I. History of the Newsreel.
Go to one of the following websites and write three important points about the history of the newsreel in your word document.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsreels
http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/filmnotes/newsreel.html
http://www.neh.gov/news/humanities/2006-03/framebyframe.html




II. Battle of the Bulge Newsreel.
Watch about 5 minutes of this newsreel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGMEnslxQvg


1. Who produced this newsreel?

2. What attitude does this newsreel seem to have toward the war?

3. How does this narrator characterize the enemy?

4. What images did you see that struck you as particularly meaningful?

5. How do you think audiences on the home front reacted to a newsreel like this?

6. Do you think this newsreel was meant to influence people in any particular way? Give evidence for your answer.




III. Watch a few minutes of this United News Newsreel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmc3Fv6q-0w

Then, Read this short wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_War_Information

Write a paragraph including the following:
-The purpose of the OWI
-How long the OWI existed
-How the OWI impacted Newsreels
-The role of the OWI in distributing patriotic propaganda and whether you think this justified.
-Whether you think the United Newsreel you just watched achieved the aims of the OWI and why.




IV. The March of Time
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA04/wood/mot/html/introduction.htm
"The March of Time" was another producer of newsreels during the wartime era.
On this website dedicated to "The March of Time", first read the introduction.

1. How would you characterize March of Time as a news source?

Next, click on the tab labeled "Marching Toward War"

2. How did March of Time "Write their own script for who Americans were?"

3. What points of view did March of Time newsreels emphasize?




V. News Today.
http://www.cnn.com/
http://www.foxnews.com/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

Go to one of these websites and watch a video on world news.
Write a short paragraph comparing and contrasting it to to type of news sources available to Americans during World War II in the form of newsreels.