SUBMIT IA BY TWO PM FRIDAY
Q3
Grades
Please do
NOT beg for grade help. Pre-‘Rona grades were “locked” in with no “drop” from
that level. So, anything done since April 6th basically helps your
grade. I removed the Japan & Hitler classwork. The extra credit WILs will
be added after WIL 3.6 has been entered. For most, your grade will definitely
increase. As some of you probably even noticed after Q1 & Q2, I do give
bumps due to some stuff that simply does not fit within the gradebook
(participation, collaboration, supporting peers, not-giving-me-grief-by-following-direction-or-asking-questions-at-an-appropriate-time,
etc.).
You
REALLY need to take the WILs VERY seriously Q4, as you should have been doing
all along.
A
Complete & submit
EXCELLENT work by showing mastery at every opportunity.
E
E
E
E
F Complete & submit little
work or most work below adequate levels.
WWII Blame Game Roundup
Well
DONE! To summarize (in brief), we had various claims of:
·
Japanese Expansionism
& Militarism
·
Hitler (& Jack M,
apparently)
·
Apeasement
·
Versailles, Treaty of
I
reminded you of the Sidney Fay thesis, which placed Britain as the main cause
of the outbreak of WWI as a global disaster. This was due to Britain not
disclosing (clearly) what it would do should Germany enter the conflict between
Austria and Serbia. It became a regular schoolgirl fight after that, which
itself led to decades of animosity between belligerents (even WWII).
You
were then presented with the US replacing Britain as the new world power with
the military, industrial, and even moral responsibility to take the lead and put
a stop to small conflicts which could develop into much bigger and more
catastrophic ones. Sadly, isolationism and the need for increased global trade
(itself due to the Great Depression) kept the US from taking on that leadership
role. That changed after Pearl Harbor and we led the (“Free”) world until …
well, I guess Angela Merkel took the reins from the Oompa Loompa around 2017-18.
The
other thought was about the Turning Point regarding responsibility and blame.
This is a theme that transcends academic history and permeates all life
experiences. Is it the decision or in/action immediately preceding the event,
or that which caused such a decision, or the action preceding that cause … all
the way back to Og hitting Thog with a rock because Thog took his root or grub
for a snack? Where do you stand on the issue?
You
could apply it to the Coronavirus pandemic. Do you blame China – allowing the “wet
markets” to continue, NOT stopping it early on, or NOT disclosing its happening?
The WHO (not the phenomenal band, the World Health Organization) for not
stepping in and declaring it a pandemic early enough? The CDC? Trump’s political interest in re-election?
His inability to read lead comprehend the situation or indifference?
Governors and local health officials or politicians interested in the effects
on the economy (certainly valid … to some degree)? Individuals simply not using
their own smarts to follow practical guidelines?
It’s
a fun game, but also fraught with anguish. It leads to so many “What if…” scenarios
and thoughts. One of which, The Plot Against
America (by Philip Roth) looks to be a promising drama on HBO. Almost perfectly times for our exploration of
the Holocaust & Genocide during the 3rd week of Q4.
Q4
Please
make sure you join the new GooClass (check your email). We will follow the plan
below, with one WIL for each of weeks 1-6, followed by an extra credit WIL at
the end of week 7:
4.1) WWII Practice
4.2) WWII Effects (United
Nations, Cold War, US as World Police)
4.3) Holocaust &
Genocide
4.4) Cold War Intro &
Basics
4.5) Mao & Chinese
Civil War
4.6) Mao’s China
4.7) Clean-Up
That
is 6 WILs (notice the pattern throughout the year?), in addition to some
mini-write-ups each week and a pre-webinar task. If you miss your scheduled webinar,
you will have no opportunity to earn those participation “bonuses” at the end
of the term.
Gotta love April in Minnesota ...
