Teachers should be aware that some of the song lyrics quoted here are the uncensored writings of soldiers at the front. This is to give a true picture of the humor and cynicism that is part of the life of the twentieth-century soldier. Most students will find the language frank and humorous rather than offensive. Some of the language is quite crude and offensive. It is advised that you preview this site and use the opportunity to discuss military language as well as the state of mind of the fighting man.
Some photographs are of dead on the battlefield.
This realistic depiction of the results of war is a major effect of the new art form of photography. Students are asked to write a short lyric that might have been written by someone during the war. Test questions from Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate frequently ask students to assess the validity of a source, and students are notoriously naive in their acceptance of photographic sources as genuine. A quick discussion of movie special effects and a film such as Forest Gump will prompt them to view such sources more critically. Vocabulary Support for student learning is provided in a Vocabulary reference page where museum visitors will find words and terms that might be new to them or need to be explained further.