WAR EXPECTATIONS
Critical Analysis
By Lara Maupin, a social studies teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia

Overview:
This lesson should take 15 -20 minutes and may be used to discuss with your students recent reports of civilian casualties in Baghdad. Students will determine what they think Americans currently expect regarding warfare and its cost in human lives and examine the sources of these expectations. This lesson is most appropriate for use in a government or history class but may be used in any social studies class. Government teachers may wish to emphasize the political implications of our expectations regarding war while History teachers may which to focus on the relevant historical precedents, namely the sources of these expectations.

Materials:
Students will need printed copies of the NewsHour Extra article cited below or computers with Internet access.

Correlations to National Standards

Procedure:

1. Students brainstorm quickly in small groups what they already know about how the following have shaped our expectations and understanding of what war is and what it costs in terms of human life - military and civilian.
   · the Vietnam War
   · the Persian Gulf War
   · current American military technology
   
   
2. Students report on their discussions. Discuss. You may wish to use the following talking points in your discussion.
   · The U.S. lost the Vietnam War despite having superior military technology. It was a protracted war, causing much division on the homefront and having a lasting impact.
   
   · The Persian Gulf War introduced us to a new kind of high tech warfare. After five and a half weeks of bombing with "smart bombs" and the use of defensive Patriot missiles, the ground attack only lasted 100 hours. There were relatively low levels of allied casualties. (See Estimates of Casualties of 1991 Gulf War handout1)
   
   · Current military technology allows for precise targeting, defense from attack by aircraft, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles with the Patriot system, and protection from biological and chemical warfare with protective suits, for example. (See New U.S. Weaponry - handout2)
   
   
3. Students consider American expectations of modern warfare as they read the following NewsHour Extra story.
   
   
4. Discussion Questions:
   
   Discuss American expectations regarding warfare using the following questions.
   
   · A. Given that the U.S. military does not plan to target civilians, but may attack military targets in any area - residential or not, what can we expect in terms of civilian casualties in this war? How should the coalition forces handle the placement of military targets in populated areas or the use of human shields?
   
   · B. What do Americans expect in this war in terms of:
   
   *targets (precise, military only)
   *speed, length of war (short)
   *numbers of U.S./coalition military casualties (few)
   *numbers of Iraqi military casualties (only what is necessary to achieve goals)
   *numbers of Iraqi civilian casualties (as few as possible)
   
   · C. Are our expectations reasonable, given that this war is still a war?
   
   · D. How have our expectations regarding war and its costs been influenced by our civilian and military leaders? How do our expectations in turn impact our leaders?

Extension Ideas:

1. Read current articles or view press conferences or briefings given my military leaders. What words are used to describe civilian or other casualties (e.g. collateral damage, friendly fire)? Analyze the language used in wartime to describe the loss of life.
   
   
2. Simulate a press conference in which reporters question military leaders about reports of civilian casualties having been caused by the actions of coalition forces. How should they respond if the reports are true?
   
   
3. Write a report comparing and contrasting the use of military technology in the following conflicts: World War II, the Vietnam War, and the current war in Iraq.
   
   
   National Standards:

National Council for the Social Studies Thematic Strands:

II. Time, Continuity and Change

VIII. Science, Technology and Society

IV. Global Connections

Author Lara Maupin teaches social studies at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia. She is on leave during the 2002-2003 school year. She has a Master’s Degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and Philosophy from Mount Holyoke College.

To find out more about opportunities to contribute to this site, contact Leah Clapman at extra@newshour.org.