Grades: 8-12

Subject: Civics, Historical Understanding, U.S. History, Language Arts, Thinking and Reasoning

Estimated Time of Completion: one to two 50-minute periods

1. Summary
2. Objectives
3. Materials Needed
4. Procedure
5. Classroom Assessment
6. Extensions and Adaptations
7. National Standards

I. Summary

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, people of Japanese descent living in the U.S. were subjected to numerous unprovoked attacks and an outpouring of racial hatred and distrust, eventually resulting in the internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans — over two thirds of whom were U.S. citizens — in concentration camps.

Today, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, many U.S. citizens and residents of Arab/Muslim/South Asian ancestry have expressed fear for their lives and worry about their own futures. Sixty years have passed since World War II but have things really changed? FACE TO FACE reveals the true anger, fear, hatred, confusion, loyalty, and trust — the emotional voices of people talking about what it means to be an American with the face of the enemy.

II. Objectives

• Learn the role of the government and media in determining the public’s reaction to a perceived “enemy.”
• Discuss who is an enemy? How is it determined? What are the reactions of people who are seen as the “enemy”?

III. Materials Needed

• Fact Sheet #1 - “Quotations From Media And Politicians After Pearl Harbor”
• Fact Sheet #2 - “Quotations From Media And Politicians After September 11”
• Fact Sheet #3 - “Chronology of Domestic Hate Crimes and Responses”
• Internet Resources
• Note paper
• Pencils

IV. Procedure

A. What significance do the reactions of the media and government officials have during times of crisis? What do you think was the impact of such reactions after the attack on Pearl Harbor and post-September 11?

Have students read from Fact Sheet #1-- “Quotations From Media And Politicians After Pearl Harbor,” and Fact Sheet #2 - “Quotes By Politicians And Media After September 11.” Have students read several excerpts aloud.

Lead a class discussion, introducing the following questions:

• What is the tone of the media and government reaction to Japanese Americans right after Pearl Harbor?
• What is your reaction to these post-Pearl Harbor excerpts?
• Compare the post-Pearl Harbor media comments with the editorials about Arab Americans after September 11. What were the similarities and differences in the media and government reactions to the two groups? Why do you think this is?
• What significance do the reactions of the media and government officials have on public perception during times of crisis?
• What do you think was the media’s impact on the public after the attack on Pearl Harbor and post-September 11?
• How were you influenced or affected by the post September 11 media coverage and government statements?

B. In both instances of national crisis above, media opinion and government action were directed against a group of people targeted as the “enemy.” Does “group targeting” or “group blame” contribute to an increase of hate crimes or the possibility of internment happening again? What is it like to have the face of the “enemy”?

Have students read some of the first-person accounts in this site's Stories section of those who were targeted as an “enemy,” both after Pearl Harbor and September 11, and Fact Sheet #3 “Chronology of Domestic Hate Crimes and Responses.”

Lead a class discussion, introducing the following questions:

• Who is an “enemy”? [Webster’s Dictionary: “enemy” is (1) a person who hates another and wishes or tries to injure him; a person hostile to an idea, cause, etc.; adversary or foe; (2) a nation or force hostile to another; (3) anything hostile or injurious.”
• Who was the “enemy” during WWII? Who is the “enemy” today?
• How was the “enemy” determined during WWII? How do we know who the “enemy” is today?
• During WWII, did the perceived “enemy” differ from the real “enemy”? If so, why? What about today?
• What do you feel about the reactions of people who have been treated as the “enemy”?
• How would you react if you and your family had the face of the “enemy”?
• Do you feel “group targeting” or “group blame” contributes to an increase of hate crimes or the possibility of internment happening again?

Ask students to write about one point raised in the class discussion that he/she learned or confirmed/changed her understanding about the targeting of “the enemy” and how the media, government and societal reaction impacts individuals and communities targeted as “the enemy.” Collect note papers at the end of the class session.

V. Classroom Assessment

• Students may be assessed on the quality of their writing: reasoning and logic of discussion, organization of ideas, grammar, neatness.
• Students may also be assessed on their participation in class discussions.

VI. Extensions and Adaptations

• Invite a former Japanese American internee AND an Arab/Muslim/South Asian American to share their experiences during WWII and in the aftermath of September 11, respectively.
• If assistance is needed to secure these speakers:
• Contact a local Japanese American, Arab American, Muslim, South Asian American historical society, community or cultural center, church or temple or mosque, chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee or senior center.
• For local referrals, contact the national offices of the National Japanese American Historical Society (San Francisco, CA at 415-921-5007 or njahs@njahs.org), the Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, CA at 1-800-461-5260), the Japanese American Citizens League (San Francisco, CA at 415-921-5225 or jacl@jacl.org), the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee’s Education Department (Washington, D.C. at 202-244-2990 or adc@adc.org).
• Interview a Japanese American who remembers life at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor or who is knowledgeable about the Japanese American wartime experience.
• Interview an Arab/Muslim/South Asian American on their experiences after September 11.

VII. National Standards

This lesson addresses the following national content standards found in the McRel Standards Database at www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/docs/contents.html

CIVICS

• Understands ideas about civic life, politics and government.
• Understands the essential characteristics of limited and unlimited governments.
• Understands how civil society allows individuals or groups to influence government in ways other than voting and elections.
• Understands the concept of a constitution.
• Understands how constitutions, in the past as well as in the present, have been disregarded or used to promote the interests of a particular group.
• Understands the importance of Americans sharing and supporting certain values, beliefs, and principles of American constitutional democracy.
• Understands issues that involve conflicts among fundamental values and principles such as the conflict between liberty and authority.
• Understands issues concerning the disparities between the ideals and reality in American political and social life.
• Understands the importance to individuals and to society of personal rights such as freedom of thought and conscience, privacy and personal autonomy, and the right to due process of law and equal protection of the law.
• Understands the importance of each citizen reflecting on, criticizing and reaffirming basic constitutional principles.
• Understands the importance of political leadership and a knowledgeable citizenry in American constitutional democracy.

HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING

• Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns.
• Understands the historical perspective.
• Analyzes the effects of specific decisions had on history and studies how things might have been different in the absence of those decisions.
• Understands how the past affects our private lives and society in general.
• Knows how to perceive past events with historical empathy.

U.S. HISTORY

• Understands President Roosevelt’s policies during World War II (e.g., internment of Japanese Americans).
• Understands how World War II influenced the home front (e.g., effects of the internment camps on Japanese American families).

LANGUAGE ARTS

• Uses general skills and strategies of the writing process.
• Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions.
• Uses general skills and strategies of the reading process.
• Understands the characteristics and power of the media.

THINKING AND REASONING

• Understands and applies the basic principles of presenting an argument.
• Understands and applies basic principles of logic and reasoning.