What was the role of food in World War II? Examine Japan and Germany's pursuit of autarky and the acquisition of resources with a Crash Course World History video, which also addresses the varying ways that countries fighting in World War II fed their respective citizens and soldiers.

Concepts

world war ii, scarcity, starvation

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

social studies

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• Prompt class members to conduct further research about Japanese colonialism and German expansionism of the late 18th and early 19th centuries
• Debate the video's contention that Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union was his biggest military misstep, or that hyper-nationalism is a response to globalization
• Use the video as a model for a presentation that incorporates multiple concrete examples to support a central thesis

Classroom Considerations

• Comment section is open to the public
• Risks trivializing the Holocaust when discussing starvation; have class members weigh in on this point

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Offers a unique historical perspective to World War II that learners may not have considered before
• Video is engaging for young historians and seasoned students alike

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2 SL.11-12.2 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.3 RH.9-10.4 RH.9-10.9 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.3 RH.11-12.4 RH.11-12.9