The Nazis destroyed French civilian life when they invaded France in March 1940. Watch the destruction of towns and the fleeing of worried, saddened people. This is part three of a five-part series.

A "sleeping giant" through the many German invasions in Europe, America slowly starts participating in the war. First, America sells aircraft to Britain, makes its naval presence known in the Caribbean, and builds its artillery. This...

How did Hitler rise to power? Take a look at how Adolf Hitler manipulated the government, the German masses, and his own Nazi leaders to take power of Germany post WWI. An interesting video to introduce your class to Adolf Hitler and his...

Before joining World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the military policy to lend-lease, meaning that the US would distribute artillery without requiring immediate payment. What are the benefits to changing this policy? What are the...

Used to the harsh conditions, the Soviet Union's military pushes the German troops back, securing faith for the Soviet people. With German troops freezing and their tanks becoming immobilized, the German troops fell back to take on the...

Hail the Fhrer! Learn about German support for Adolf Hitler before and during World War II. Actual letters expressing the viewpoints of the time are read. This is part two of a five part series.

"...December 7, 1941-a day that will live in infamy." After Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States jumped full force into World War II, declaring war on Japan.

After 43 seconds of falling, a chemical reaction began in the bomb falling over Hiroshima. Within another few seconds, tens of thousands of Japanese civilians were incinerated, ripped apart, and left to die in their decimated city....

Why did Germany invade Poland, initiating WWII? German troops crossed the Polish border in response to a raid Polish troops had supposedly made into Germany. Find out what really happened and Britain's response to Germany's attack.

What were the Allied and Axis countries doing just before the start of World War II? Take a peek into American, British, Spanish and German life (among others) on the eve of the most destructive war in world history. This is part one in...

Are the Desert Foxes weary enough for a British attack? Despite having fewer men, the German troops inflict enormous damage and scatter British troops. Rommel continues to make a name for himself with these daring efforts.

This video brings viewers up to modern history (1975) after taking them through WWII, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War. Although the timeline's format may seem straightforward, viewers will be engaged by the...

Navy WAVE, Rear Admiral, developer of the Mark 1, an early electronic computer. Grace Hopper is the subject of a short Women's History Minute that introduces viewers to this amazing electronics pioneer.

While most people consider Germany's invasion of Poland the start of World War II, the invasion was only one of a sequence of events that led to the global conflict. Using archival footage of the invasion, as well as clips from...

Hans and Sophie Scholl were part of The White Rose, a student-lead Hitler resistance group. Find out more about these brave siblings in a short video that details their work and the price they paid for standing up for their beliefs.

Radio operators acting as spies for the Allies during World War II didn't survive very long, six weeks at most. But one woman, Noor Inayat Khan, due to her quick thinking and charisma, managed to survive twice that long and forward...

Markus Zusak's The Book Thief is another novel high on the list of must-reads from The Great American Read collection. Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George  W. Bush, and John Green of Crash Course series fame share...

Lord of the Flies, William Golding's tale of English schoolboys who have crashed and are stranded on a remote island, reflects Golding's view of just how thin the veneer of civilized behavior is. The narrator of a short video argues for...

Forced to leave, branded a security risk, held at gunpoint. It's hard to imagine this happened in the US. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, thousands of Japanese-Americans on the West Coast were forced in internment camps. Using video...

It was only eight square miles, but the island of Iwo Jima was soaked with the blood of 26,000 American and 19,900 Japanese soldiers who died fighting over it during World War II. Viewers consider the battle and its strategic importance...

What was the Manhattan Project, and how did it start? The video describes the project's quest to develop the atomic bomb. It also shows pupils why the project began, the top scientists involved, and how they contributed to the creation...

An eye-opening video shows how young people aided in the war effort, from growing victory gardens to rationing supplies during World War II. It also features primary sources, including military documents, and explains how to use them to...

What does it take to be in the military? An interesting video shows pupils the training and procedures used to turn civilians into United States soldiers during World War II.  

Minority groups were treated differently during WWII. Images and newsreel footage show the experiences of African-Americans, Native Americans, Japanese-Americans, and other ethnic minority groups during the war.