America At War Project
This project is being conducted by Da Vinci Charter Academy in Davis, California. Each student read and analyzed Catch-22, which is a novel set during World War II. The individuals then answered the driving questions below by creating a movie pilot for the book, analyzing America's foreign policy and popular music at the time, and by creating a research-based multi-media timeline of World War II.
DRIVING QUESTIONS
● How does war impact the individual?
● How does war impact society?
● What is the cost of war?
● Can war, with all of its destruction, be beneficial?
● How does war impact the individual?
● How does war impact society?
● What is the cost of war?
● Can war, with all of its destruction, be beneficial?
Summary of World War II
World War II was a very widespread war that took place between 1939 and 1945. Many countries all over the world were involved in this war through two major alliances: the Axis and the Allies. The Axis powers were made up of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allied Powers were composed of many countries such as the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China. This widespread war started in the early 1930s when fascist regimes began their rise to power around the world. Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany at the time, promised to rebuild his country because it was destroyed as a result of the Great War. Mussolini reciprocated Hitlers plans, and Japan slowly began to rebuild itself as well. Hitler began to seek political power and was named chancellor of Germany in 1932. Shortly after, he launched a political campaign against the large population of Jewish people living in Germany, because he blamed the Jewish population for Germany's ruin after the Treaty of Versailles and World War I. Hitler soon gained control of the nation and made the decision to invade Poland in order to gain territory for the German population. Britain was forced to declare war because of Hitlers increased offensives in Europe, and allied with Russia and China. Japan and Italy joined with Germany, which allowed Hitler to access the Pacific. The Allied nations grew worried as Japan slowly took over the Pacific and the Nazis advanced in Europe, and as a result, the Allied Powers begged the United States to join them. The United States declared neutrality until they were attacked on December 7, 1941 by Japanese bombers. The United States then sent troops to both Europe and the Pacific, and were able to help push the Germans back to Berlin and later surrender. Japan, on the other hand, refused to surrender until the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan which led to their surrender. This war resulted in many innocent people dead all around the world, but helped the advancement of technology and warfare such as naval warfare, anti-aircraft weaponry, and nuclear weaponry.
Summary of Catch-22
Catch-22, written by Joseph Heller, is a novel that takes place during World War II. Captain John Yossarian, the protagonist, is a paranoid bombardier pilot in the 256th Squadron of the Army Air Force who struggles to survive the war. This nonlinear novel outlines the harsh affects that war can have on people by setting each chapter around a different one of Yossarian's comrades. Heller uses very satirical language in order to convey the weaknesses in military and political establishments during the war, and the catch that the book is based on, Catch-22, illustrates the lunacy of many wartime decisions.
Click here to view two movie pilots for Catch-22!