Describe Life in San Marino During World War II

For this extra credit assignment, you will need to find some really great photos and/or video clips showing what life was like in San Marino during World War II.

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Video Report
By Juno Stilley (author) & Chris Ko (editor)

All video shot by Juno's great grandfather, Hugh Morgan Stilley, 3rd.

Attend Presentation Describing Some World War II Event

For this extra credit assignment, you are to attend a presentation describing an event that took place during World War II. This presentation must take place away from school - at a library or a community college auditorium or something else like that. To earn the extra credit, you will need to describe the presentation in writing.

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Presentation Review
Peter Lakon (author) & Chris Ko (editor)

On March 28, 2016, I went to the Pasadena Central Library Auditorium to hear Dr. Keith Lewis give an hour and a half presentation on the topic of the Bataan Death March.
The Bataan Death March:


The flier that I received when walking into the auditorium read as follows:

After the April 9, 1942, U.S. surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese during World War II (1939-45), the approximately 75,000 Filipino and American troops on Bataan were forced  to march 65-mile march to prison camps. The marchers made the trek in intense heat and were subject to harsh treatment by Japanese guards. Thousands perished in what became known as the Bataan Death March.

I left very impressed by his interesting stories and eye-catching pictures on his PowerPoint. What he said in particular that stood out me was the story of the US campaign in the Philippines. This story stood out to me because the way Mr. Lewis described the 65-mile trek the US soldiers had to walk in the Philippines was very vivid and left me feeling amazed.

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Presentation Review
Lindsay Woodward (author) & Sarah Zweighaft (editor)

After leaving Dr. Lewis' lecture on Monday evening, I felt thoroughly informed and inspired. Dr. Lewis succeeded in captivating the audience with the help of an abundance of information and a few personal stories. His father was one of the soldiers present in Bataan, and was very much effected by the Bataan Death March. He was able bring the story to life for the audience.

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Presentation Review
Kathryn Castreje (author) & Sarah Zweighaft (editor)

I attended Dr. Lewis' presentation on the Bataan March, and thought it was very interesting and informational, while being very depressing. Leaving his presentation that Monday night left me feeling inspired yet slightly disappointed by the history of this event.  Despite this soul crushing story, Dr.Lewis informed us of several detailed facts about General Douglas MacArthur; for example, he was a narcissist who did ridiculous things such as putting a mirror behind his desk to intimidate the people meeting him. That was probably one of the highlights of the presentation. Although it was obvious that this story did not have a positive ending, Mr. Lewis’ slight splashes of humor brought the story to life, and left me intrigued.

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Presentation Review
Sarah Zweighaft (author) & Lindsay Woodward (editor)

Dr. Lewis' presentation on the Bataan Death March went by much quicker than I thought it would.

With all honesty, listening to an elderly man discuss the deaths of thousands Americans isn't my ideal Monday night. Entering the library, I tried to keep an open mind. Perhaps the topic would hold the least bit of interest to a 21st century fourteen year old girl.

With my hopes set not so high, I sat in the back of the room and clutched my notepad. The man came up on stage and opened with the concept that this was a depressing concept. "Great," my mind sighed. But then Dr. Lewis talked about his father's part in the Bataan Death March. This historical event was more than just an event for this man. He lived the Bataan Death March. This drew me in and saddened me at the same time.

Dr. Lewis described his fathers stories, his eyes making genuine eye contact with each of us. I almost felt uncomfortable watching this man explain his emotions and passion for the event on stage. He was very personal with his audience. I began to take tedious notes. I wrote the entire time. I found myself chuckling at Dr. Lewis' attempt to lighten the mood. When the presentation was over, my mind muttered, "That's it?"  To me it felt like there was no ending, and I was bothered by the lack of a happy ending.

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Presentation Review 

Michael Ossen (author) & Chris Ko (editor)

On March 28, 2016, I attended the Bataan Death March presentation by Dr. Kieth Lewis. Dr. Lewis is a most experts on the Bataan Death March and I am extremely pleased that he decided to share his knowledge with the local people. I now know about the atrocities of the death march as well as the exact locations thanks to Dr. Lewis. One thing I wholeheartedly enjoyed was his use of visual aids (maps and pictures). They were astounding pictures that took my breath away and created a realistic and very informative historical presentation. If you want to learn more, I would highly recommend checking out his written work on the Bataan Death March as well as his other books and articles.

A 1:12 clip video that I took during Dr. Lewis's Presentation

And another clip, 1:58

An image that I took during Dr. Lewis's Presentation

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Interview World War II Survivor

For this extra assignment, you will need to interview a World War II survivor. Ideally, I would like you to use the Story Corps smartphone app for this purpose. However, you may also  conduct your interview using video conferencing technology. In either case, I would like the interview recorded and included in the space below.

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By Sarah Zweighaft
https://storycorps.me/interviews/interview-with-pop-pop-3

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Germans in the Woods - POV 2010 | PBS

Write Review for World War II Feature Length Film

For this extra credit assignment, you are to watch and then review a feature length film related to World War II. include with your review the trailer from the movie
                                  
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Movie Review - Enemy at the Gates

Peter Lakon (author) and Chris Ko (editor)

The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the most pivotal events to take place during World War II. Many know this battle to be a series of complex close combat bloody shootouts. But, that was not all there was to it. Far behind the front lines, there existed an epic battle between two snipers; Soviet Union's Vasily Zaytsev (Jude Law) and Nazi Germany's Erwin König (Ed Harris).

Not only does Jean-Jacques Annaud’s 2001 film “Enemy at the Gates” paint a detailed image of the intense sharpshooter battle but also of the heart gripping struggle the Soviets faced during the battle in 1942 due to their lack of experience and skill in the field. Vasily first shows off his skills shortly following the annihilation of his comrades by German fire. After he eliminates a group of German officers, a fellow survivor, Commissar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), writes about his heroic actions in the newspaper. Vasily is then assigned by Nikita Khrushchev (Bob Hoskins) to the sniper division. The Germans, who are fed up with their men being killed, assign Major König to hunt down Vassily.

Jude Law does an incredible job playing Vassily. However, Ed Harris definitely nailed the role of Maj. König as well by excellently displaying König’s ruthless and sadistic persona. Because of this, Harris was able to magnificently portray the expected villain role without being too cliche.

But there was one aspect I could not come to enjoy while watching "Enemy at the Gates". One character who really got on my nerves was Tania (Rachel Weisz), who was Vasily's lover. The relationship between the two was a cheesy romance that has been overused all too much. It was unfortunate that they gave her a big role.

The overall message I got from this film is that war is a dangerous place regardless whether or not one is on the front lines, fighting tooth and nail for their lives, or hundreds of yards back, aiming down a scope. This film also allows those who were born after the war to get a better understanding, emotionally and physically, of what went on during World War II.

This film is rated R mainly due to extend instances of intense violence. If you don't mind the fighting, this movie is perfect. All in all, "Enemy at the Gates" is definitely not a movie that you would watch for fifteen minutes before flipping channels. Rather, it is a masterpiece of war and a defining momentum of the epic fight between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.

I give this movie a 4 out of 5.

Enemy at the Gates

Movie Trailer

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Movie Review: The Thin Red Line

Alex Sun (author) and Sarah Zweighaft (editor)

The Thin Red Line, an 1998 American Epic War Film, is directed by Terrence Malick. The film is about the Battle of Mount Austen, one of the many battles in the campaign for Guadalcanal. The movie portrays the ways different soldiers view war, how every man is different on the battlefield, and how war causes people to turn people against each other. To quote Private Witt, “We were a family. How'd it break up and come apart, so that now we're turned against each other? Each standing in the other's light. How'd we lose that good that was given us? Let it slip away. Scattered it, careless. What's keeping' us from reaching out, touching the glory?”

The movie starts out with a soldier who’ve gone AWOL, Private Witt. He lives among the carefree Melanesian natives. He is then captured and taken aboard a patrol boat by his commanding officer, Sergeant Welsh.. Witt is forced to resume training for the Battle of Guadalcanal. The American troops mount an assault on entrenched Japanese positions, the story explores their various fates and attitudes towards death.

The movie highlights the average human’s greediness and other’s different point of views. Greed is portrayed by one Lieutenant Colonel Tal. He sends his men to die so he can earn a promotion. Private Witt exemplifies the innocence state of men, of whom see the world differently. Witt thinks of the world as paradise, he lives beyond the war, while others represent the grown up nature of man, when they realize how cruel their world is, and how it is a Paradise Lost.

Malick’s Thin Red Line captures the human nature so perfectly through war with intense, adrenaline-filled and masterfully crafted scenes. It is a beautiful and awe-inspiring balance of serenity and hostility. It is beautifully crafted to convey that war is hell. This isn't just a war movie. It's an existential examination of the nature of man's conflict within the context of nature, humanity, hierarchy and survival.

I would give this movie a rating of 4.5/5. It is a very different war story, illustrating a different perspective of war. It doesn’t focus on a daring rescue, or a cold-blooded massacre, instead it focuses on how war can ruin someone’s life.

The Thin Red Line

Movie Trailer

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Movie Review: Saving Private Ryan

Caleb Shohfi (author) & Chris Ko (editor)

Gruesome, horrifying, and thrilling, Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is widely known as the most accurate World War II film ever made. And it is one of the only successful World War II movies to not glorify war in any way. 

The movie starts out in the present with an unknown soldier visiting the graves of other soldiers with his family. The movie quickly shifts to following allied troops storming the beaches of Normandy on D-day. Bullets were flying everywhere, to survive was to be lucky. This scene is known to be the most accurate representation of what is was like to be on the front lines that day. In fact, it was so realistic, hotlines were opened up for veterans who saw the movie and had flashbacks of the war. 

After this, the movie’s suspense and violence never stops. As it turns out, three of the four Ryan brothers were killed in the past week, and the fourth, Private Ryan, is missing in action. Tom Hanks’ Captain Miller is ordered to take his men and bring Private Ryan to safety. The film follows their quest in enemy territory, risking all eight of their lives to save a man they have never met. Spielberg does an excellent job getting us invested in all eight members of the crew, and showing us the true horrors and unfairness of war. They finally do find Private Ryan, but not before losing two of their own men. But Ryan refuses to leave his fellow soldiers behind. Reinforcements are yet to arrive, and the bridge they are protecting is extremely important, as there are only two left. So instead of leaving, Captain Miller makes a decision to stay and help defend against a huge German force that is sure to come. 

They make their preparations and get to their positions. And sure enough, the Nazis soon come down with more firepower than they imagined. And while almost everyone fought bravely, the Nazis just kept throwing tanks and people at them. Almost all of Captain Miller’s original team was killed. Just as it looked like they were going to lose the bridge to the Nazis, the reinforcements finally came. So many came that the Nazis were defeated very soon after. Captain Miller received multiple gunshot wounds during the battle, and they would prove to be fatal. His last words were telling Private Ryan, “Earn it.” Two of the seven other men that set out with Captain Miller survived, including the cowardly translator Corporal Upham. This is just another way Spielberg shows us the unfairness of war. Overall, I would definitely give this movie a 5/5. It is one of the best films ever made, and a must-watch.

Saving Private Ryan

Movie Trailer

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Tour The Battleship USS Iowa

For this extra credit assignment, you are to tour the Battleship USS Iowa. Nearly three football fields long and more than 14 stories high, the Iowa is one of the largest warships every built. Nicknamed “Big Stick,” the vessel served in World War II, the Korean War and in a variety of active and reserve fleet assignments until it was decommissioned in 1990. The Iowa is located at the LA Waterfront. For details, see http://www.pacificbattleship.com

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Kathryn Castreje's Tour


Here are some photos I took when my Dad and I visited the USS Iowa Battleship on May 1. 


Overall seeing this battleship was an incredibly moving experience. So much history has happened on that ship, and so many lives have been changed there. I would definitely go again and I would recommend everyone attends a tour of the USS Iowa.

This first picture was taken from the second level of the battleship. In this picture you can really see how long the battleship actually is, along with the American flag they repainted while refurbishing the ship. You can also see some of the cannons at the front of the USS Iowa.

This picture was taken on the deck of the ship. I am standing next to cannons, as a reference to scale, so it would be easier to imagine how large the ship is. 

Lastly, this picture was taken on the back side of the ship, still on the deck. I choose this angle for this particular photo, because if you were on the battleship and were to look up, this is what you would see.

I  genuinely enjoyed visiting the USS Iowa, and would definitely consider going back. I absolutely love the ocean so it was very cool to visit something that was once it battle, and that was resurfaced after it had sunk. The only regret I had on my visit to the USS Iowa, was that I did not bring headphones, therefore I was unable to listen to the app that had a free auditory tour guide.

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Caleb Shohfi and Ej Sung's Tour Edited by Michael Ossen
Here are some photos I took when my dad and I, and my friend Ej Sung, visited the USS Iowa Battleship on May 1st.

This is a picture of Ej and me near the front of the battleship. Each of the three cannons we are standing in front of shoots essentially explosive Volkswagen at the enemy.

While president Roosevelt was on board the ship during WWII, this is the very table he planned D-Day with multiple 5 star generals.

This is a view of the ship from as far as we could go up, which is not the top.

The seat Ej and I are sitting in is the seat the captain of the ship would sit in while in command. It was very powerful being able to sit in the very seat many people in power have sat before us.

Although some rooms were cut off, we were still allowed to look inside some parts of the battleship. This is one view showing what it is like inside the Iowa.

These are pictures of Ej and me with an actual WWII veteran who was on on a battleship that fought along with the Iowa. The ship he was on sunk. Out of over 300 people on board, less than 90 survived. A book was made about that story, and he is in the book. He even signed the copy we bought where it showed his picture

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The Battleship USS Iowa Arriving in Los Angeles

Tour The USS Aircraft Carrier Ronald Reagan

For this extra credit assignment, you are to tour the USS Ronald Reagan. The Reagan is a nuclear powered super carrier and is named in honor of former President Ronald Reagan,  President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Upon her christening in 2001, she was the first ship to be named for a then-still living former president.

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Video Report
Charlene Wu, Matthew Derrick, Natalie Hoens, Harika Kalidhindi, and Jamilla Seede (with SMUSD SMHS Social Studies teacher Steve Ford.)

Tour The USS Aircraft Carrier Midway

For this extra credit assignment, you are to tour the USS Midway. The Midway is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of its class. Commissioned a week after the end of World War II, Midway was the largest ship in the world until 1955, as well as the first U.S. aircraft carrier too big to transit the Panama Canal. It operated for an unprecedented 47 years, during which time it saw action in the Vietnam War and served as the Persian Gulf flagship in 1991's Operation Desert Storm. Decommissioned in 1992, it is now a museum ship at the USS Midway Museum, in San Diego, California. For details, see http://www.midway.org

The USS Aircraft Carrier Midway

Dockside San Diego

Wilson Lin's Tour (Editor: Jonathan Chen)

I toured the USS Aircraft Carrier Midway during Spring Break with my family.