As a history teacher, I highly recommend this wonderful summary of the US homefront during WWII. Utilizing interviews from those left behind during the conflict, The Homefront makes the case that the war impacted the US in a multitude of ways...not all military. Personal, poignant moments are shared by soldiers called up, children too young to go, moms who lose sons, women who lose boyfriends (either to the war or to subsequent divorce), women and blacks who finally get their occupational opportunity, and others as they look back from the early 1980's and reflect on how that war changed their lives. Music from the period is interspersed with the reflections and contemporary footage, both motion and still, in ways both instructional and emotional; some of the tunes are remembered fondly by those interviewed (be sure to watch through all the credits!). 88 minutes is long for high schoolers, but when broken into two sessions it is very effective, especially when teamed with a question-and-answer review.
