Recording Wartime Reminiscences: Using Oral History to Teach World War II

Introduction The generation of American men and women who lived through the Second World War is rapidly disappearing, and with them a wealth of firsthand information regarding one ofthe most important events in twentieth century history. This lesson plan describes a classroom exercise in which students record the memories of people who lived through the World War II era, and in so doing, learn the impact of those times on the lives and identities of American citizens.