Modern America
Shen
Name: ________________________________
World War II Position Paper
Tentative thesis statement & 2 main ideas due: Monday, February 3rd (5 points)
Outline Check (by the end of class): Tuesday, February 4th (10 points)
Final Paper Due: Tuesday, February 11th (60 points)
Over the next few days, we are going to discuss two controversial topics – the decision to intern the
Japanese-Americans during the war and the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. Both topics have
been hotly debated in the years since WWII and now it is your chance to get involved in the debate.
Your task:
1. Choose ONE of these two topics – Japanese-American internment OR the atomic bomb.
2. Take a position on the topic. In your opinion,
Ø Did the U.S. government do the right thing when it evacuated Americans of Japanese
ancestry from the Pacific Coast during WWII? Why or why not?
Ø Was it necessary and justified for the United States to drop the atomic bombs on Japan?
Why or why not?
3. Write a 2-3 page paper supporting your opinion. This is a position paper, which means your thesis
should reflect your opinion. It should NOT, however, be written in the first person (meaning no “I
think” statements.)
Ø Your paper should have a clear thesis that is supported by TWO main arguments. This is a
4-paragraph essay – intro, 2 body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Ø Evidence should be drawn from class notes, readings, and your textbook. Each body
paragraph should incorporate at least one quote and 3 detailed examples to support the
paragraph’s main idea.
Ø Please cite all of your sources in either footnotes or endnotes. If you have any questions on
how to do this, please ask.
WWII POSITION PAPER – OUTLINE
Paragraph I (Introduction)
What is the general topic of this essay? (Remember, you want to start your intro broad and get more
narrow/focused as you go on.)
What general information does the reader need about this topic? (What is the topic being discussed?
What information is needed to give the reader enough background to understand the topic?)
When AND where was this an issue people cared about? (Consider what was going on at the time
and how that led to the topic of this paper. What is the brief history of this topic?)
Who was impacted by this issue?
Why do we care about your topic? Why does it matter?
What will this essay explain and/or argue? (What is your specific thesis? Your thesis should contain
the topics of your 2 body paragraphs.)
Do you support or oppose your topic? Why? (Include 2 specific reasons in your thesis statement.)
Paragraph II (First Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three
examples?) Sum up the topic/purpose of the paragraph in 1 sentence:
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example with detail and
SECOND be sure to explain what each example shows. How does the example support the point made in
your topic sentence?] This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
3.)
What statement wraps up this topic? (What conclusion can be drawn from the examples from the examples in this
paragraph?) AND What phrase serves as a transition into the next paragraph? (How does the topic of this
paragraph connect to the topic of the following paragraph?)
(TRY TO COMBINE THESE TWO THINGS INTO ONE SENTENCE.)
Paragraph III (Second Body Paragraph)
What is the topic of this paragraph? (What specific point will this paragraph illustrate with three
examples?) Sum up the topic/purpose of the paragraph in 1 sentence:
What are the three examples that illustrate the specific topic? (FIRST list the example and SECOND
be sure to explain what each example shows. How does the example support the point made in your topic
sentence? This second part is your ANALYSIS.)
1.)
2.)
3.)
What statement wraps up this topic? (What conclusion can be drawn from the examples from the examples in this
paragraph?)
Paragraph IV (Conclusion)
What phrase serves as a transition from the body of the paper?
What more can now be said about the ideas expressed in the thesis statement? (Restate, in new
terms, the thesis statement. Then add further reflections.)
What thought-provoking statement concludes the essay?
So what? Why is the topic of this essay important to study/learn about/remember? (How can you
broaden the scope of your discussion?)
How does the topic of the essay relate to later events/issues? (How is this topic still relevant today?
Is it an issue that has come up again? How so? OR Consider what lessons we have/should learn from this
experience.)