World War II

• Timeline of Major Events of World War II – Follow the events of the war from the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931 to VJ Day in September of 1945.
• Veterans History Project – Personal narratives of courage, friendship, family and community.
• Women Come to the Front – Women became war journalists, photographers and newscasters to bring stories of latest war events to the home front.  

The Home Front

• Life at Home 1940 to 1949 – Americans’ daily lives change considerably in the 1940s. Women went to work and slacks become acceptable attire.  Big Bands, Bee Bop, and Rhythm and Blues topped the charts.  The radio continued to bring entertainment and news into the homes.
• World War II Rationing on the U.S. Home Front – Shortages of everyday items became a challenge to people on the home front.   There were ration books for food and fuel.  Nylon stockings all but disappeared.
• Radio News – News commentators provided a link for the Americans on the Home front to loved ones in Europe and the Pacific.   

Music and Art

• Posters on the American Home Front – Posters were everywhere.  Posters on shops and government buildings inspired patriotism for the war effort.  
• Abstract Expressionism – A new dynamic American art form centered in New York featuring the diverse talents of artists like Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko, and Adolph Gottlieb.
• Music of the 1940s
• Music of World War II – Listen to tunes that the troops and Americans of the home front listened to.
• Jazz in the 1940s – Although the draft took many American musicians, Jazz continued to thrive during the 1940s.  

Holocaust

• What was the Holocaust? – The Holocaust Museum sponsors a comprehensive site on Holocaust history including resources for educators.
• Voices of the Holocaust – The best way to understand the events of the holocaust is from the words of the survivors.