History

1. Read the following articles:

"Becoming the Arsenal of Democracy" on the National World War II Museum web page.

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/becoming-arsenal-democracy (Links to an external site.)

"The Arsenal of Democracy" on the Global Security website.

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/world_war_2-arsenal.htm (Links to an external site.)

"American Sent Gear to the USSR to help win World War II" 

https://share.america.gov/america-sent-equipment-to-soviet-union-in-world-war-ii/ (Links to an external site.)

2. Watch the following primary source video: President Franklin Roosevelt's "Great Arsenal of Democracy" December 29, 1940 Fireside Chat radio address—you can also read a transcript of the address. Roosevelt gave this address one year prior to the American entrance into the Second World War following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 

US President Franklin Roosevelt's "Great Arsenal of Democracy" speech. HD Stock Footage (Links to an external site.)

FDR Transcript 

https://web.mit.edu/21h.102/www/Primary%20source%20collections/World%20War%20II/FDR,%20Arsenal%20of%20Democracy.html (Links to an external site.)

3. Write a one-page, 250 word essay explaining why American war production helped ensure an Allied victory in the Second World War. In your essay, quote directly from Roosevelt's "Arsenal of Democracy" speech.

4. Optional: For fun watch the following skit from Saturday Night Live.