WWI changed society in a myriad of ways, one of which was the role of women. This video, And We Knew How to Dance: Women in WWI
by the National Film Board of Canada shows how Canadian women aided the war effort. It’s World War I, and many of the country’s men have gone into battle. Twelve Canadian women, aged 86 to 101, recall their entry into what had been a male world of munitions factories and farm labour. Their commitment and determination helped lead the way to postwar social changes for women.
And this book,
tells the story of approximately 100 nurses who were captured during the Japanese attack on the Philippines, which happened only 9 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mary Cronk Farrell’s Pure Grit is the story of how those nurses not only survived, but also how they continued to care for the sick and wounded with dwindling medical supplies and food. Over the course of their three years in captivity, the nurses lost weight because of the starvation-level rations they were given. some developed beriberi, others dengue fever and/or bouts of malaria and tuberculosis. Cronk uses interviews and lots of primary source material to create a highly readable and fascinating book that sheds light on an aspect of war that is still rather unknown.
Backmatter includes a glossary, list of nurses, timeline, endnotes, bibliography, websites, and an index.
Cronk also provides a teacher’s guide on her website.
This is an excellent addition to any library or classroom in which World War 2 is taught.
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