South Carolinians in WW II

General - Military History, World War II

This video series contains graphic descriptions of war as experienced by the WWII veterans and others who had direct, first-hand experiences in the conflict. Their accounts are based on events they participated in or witnessed, and reflect the real brutal nature of the events to which they were exposed.  Produced by SCETV and The State Newspaper.

Teachers are encouraged to preview the videos before showing them to students.

 

Title:
A New Front, Part 4 4
A New Front, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

With the number of casualties growing in the Italian campaign, the demand for doctors, nurses, and combat medics increased. Several veterans discuss their experiences enlisting, and what life and...
A Path to Victory, Part 4 4
A Path to Victory, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

A first-hand account of Auschwitz is provided by Lou Fowler. "The Germans were absolutely obsessed with killing people. It was a killing machine."
A Time to Fight, Part 4 4
A Time to Fight, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 8 9 10 11 12

In June of 1940, Camp Jackson became a permanent military installation and its name was changed to Fort Jackson. Individuals recall various aspects of the training they received there and the...
A World War, Part 4 4
A World War, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 3 4 5 9 10 11 12

Veterans share their recollections of the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked. They were at war again.
Liberation, Part 4 4
Liberation, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Diny Adkins recalls being taken in by an elderly couple who later couldn't take care of her, so they took her to a nun. The nun kept her hidden in a closet and was very cold and mean to her. The nun...
The Island War, Part 4 4
The Island War, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12

As U.S. troops captured island after island, Japan felt the war slipping away. At Leyte Gulf, Japan lost its navy. In the Philippines, it lost its footing. MacArthur captured the world stage and the...
The Rising Sun, Part 4 4
The Rising Sun, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Fritz Hamer, military historian, explains that Japan was an industrial power, but it needed the resources to maintain it. Japan's purpose was to nullify the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, then destroy the...
The Way Home, Part 4 4
The Way Home, Part 4
Episode 4

Video

Grades: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Our veterans discuss the era in which the atomic bomb was used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and their recollections of this time..
A New Front, Part 5 5
A New Front, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 3 4 5

Also known as the Battle of Anzio, Operation Shingle was an allied amphibious campaign, under command of Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, and Major General John P. Lucas. S.C. veterans remember the...
A Path to Victory, Part 5 5
A Path to Victory, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

The Allies were finishing up the liberation of France and they were hoping the war would be over by the end of the year. Montgomery was the Allied commander of that section and he was looking for a...
A Time to Fight, Part 5 5
A Time to Fight, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 8 9 10 11 12

The story of the Doolittle Raiders is told, including.that of Bill Farrow, one of three top students in a nationwide search of colleges and universities, chosen to receive pilot's training at...
A World War, Part 5 5
A World War, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12

Veterans and family members recall the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor in detail.
Liberation, Part 5 5
Liberation, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

The Siegfried Line ran along the entire border of Germany from north to south. There was barbed wire, and there were land mines, and Dragon's Teeth, which were concrete blocks, that no tank could pass...
The Island War, Part 5 5
The Island War, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12

With Japan's navy in ruins, America unleashed its air forces. Our veterans describe their experiences, their training, and the aircraft they flew.
The Rising Sun, Part 5 5
The Rising Sun, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Midway Island was a U.S. outpost located about a thousand miles west of Hawaii. Prior to World War II, it was basically a weather station with some U.S. Naval groups on it to protect it. The Japanese...
The Way Home, Part 5 5
The Way Home, Part 5
Episode 5

Video

Grades: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

On August 11, 1945, the Emperor of Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration, which specified the unconditional surrender of Japan. The war was over, the Americans rejoiced, and the troops headed home...
A New Front, Part 6 6
A New Front, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

With the majority of men off fighting the war overseas, women on the home-front had to step up to take on jobs that men would usually do. Most war machines and weapons, such as tanks, airplanes, and...
A Path to Victory, Part 6 6
A Path to Victory, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Veterans discuss how they spent their time off while serving during World War II. *** Teachers, this video contains references to behavior that may not be suitable for students. Please view before...
A Time To Fight, Part 6 6
A Time To Fight, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12

At the beginning of the war, South Carolinians prepared to fight in either Europe, or the Pacific. For many, their first taste of combat would be in North Africa. In this video segment, S.C. veterans...
Liberation, Part 6 6
Liberation, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Veterans who arrived to rescue people in the camps describe what they saw; human skeletons barely alive, and some not able to walk. Some were fed too much, too soon, and died from overeating. Bodies...
The Island War, Part 6 6
The Island War, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 3 4 5 9 10 11 12

One of our veterans recalls the bombing of Iwo Jima, and going below to his quarters to get a little sleep. He opened his Bible and it fell open to the 91st Psalm, which he reads. Our veterans discuss...
The Rising Sun, Part 6 6
The Rising Sun, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Veterans recall what life onboard a Navy ship was like, including being bored, being seasick, how crowded they were, the schedule, poker and Monopoly, gambling, learning to drink, including some...
The Way Home, Part 6 6
The Way Home, Part 6
Episode 6

Video

Grades: 9 10 11 12 Higher Education

Veterans provide advice to future generations, and reflect on the responsibilities that come with freedom, and their wishes for a world without war. They remember those who didn't survive, and they...