Blog (History)
These blogs are intended to NOT be summaries of what we do in class. Instead I am asking you to talk about what you are learning (20%), reflect on what you think about it, how it makes you feel, what else it leads you to (80%). If you need inspiration use the BIG6 "My Ideas" worksheet.
Today is one of the first days in the unit where the facts hit hard. When I prepare for this day, especially reading the poetry, it takes time to mentally prepare on how to teach the topic. As I explained in class, we don't study the battles, the different types of gun, or trench foot; however, we use World War One as a precursor to the Holocaust. I don't try and put on a shock and awe production; but I feel as though the topics naturally have that affect. Death in war is never an easy topic to discuss; but I feel as though the poetry approaches the topic with the most effectiveness. "Dulce et Decorum Est" is a very powerful poem that demonstrates just one of the perspectives of war. It puts an experience to the numbers; 7.5 million deaths (the number) means little because of how large it is, but one poem can give you a true experience on one person's view. It goes without saying, war is horrific. I remember reading this poem for the first time during college. It was startling, disturbing, and its gruesome tale of a gas attacks makes my heart sink. I can hardly imagine that desperate clinging to life, and it still saddens me. One of the more powerful lines in the poem, "But limed on, blood-shod. All went lame; all bling; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots" explains the physical and emotional toll that war has on a soldier. The soldiers trudge through the mud, unaffected by the exploding "hoots" (exploding shells), and too tired to even recognize/notice the carnage around them. This poem always reminds me of some of the photography I've seen before on the topic; for example, some of the photography included in an exhibit I saw at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada. If you ever happen to be up in Ottawa, stop by the museum. It is top notch, and has a great World War One exhibit (while your there visit the Canadian Museum of History too!) Below, although lengthy, is a great video of World War I videos. I'm so glad that BBC put this together for future generations.
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