In a series of meetings held February 11-13, 1942, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and Portuguese President Antonio de Oliveira Salazar discussed ties between their two nations and the ongoing war. Franco was being courted by the Axis Powers especially since German and Italian forces had assisted Franco during Spain’s Civil War. Portugal maintained close ties with Britain and was fearful of a joint Spanish-German invasion from the west.
At the outbreak of World War II, Spain was recovering from its Civil War, and Franco was corresponding often with Hitler and Mussolini. The main topic was delaying Spanish entry into the war because of a lack of necessary provisions. In all his correspondence, Franco affirmed his allegiance to the Axis Cause but stopped short of giving a timeframe for Spanish entry to the War. Mussolini tried to speed Franco’s mobilization in an August 1940 letter:
Ever since the outbreak of the war I have been constantly of the opinion that “your” Spain, the Spain of the Falange Revolution, could not remain neutral until the end of the war, but at the right moment would change to non-belligerency and finally to intervention. Should that not happen, Spain would alienate herself from European history, especially the history of the future, which the two victorious Axis powers will determine. (more…)
New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School student Kalie Indest was one of 15 students selected to travel to Normandy, France this June. Kalie was selected by her teacher, Ms. Melanie Boulet, who will also be going on the trip. This trip is sponsored by National History Day and the Normandy Scholars Institute. Kalie will be immersed in a deep study of D-Day in the months leading up to her trip. She will be reading Stephen Ambrose’s D-Day, Alex Kershaw’s The Bedford Boys, Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Crusade in Europe, and several more books.
In Normandy, Kalie will be honoring Sergeant John P. Ray of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regt, 82nd Airborne Division. Ray was born in Gretna, Louisiana and dropped into Ste Mere Eglise on June 6, 1944. Ray’s actions that morning are recalled in Ambrose’s D-Day:
Sgt. John Ray landed in the church square, just past [Ken] Russell and [John] Steele. A German soldier came around the corner. “I’ll never forget him,” Russell related. “He was red-haired, and as he came around he shot Sergeant Ray in the stomach.” Then he turned toward Russell and Steele and brought his machine pistol up to shoot them. “And Sergeant Ray, while he was dying in agony, he got his .45 out and he shot the German soldier in the back of the head and killed him.”
Kalie came to The National WWII Museum to view artifacts donated by Sgt. Ray’s family and read letters written by Sgt. Ray’s brother Stanley. She viewed a photograph of John and Stanley reuniting in England in January 1944 and held the Western Union telegram informing the family that John had been killed in action.
The Museum’s History Day program encourages students around Louisiana to engage in a deep study of history. One of the biggest benefits that students receive is an outside review of their project. All levels of History Day contests feature judges who donate their time to review student work, make suggestions for improvement, and determine the entries that will advance to the next round.
The feedback that students receive is critical to their growth as researchers. Most of the students will not pursue history as their college major or career choice, but the skills that students use in creating their History Day projects will apply to any college and career path they choose. The National WWII Museum is looking for judges who possess good knowledge of history and great communication skills. You do not need a Ph.D. in history to serve as a judge. Communication skills are most important for this program. Students will want clear suggestions for how to improve their project.
Judges are needed at Regional Contests in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Regional Contests are on March 24. Judges arrive at 8:30 for a brief orientation and are welcome to stay through the Awards Cermonies ending by 2:30. The State Contest is scheduled for April 21 in New Orleans at The National WWII Museum. Judges at the State Contest will determine Louisiana’s delegation to the National Contest. Find out more about Louisiana’s History Day program and Sign up to be a judge!
Don’t live in Louisiana? There is a National History Day program in your state. You can find the contact information for your state’s program at National History Day. If you are planning on being in the Washington, D.C. area in June, you can inquire about judging the National Contest.
For more information, contact the Museum’s History Day Coordinator Nathan Huegen at 504-528-1944 ext. 350 or historyday@nationalww2museum.org.
As the 2012 Louisiana History Day contests near, I have been reflecting on the growth of students who participated last year. Some of them I have worked with again this year. Some have moved on to college. One story that I keep coming back to is the story of a group of girls from Southwood High School in Shreveport, LA led by Summer McCall, an inspiring educator who came through the Minnnesota History Day program. The excitement, insight, and mood of these students made last year’s contest season a rewarding one for all of us at the Museum. Summer shared her experience at Southwood High School with me and has given permission to share it on the Blog.
For most teachers, the New Year begins in August, but for History Day teachers it begins in June when the theme for that year is released. The school year of 2010-2011 was particularly poignant for me for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I decided to introduce History Day to Southwood High School in Shreveport. The following is a diary, of sorts, which chronicles my History Day experiences-both personal and professional-for one year, 2010-2011. (more…)
Louisiana History Day is the Museum’s initiative to recognize outstanding history teachers and students in Louisiana. An affiliate of National History Day, the Museum sponsors five regional contests throughout the state and a culminating State Contest held at the Museum in April. Our State Contest winners receive the opportunity to present their work to a national audience at the National History Day Contest held every June at the University of Maryland.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Selley Foundation, students participating in Louisiana History Day are receiving support to travel to both the State and National Contests. Students who advance from the Regional Contests held in Monroe and Shreveport can earn up to a $150 travel reimbursement to compete in the State Contest at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans. Schools that arrange transportation for students can be the recipients of the travel reimbursements. This money is applied to hotel and transportation costs. From these Regional Contests, up to five projects per category advance to State. All categories are explained further on our web site. All categories have both middle and high school divisions, and are further separated into group and individual projects.
The top two projects in each category advance to the National History Day Contest. The Selley Foundation is covering up to $500 worth of expenses to the National Contest in College Park, MD. (more…)
December 20 marks the 70th anniversary of the first engagement of the Japanese by General Claire Lee Chennault’s Flying Tigers. Students participating in National History Day have access to a wealth of resources about Chennault and the Flying Tigers through our partnership with the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum in Monroe, LA. Nell Calloway, granddaughter of General Chennault, serves as the director of this museum and regional coordinator for Northeast Louisiana History Day. In commemoration of the December 20 engagement between the Flying Tigers and Japanese air forces, she has contributed the following about her grandfather.
“Gen. Claire Lee Chennault grew up on a farm in Northeast Louisiana. He loved Louisiana, and he also loved history, particularly military history. His background, independent spirit and determination led him to a career that has been unparalleled in our military history. (more…)
History education in schools is often overlooked in school reform efforts and in standardized tests. Math and reading form the basis for most standardized tests, and science education is gaining traction with the emphasis on STEM subjects. These are all critical portions of a student’s education. However, an intense focus on only these subjects can come at the expense of history education at all levels. A recent opinion in the Wall Street Journal by former Lockheed Martin CEO Norm Augustine called attention to this issue.
Augustine asks, “why should a C grade in history matter to the C-suite? After all, if a leader can make the numbers, does it really matter if he or she can recite the birthdates of all the presidents?” (more…)
On this day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, TX. On this somber day of remembrance, we are reminded of the President’s distinguished military career, during which he was awarded many honors, including the Purple Heart.
After receiving a medical disqualification from the Army for chronic lower back issues, Kennedy entered the Navy. His career led him to the Pacific War Theater, where he commanded a PT (patrol torpedo) Boat. (Notably, many of these types of boats were constructed by Higgins Industries in New Orleans, LA, and were instrumental in major events like MacArthur’s evacuation from the Philippines in 1942. If you’ve ever wondered why the Museum is located in New Orleans, you’ve got your answer!)
Last year’s “Outstanding Louisiana Entry” award at the National History Day Contest went to students from the English as Second Language program at John Quincy Adams Middle School in Metairie, LA. All of us at the Museum were inspired by the story of the three young ladies who won this award. Each of them had been born in China and came to the New Orleans area with family members who own and operate several restaurants. One of the students had been in Louisiana for less than 6 months when she registered for the New Orleans Regional History Day Contest. According to their teacher, this particular student began the year very shy and kept her head down for the first month of the school year. She began to become more involved when given the opportunity to create a project that could help her find the connections between her old country and her new home. She partnered with the other two students to research President Nixon’s visit to China in 1972. (more…)
Patients lining up for treatment for Hansen’s Disease in 1941
Everyone affiliated with National History Day learns something new about history every year. Students from various parts of the country dig up local history for their projects and could wind up presenting it to a national audience at the University of Maryland during the National Contest. While serving as a judge at the National Contest, I’ve learned about Amish struggles with public education officials, debates over fishing rights in the Northwest, and issues over American control of Guam. Students from Louisiana have the opportunity to take Louisiana’s unique history and bring it to this national audience as well. Last year, one of our top entries as a documentary on jazz diplomacy and some New Orleans musicians who traveled the world to soften harsh stances toward our country with music.
A topic that I have been learning about this year thanks to Elizabeth Schexnyder, Curator for the National Hansen’s Disease Museum in Carville, LA is reforms in the treatment of Hansen’s disease, formerly known as leprosy. (more…)