Captain Harry S. Truman - World War I Soldier
Background:
Although he struggled to succeed on the farm and in business, Harry S. Truman found success in the military. Starting from the rank of Private in the National Guard of Missouri, Truman left military service 37 years later as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Officers' Reserve Corps. On active duty during the First World War, Captain Truman excelled as the commanding officer of a field artillery battery. His intelligence, practical experience, and work ethic proved invaluable. "Captain Harry" was highly respected by the nearly two hundred men of Battery D, and that respect kindled lifelong friendships.
After the United States entered the First World War in April 1917, Harry Truman reenlisted in the National Guard of Missouri. His decision was not a simple one. At 33 he was older than most soldiers, and as a farmer he was not required to serve. His sister and mother would have to manage the farm without him, and quitting his oil business meant sacrificing potential riches. Worst, though, his marriage to Bess would be postponed - perhaps forever. Nevertheless, Truman felt compelled to join his friends in serving his country in wartime. Within weeks Truman's artillery unit was mobilized for Federal service, and after eight months of training in Oklahoma, he was sent to France with the advance detail of the 35th Division.
Truman commanded Battery D which was made up of 199 men. The majority of them lived in the Kansas City area. Their job was to fire French “75” field guns at the German enemy. The artifacts below belonged to Harry Truman, a World War I artilleryman. They are on display for visitors.
Lesson Description: Students will review photographs of six different artifacts associated with Harry Truman’s service in World War I.
Objectives: Students will be able to:
1. Identify the object (artifact) in each photo
2. Determine the purpose of each object to a soldier
Vocabulary:
Artifact – An object left behind by people from a certain period in history. These could include photographs, clothing, shoes, pottery, toys, weapons, etc.
Curator – A museum staff person who preserves artifacts, seeks new ones, and determines how they are to be displayed for visitors to see.
Museum collection-- the artifacts preserved by a museum; the Truman Library holds 35,000 objects in its collection
Artillery – the long range guns used in a war
Time Required: 45 minutes
Materials: Handout, pencil or pen
Procedure: Students may work individually, whole group, or in teams to fill in the correct answers for the questions associated with each photograph
Assessment: The teacher will check for completion and comprehension
1. Identification badge (known as a “dog tag”). Why do you think soldiers wear them?
______
2. What is this artifact below and why would a World War I sergeant or officer need it on the battlefield?
______
3. Look at these map reading tools. Why would artillery officer Captain Harry Truman need to be good at mathematics on the battlefield?
______
4. During the war, soldiers needed both a wrist watch and a stop watch. Why would these time pieces be so important to a soldier?
______
5. Do you know what these items below are?
______
Would a soldier today need these? Why or why not?
Answer Key
1. Soldiers need to be identified in war time. When soldiers are injured or a casualty, a “dog tag” helps identify who the person is.
2. The item is a whistle. This would be used to alert other soldiers of certain orders.
3. These mathematical and measuring tools would be used to determine the route and line of fire needed to reach the enemy using their artillery.
4. Most battles and sequences of warfare were done to a precise plan and timing of firing or carrying out of orders would need to be extremely punctual and efficient. The watches would help soldiers keep track of the time and make sure they operated efficiently.
5. These are stirrups used by troops on horseback. Today it is unlikely they would be used as horses are not used by modern day armies.