peace.

I went to C.P.S. because I was not prepared to make the real sacrificesnecessary for total opposition to war. I put convenience ahead of conviction.

In walking out, I do not voluntarily choose to go to prison, but I feel that Iam prepared for the consequences of my action. As long as I am free to doso, I shall try to live according to the principles which have led me to C.P.S.I hope to eliminate from my life the sort of compromise which permitted meto accept C.P.S. in the first place.”

As a visitor here today, I am not telling you what you should believe. I’masking you to think about what you believe.

— 103 —


They were summoned from the hillside

They were called in from the glen,

And the country found them ready

At the stirring call for men.

Let no tears add to their hardships

As the soldiers pass along,

And although your heart is breaking

Make it sing this cheery song:

Keep the Home Fires Burning,

While your hearts are yearning,

Though your lads are far away

They dream of home.

There’s a silver lining

Through the dark clouds shining,

Turn the dark cloud inside out

‘Til the boys come home.

Overseas there came a pleading,

“Help a nation in distress.”

And we gave our glorious laddies

Honour bade us do no less,

For no gallant son of freedom

To a tyrant’s yoke should bend,

And a noble heart must answer

To the sacred call of “Friend.”

Keep the Home Fires Burning,

While your hearts are yearning,

Though your lads are far away

They dream of home.

There’s a silver lining

Through the dark clouds shining,

Turn the dark cloud inside out

‘Til the boys come home.

Keep the Home Fires Burning

Reproduced below are the lyrics to the hugelypopular wartime song written in 1914, Keep TheHome Fires Burning, music by Ivor Novello andwords by Lena Ford. The song is also popularlyknown as Till The Boys Came Home. The obvioussentimentality of the song lent it increasedpopularity for families at home than to soldiersserving on the various wartime fronts. The song’stremendous success brought Ivor Novello overnightfame, launching a hugely successful post-warcareer; although he also served with the RoyalNaval Air Service (RNAS) as a pilot from 1916.

— 104 —


WWII Word Search

ALLIES AXIS BOND

BOOM CHANGE CONCERN

CONVICTION DRAFT EDITORIAL

ENLIST FRONT INFLAMMATORY

RATION REDEEM SATIRE

— 105 —


The World Stage: Countries of WWIILabel the countries and mark with

an (L) if they were part of the Allied powers or an (X) if they were part of the Axis alliance.

— 106 —


United States

Great Britain

Soviet Union

Japan

Germany

Italy

World Leaders

Adolf Hitler

_____________

Franklin D. Roosevelt

_____________

Benito Mussolini

_____________

Showa Tenno Hirohito

_____________

Winston Churchill

_____________

Joseph Stalin

_____________

Match the world leader with their countryand label them as an “Allied” or “Axis” power.

— 107 —


Grades 4 - 8 Bibliography

(continued)

Glynn, Gary. Montana’s Home Front During World War II. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc., 1994.

Josephson, Judith Pinkerton. Growing Up in World War II 1941 - 1945. Minneapolis,MN: Lerner Publications Co., 2003.

Be sure to visit with your school or public librarian about both fiction and non-fictionresources available to you on the subject of World War II.

High School/Adult Bibliography

Bauerle, Phonedia, editor. The Way of the Warrior: Stories of the Crow People.Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 2003.

Benedetti, Umberto. Italian Boys at Fort Missoula, Montana 1941 - 1943. Missoula,Montana” Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc., 1991.

Cohen, Stan, publisher. To Win the War: Home Front Memorabilia of World War II.Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc., 1995.

Cohen, Stan. V for Victory: America’s Home Front During World War II. Missoula,Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc., 1991

Furdell, William J. “The Great Falls Home Front During World War II.” Montana TheMagazine of Western History Winter 1998: 63-73.

Glynn, Gary. Montana’s Home Front During World War II. Missoula, Montana:Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc., 1994.

Malone, Michael P. and Roeder, Richard B. Montana: A History of Two Centuries.Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press, 1988.

— 108 —

The Home Fires: Montana In World War IIBibliography (continued)

Pallister, Casey J. “Montana” Oiye: The Journey of A Japanese American From theBig Sky to the Battlefields of Europe. Dept. of History, Carroll College, April. 2003.

Van Valkenburg, Carol. An Alien Place: The Fort Missoula, Montana, DetentionCamp 1941 - 1944. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing company,Inc., 1995.

Walter, Dave. “Rebel With A Cause: Jeannette Rankin, 1941.” Montana Magazine#110 Nov.-Dec. 1991: 66-72.

http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/powers_ of_ persuasion/

http://www.proteacher.com/090075.shtml

http://www.google.com (search the subject “World War II lesson plans”)

Be sure to visit with your school or public librarian about additional World War II resources.

http://www.proteacher.com/090075.shtml

http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/powers_ of_ persuasion/

http://www.google.com