Credits:

Caden Wooster

Within the group's overarching theme of World War II my subtopic will be Pearl Harbor. I have a personal connection to Pearl Harbor as my great grandfather Larry was a seamen stationed on Oahu on this fateful day; as the bombings took place he took initiative to lead civilians to safety by finding them shelter in bunkers and caves. The attack on Pearl Harbor itself was a momentous day for the lives of the seamen involved as well as the Hawaiian civilians whose lives were lost on this day. However, the attack of Pearl Harbor also had a robust impact on the Pacific Theater and European fronts of the Second World War. In addition to this, the events of December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor prompted  the creation of Japanese internment camps back on the mainland, a series of events that represents a dark moment in the United States’ ongoing legacy of racial discrimination. Even though a family member of mine was there, a day that led to the untimely death of nearly 2,500 individuals remains mysterious to me in regards to the timeline of events and how the days of recovery played out. Further elaborating on this train of thought, I am curious about things such as the breakdown of civilian versus military casualties, how much this attack cost the US military in equipment damages, and if there was error by the US government that led to this or if they were truly just caught off guard. As a whole my personal connection to this event combined with its long lasting impact on global relations have always left me curious about the missings details of what December 7th, 1941 was like.

Sebastian Schreiber

The mental aspect of soldiers during World War II is a topic not typically discussed. During World War II, the mental health of soldiers was written off as nothing more than "Battle Fatigue" or "Combat Exhaustion." Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) wasn't considered a mental health disorder until 1980. So, how were those on the front lines of battle handling their trauma when being told something else? The goal of this page is to highlight the prevalence of PTSD during WWII despite the lack of conversation around it now and back then. I want to highlight soldiers who struggled with PTSD—those who have been misunderstood about their experiences. Furthermore, I would like to try my best to include all sides of the war, not just the American perspective. Being able to present this information will help others think about another aspect of World War II that had previously been suppressed. 

Matthew Sawyer

My group’s overall topic is World War II. A topic that I have been long interested in, I have long awaited an opportunity to be able to extensively research this topic. My excitement around this topic stems from my own personal familial relations with serving our great country. Both my grandfather, and great grandfather served in the military, and the latter served in the European Theatre of World War II. And with this familial connection, is how I established my subtopic for the project: military science of World War II. My great grandfather served as a tank gunner, and worked in a crew of five guys managing the tank. The question that has been guiding my research thus far is how much did technological advances in weaponry affect the combat of the Second World War? My exhibit will cover the very beginning of the war, when I discuss the Luftwaffe, as well as how the Nazi Party was able to effectively conquer Europe in the fashion they did. Next, I will discuss Naval engagements, as well as how the technology led to a greater influence of Naval superiority.  Finally, I will discuss the Manhattan project, and how Doctor’s like Robert J. Oppenheimer created a weapon that put an end to the largest global conflict we have seen in our history.

Ari Sinyaver

In my project, I am focusing on Jewish refugees emigrating from Nazi Germany during World War II and the Holocaust. I mainly focus on seeking refuge in the United States. I will start by discussing the reasons for seeking refuge. Then I will discuss the difficulty of immigrating to the US, the St. Louis incident, and finish by exploring attempts to help the refugees. My guiding question is how did the Jewish people seek refuge in the United States from Nazi Germany during World War II?

Karsten Farris

Ford Motor Company made a significant impact on WWII by shifting from the production of cars to the production of planes, tanks, and trucks. The purpose of this section is important for the overall WWII theme because “production” is often overlooked as a factor of war. I am highlighting the importance of production and how companies such as Ford Motor Company contributed to the war. This section timeframe covers the duration of WWII, from 1939 to 1945. I have had an interest in WWII and cars for a while and I used this project to combine the two into one project that I am passionate about. The guiding research question for my project is, “How did American car companies like Ford Motor Company contribute to the production of planes, tanks, and trucks in World War II?”

Ethan Sartory

One of the largest media technological developments in the late nineteenth century was that of film. While photographs allowed humans to capture a moment in time, a film could capture hundreds or thousands. The industry’s origins can be traced to the early twentieth century, but it was the introduction of audio that allowed for its popularity to surge in the decade before World War II. During the war, several nations including the United States realized the potential film had as a form of propaganda due to its public outreach and its capability to tell a narrative. While films typically served as an escapist fantasy, they now focused on raising morale and instilling a patriotic sense in the public. In my project, I hope to analyze the use of film as a source of propaganda during the Second World War in the United States of America. I chose this topic since I grew up in Los Angeles and my parents both work for a film company (Paramount Studios) so I’ve always had an interest in the film industry. In summary, my research question is “How did Hollywood and the American film industry impact public opinion and contribution to the war?”