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Teach PA History
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The Unseen Army: Conscientious Objectors During World War II
Equipment & Supplies
  • Blackboard/chalk Overhead projector (optional)
Procedures

1. Ask the class, "What are reasons a person would join the military?" Make a list of class responses:


  • Because they are drafted/duty

  • They want adventure

  • To gain respect of others (courageous, war hero)

  • To serve their country

  • Preserve freedom and justice

  • Protect others

  • For a job

  • Paid educational benefits


2. Now list reasons why a person would not join the military:


  • Fear of death

  • Practicing religious beliefs of peace and non-violence (e.g., Quaker, Amish, Mennonite, Buddhist)

  • Practicing moral or ethical code of conduct

  • Feels skills are better used on the homefront

  • War has already taken multiple family members

  • Does not believe or support the specific purpose of the war

  • Sick/illness

  • Mental incompetence


3. Explain to your class that they are going to look at a group of people who do not fall neatly under one category or the other. They are called conscientious objectors. Define the term.

Conscientious objector (n): a person who refuses to serve in the armed forces or to bear arms because of his or her moral or religious beliefs. (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)


The definition of conscientious objector widens or narrows according to the beliefs of a particular country. Usually acceptance of pacifist religious beliefs is the beginning of the definition. In the United States this definition has broadened. The United States Selective Service System states, "Beliefs which qualify a registrant for conscientious objector status may be religious in nature, but don't have to be. Beliefs may be moral or ethical; however, a man's reasons for not wanting to participate in a war must not be based on politics, expediency, or self-interest. In general, the man's lifestyle prior to making his claim must reflect his current claims."

4. Refer back to the list of why a person would not join the military. Based on the statement from the United States Selective Service System, which reasons would qualify one to become a conscientious objector? Which reasons would not qualify?

5. Disseminate Student Handout 1-History of Conscientious Objection in the United States. Ask students to read the handout and examine the images. Review the types of conscientious objectors and explain they will be examining primary resources of several conscientious objectors (COs) related to Pennsylvania from World War II.

6. Hand out to each student Student Worksheet 1-Analysis of a Conscientious Objector. Divide the class into three groups. Each group will receive different primary resources of a conscientious objector.

Group 1: Bayard Rustin

  • markerBayard Rustin

  • Student Handout 2-Bayard Rustin Primary Resources


Group 2: David Swift

Group 3: Henry Scattergood

7. Ask your students to look over Student Worksheet 1 questions and begin to silently read and examine their materials. They are to complete the first page of the worksheet in class and may consult others in their group when working on their responses. Have students quote their readings as evidence when possible.

8. Distribute Student Handout 5-Declaration of Human Rights, a document passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations and provided by the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights. Assign this for homework reading along with the last question of the worksheet. Students will be comparing the rights listed in the Declaration document to the information learned about their conscientious objector. They will specifically site the rights being acted out by their conscientious objector.

Day Two



1. Ask students to get into groups of three–each person in the group should have read about a different conscientious objector yesterday. Have them share their worksheet responses with each other. In this way students will have the opportunity to learn more about the other conscientious objectors of this lesson. Have students compare and contrast the experiences and beliefs of these conscientious objectors. What are basic similarities and how do they differ? [For instance, all believe in peace and non-violence; however, the way they respond to the war draft differs. They all have explored (Quaker) faith, but have come to it in different ways. They have all used their talents during the war to advocate for or serve others (African Americans, mental health patients, refugees). Each conscientious objector had different experiences of how he was treated by others– Rustin's experience, no doubt, influenced by racism as well. All three hint at the tendency for the government to hide them from the public eye.] See Teacher Guide to Student Worksheet 1-Analysis of a Conscientious Objector from Pennsylvania for a comparative chart of worksheet responses.

2. Students should now have a comfortable understanding of the term "conscientious objector" as they have explored examples of different experiences. They are now going to look at the rights of these individuals. Ask students to take out their homework assignment and volunteer to share some of their responses to the question:

After having read the Declaration of Human Rights, do they think this person is acting out a basic human right? Which one? Again you can reference the Teacher Guide for possible responses. The one (highlighted in the teacher's guide) which speaks most universally to the rights of conscientious objectors is:

Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.


Explain to students that this document was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948. (after World War II was over)

3. Now take students further back in history and look at human rights listed in one of United States" founding documents: the Bill of Rights. Distribute two versions: Page of Original Proposal by the House of Representatives for seventeen amendments passed on August 24, 1789 and the final ten amendments known as the Bill of Rights (in force December 1791). Ask students to read the House of Representative's version first looking for any article related to the specific right of conscientious objectors. Then read the final Bill of Rights. Ask them to find the same article in the final version. What do they notice?

4. The article relating to conscientious objectors in the seventeen amendments passed by the House, Article The Fifth, said:

"A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the People, being the best security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed, but no one religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service in person."


In the final version of the Bill of Rights the article addressing the same amendment is Article 2. It omits the phrase "but no one religiously scrupulous of bearing arms, shall be compelled to render military service." Article 2 says:


"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."


5. In other words, the right to be a conscientious objector due to religious reasons was originally written into our Bill of Rights, but by the time the bill passed the right had been stricken. Have a class conversation about this fact.

  • What do your students think happened? Does this happen often with Bills passed in Congress? (Changes are often made in documents by the House or Senate before they become Bills.)

  • Since it is not a part of the federal bill, who then decides how to handle this issue? Hint: See article 10 of the Bill of Rights. (The states will have the power to decide how to handle it.)

  • Do you think Congress made the right decision to omit the phrase or do you think they made a mistake? Explain your response.


6. As a final assignment, have students write on the following question: Conscientious objection forces one to look closely at the distinction between self-interest and individual rights. It also raises the question what is one's responsibility to one's country and to oneself. Sometimes individual rights come into conflict with the common good. (Smaller examples to illustrate this conflict might be playing your radio loud v. creating a noise disturbance in the community or decorating your yard as you like v. meeting community rules and standards for curb appeal.) Do you think conscientious objection is an instance where individual rights conflict with the common good or sustain and support it? Support your response with resources from this lesson.
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