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The Cost of Global War

Driving Question: What were the consequences of World War II?

The cost of World War II can’t be measured in numbers alone. This lesson explores the human toll of global war and the birth of nuclear-age diplomacy.

Learning Objectives

  1. Use the historical thinking practice of comparison to evaluate continuities between the First and Second World Wars.
  2. Use close-reading skills to analyze claims about the consequences of World War II and the dawn of a nuclear age.
  3. Understand the major economic, demographic, and political consequences of World War II.

Vocab Terms:

  • authoritarian
  • concentration camp
  • fascism
  • ideology
  • militarism
  • nuclear
  • totalitarian
STEP 1

Opener: The Cost of Global War

Coming soon!

STEP 2

A Shattered World

World War II left behind devastation on a scale the world had never seen. With these materials, you’ll examine the staggering human cost of the war and explore the idea that the First and Second World Wars were part of a single, decades-long conflict.

The Fallen of World War II External link

World War II was devastating on a scale never seen before. This video uses interactive visuals and data to reveal the staggering human cost of the war and how it compares to other global conflicts.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
STEP 3

The Bomb

The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the Second World War, but at an enormous human cost. Consider multiple historical perspectives on why the bombs were used, and evaluate their impact on war, diplomacy, and the modern world.

STEP 4

Closer: The Cost of Global War

Coming soon!

Extension Materials
Checkmark Alert Banner
These resources will expand the lens on the Second War. See how artists responded to the chaos of the twentieth century, and then investigate the military side of this history.
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Art in a Time of War

The world wars didn’t just move borders—they changed how people saw the world. This article offers a creative lens to view how artists processed the loss, nationalism, and resilience that accompanied global conflict.

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Weapons and Warfare

This animated video from OER Project and Armchair Historian offers a fast-paced, visually engaging breakdown of World War II’s key military moments. It’s a chance to reinforce your understanding of the war's scale, timeline, and consequences in a format that truly illustrates some big connections.

The Armchair Historian: Industrialization of War External link

Interested in military history? Check out this collaboration with Armchair Historian, which examines how industrialization transformed warfare from the eighteenth century to the twentieth.