Textbook Rewritten

World War II was comprised of many different counterparts.  It had a much more tangled system of alliances than WWI because many countries were split by the agendas of contending groups.  It also was the time period of the Holocaust and persecution of Jews.  Because the situation was so complex, I would not lump the entire years from 1933 to 1945 as one chapter named WWII.  Instead, I would have a chapter that focuses on the gravity of the Holocaust and a different chapter that is split into sections on the different contending parties in the war. I would also include a timeline at the beginning of these chapters to show how the events fit into the greater scheme of things. 

The chapter on the Holocaust would not only show what happened, but also follow individuals through their experiences.  Although some believe that oral history should not be considered history at all, I think that it is important to get more perspectives on the situation.  Often times when studying the Holocaust, we view it from afar, just as a historical event, because we are not given the perspective of the many individuals who have suffered unjustly.  Historical writing comes from a detached angle.  I'm not saying that textbooks should impose their views on people, but because what Hitler did was so heinous, seeing through the eyes of someone who was persecuted would be greatly beneficial.  By having this perspective, like they do at the Holocaust museum, we can follow them, and better grasp the gravity of it all through their experience.

The chapter that focuses on the war would be split into sections about each contending group, so that students are able to understand where each side is coming from and why the alliances have become so tangled.  By fully understanding the viewpoint of all of the sides, we are better able to understand the chain of events, and what sparked each outcome.  The timeline would be a reference point in the front of the chapter.

By separating it this way, we are able to see the situation more clearly.  To me, strings of events are interesting, yet it is more important to understand why they happened.  When we are able to see things through the perspective of the groups and people of the time, we are able to get a greater understanding of the past.