VOCES Oral History Project

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Photo, Albert Jose Angel, VOCES Oral History Project
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VOCES (Spanish for "voices") began as the project of a University of Texas professor of journalism. Rivas-Rodriguez sought to record the stories of Latinas and Latinos who served during World War II. However, since 2010 the archives have expanded in scope, with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to also include experiences from the Korean War and Vietnam War.

The majority of the interviews found on the site focus on veterans. However, civilian experiences are included as well. The "Stories" section can be browsed by name, war, city of birth, state of birth, and branch of service. A rather easy to overlook bar at the bottom of the page also permits you to find stories based on thematic content such as "citizenship" and "racism/discrimination." Each individual name is connected to a short narrative based on the individual's interview. These include direct quotations from the man or woman in question, but there is no transcript of the entire interview itself. You may also find photographs accompanying each story.

Maybe you would like your students to conduct similar interviews, particularly if no names are available from your home town. If so, be sure to visit "Learn to Interview." Here you can find a series of short videos describing the process of preparing for, conducting, and processing oral interviews. If you would like to provide an interview for the site, a downloadable PDF kit is available describing guidelines and containing the questionnaires used by the project.

Additional sections include "Resources" and "Publications." The former includes external links and an 85-page downloadable educator's guide, while the latter offers links to past VOCES newsletters and newspapers.

Dropping Spies From the Sky During the Korean War

Description

According to the SpyCast website:

"During the Korean War, US military intelligence worked with anti-communist Korean agents and partisans to collect information from behind North Korean lines. SPY Historian Mark Stout interviews Colonel Douglas Dillard, USA (Ret.) who led AVIARY operations, the airborne insertion of the agents and partisans, and Mr. James M. H. Lee, a native of North Korea, who worked at his side as an interpreter. Learn what it was like flying at night over North Korea in a blacked out plane and hear about the courage of the Korean volunteers who parachuted into the dark, many of them never to return."

Experiencing War: Stories from the Veterans History Project

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Logo, Veterans History Project
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This collection presents video and audio oral histories and additional material from American veterans of 20th-century wars. Materials include memoirs (some lengthy), letters, diaries, photo albums, scrapbooks, poetry, artwork, and official documents. The website currently provides digital materials from 4,351 veterans from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and the Iraq War, and other similar events. The 226 video interviews range from 25 minutes to two hours in length.

The material presented is part of a rapidly growing archive, the Veterans History Project, created by Congress in 2000 to collect stories from the 19 million living veterans. Other sections highlight World War I; World War II's forgotten theaters in China, Burma, and India; and 37 other unique war experiences.

Presidents in Wartime, Part Two

Description

Dr. Marc Selverstone, of the Miller Center of Public Affairs, UVA, examines the role of the President as Commander-in-Chief, particularly how presidential powers are exercised and defined in wartime. Selverstone focuses on presidents of the 20th century.

To listen to this lecture, select "Part 2" under the December 7th listing.

Presidents in Wartime, Part One

Description

Dr. Marc Selverstone, of the Miller Center of Public Affairs, UVA, examines the role of the President as Commander-in-Chief, particularly how presidential powers are exercised and defined in wartime. Selverstone focuses on presidents of the 20th century.

To listen to this lecture, select "Podcast Part 1" under the December 7th listing.

Dealing with the North Korean Nuclear Threat

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Don Oberdorfer of Jon Hopkins University outlines the history of U.S. foreign relations with Korea, from World War II and its division into North and South Korea, through the Korean War, up to the present day and the President George W. Bush's inclusion of North Korea in his "Axis of Evil." Oberdorfer looks particularly at North Korean nuclear production and U.S. and global reactions (and possible future reactions) to this development.

Audio and video options are available.

Harry S. Truman and the American People, Part Two: Foreign Policy and Politics

Description

Professor Alonzo Hamby analyzes the life and presidency of Harry Truman, looking at the popular image of him held today and contemporary public reaction to his presidency. Hamby focuses on Truman's foreign policies and decisions, including his decision to use the atomic bomb at the end of World War II and to initiate the Korean War. This lecture continues from the lecture "Harry S. Truman and the American People, Part One: Domestic Issues and Policies."

Kennan, Truman, and Cold War Containment

Description

Professor John Moser considers the foreign policy of the Truman administration. He examines the Truman Doctrine, the origins of the policy of containment, and the impact of this policy on future administrations.

To listen to this lecture, scroll down to 4:30 pm-6:00 pm on Wednesday, July 14th. This should be the lecture "Kennan, Truman, and Cold War Containment." Click on the Real Audio image or text in the gray bar to the left of the main text.