1. How does Ernie Pyle describe the scene at Normandy when he arrives at Omaha beach the morning after D-Day? What does he assert about the fact that the Americans were able to take the beach?
2. What kind of preparations had the Germans made to defend their stronghold on Omaha beach? If, according to Pyle, “the advantages were all theirs, the disadvantages all ours,” then how did the Americans successfully take the beach?
3. What were each of the phases discussed by Pyle, and why was it so important that each phase be completed before the next phase could begin? What does Pyle say about the impact and significance of Phase Number Four? How long does Pyle believe it will take the Allies to reach Phase Number Five?
4. How do the French locals feel about being liberated by the Americans? What examples of French goodwill towards the Americans and vice versa did you find in the reading?
5. What social class did most of the American soldiers come from? Additionally, where were many of the American soldiers from, in terms of geographic regions in America? How were the platoons composed?
6. What does Kelley suggest about the relations between different social classes within the Black community during wartime? How did they interact with each other? How did the White community view the Black population during this time?
7. Did Malcolm X address his youth honestly in his narrative? If not, then for what reasons and how did he misrepresent his late teenage years? What is the political importance of his “embarrassing background,” and how does it relate to the greater civil rights movement during the period?
8. What were the Black zootsuiters trying to dismiss? What did this subculture aim to promote? What were some of the popular fashions and trends within this sect? When and where did they gather, and what did they do at their social events?
9. How did Malcolm view legitimate labor during his youth? What kinds of illegal economic strategies did he find to avoid the lawful labor market? How did he exploit White racism during his time working legitimate jobs?
10. In “An American Story” how does Okihiro’s describe life for Japanese American’s during World War II? On Febuary 19, 1942, Roosevelt issused executive order 9066, do you believe this was the most just way to solve a problem of national security?
11. During World War II, like in any country during a time of war, there is always the topic of propaganda. How did the United states “as a nation” during this time feel about Japanese Americans? What examplese to support your answer as given by Okihrio throughout “An American Story?”
12. What are some reasons that Japanese American’s were sent to internment camps? How did these camps break down both mentally and physically Japanese American’s while being held captive?
13. It is well documented that the Japenese were the most decorted during World War II. Why would Japanese Americans fight in this war when they were looked at upon their fellow countrymen as the enemy?
13. In the end of “An American Story” Okihiro mentions the Patriot Act of 2001, where under which racial and religious profiling enables a secret and arbitrary government-sponsered program of registration, expulsion and indefinite detention. Do you think that today’s government and societies mentality towards Muslim’s and people of Middle-Eastern decent are similar in many to what the governemt during World War II had towards Japanese Americans?
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