Subject Contemporary U.S. History

"Winning Not a Certainty"

In hindsight, most Americans look back on World War II as a great victory - sealed in certainty in the history books. In the year 1942, however, Americans were not so sure they could defeat Japan and the Allies were not doing so well fighting the Germans. Students will respond to the following:

Describe a scenario in which the Americans lost the battle of the Pacific to the Japanese and its consequences for trade and west coast defenses.

Speculate on what would have happened to the subsequent creation of the Iron Curtain and the ensuing "Cold War" between NATO and the U.S.S.R. if WWII had ended with the successful occupation of Europe by German troops.

Explain how a final German victory in Europe (including Great Britain) might have affected the United States in terms of our trade and defenses.