Fall Semester WWII Class 

    In this class instructed by Jared Johnson, we will be studying in detail the timeline, battles, people, technology, and outcomes of the Second World War. We'll begin by investigating the causes of WW2, including the chaos in Germany after the First World War, the rise of Hitler and Stalin, and the failed attempts to thwart Hitler and the impending war. We'll study the great battles and campaigns of the war, including the Blitzkrieg invasion of France, the Battle of Britain, El Alamein, Stalingrad, D-Day, and the Battle of the Bulge. We'll examine the major civilian and military leaders of the war, including Churchill, Roosevelt, de Gaulle, Stalin, and Hitler, as well as Rommel, Yamamoto, Montgomery, MacArthur, and Eisenhower. We'll learn about the influential inventions of the war, including Enigma, the U-boat, the Spitfire, BF-109, Zero, Dauntless, and B-29 airplanes, and of course, the Atomic Bomb. Finally, we'll examine the aftermath of the war, including the partition of Europe, the formation of the United Nations, and the Cold War.
    This class will be offered at two different levels of depth and commitment, chosen by the student and his or her parents at the beginning of the year. The classwork for both levels will include lecture and discussion, monthly review tests of the material covered, and occasional in-class presentations on a student's preferred hero, event, or technology in the war. The more advanced level will also include one paper each quarter exploring different aspects of the war, including character analyses, opinion papers on various decisions made by war leaders, and reports on chosen theaters or campaigns of the war, additional in-class presentations related to the students' papers, and a final grade at the end of each semester. 
    Class will be held Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:15-4:15 at Family Lyceum in Layton from September 5 to December 14. The cost for the unmodified course will be $150, and the cost for the advanced course, reflecting the additional mentoring, critiquing, and grading required, will be $200. For students enrolled in LAU, this course can be listed on your transcript as an .5 credit elective.