New book examines the role of censorship in World War II

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New book examines the role of censorship in World War II By Joanna Scutts, Smithsonian.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 09.07.

1 New book examines the role of censorship in World War II By Joanna Scutts, Smithsonian.com, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 1,087 TOP:The American Expeditionary Force, aboard the transport ships, off to serve in Australia,1942. Photo by Keystone,Getty Images. MIDDLE:The Victory Book Campaign aimed to raise the morale of servicemen. BOTTOM:Women sort and package Victory Books at the Oregon State Library for shipment to servicemen. FAR BOTTOM:Soldiers participate in the Oregon Victory Book Campaigns. Photo: Courtesy of State Library Records, OSA. The book burnings in Germany in the 1930s were meant to control ideas that went against the Nazi view of the world. In the United States and around the world people were shocked that books were under attack. American librarians decided that the best way to fight back was to encourage Americans to read more, making books the weapons in the "war of ideas." Molly Guptill Manning's fascinating new book, "When Books Went to War," is a history of the American military's huge World War II program of printing and distributing books to service members. She relates that the average World War II soldier or sailor had an 11th-grade education and did not read books. However, during the war, there were times for rest and This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 relaxation for those in training camps and for those fighting in Europe and the Pacific. At these times, service members needed books because they were the only entertainment around. 18 Million Books Donated To Military Book Campaign The idea that "books were intertwined with the values at stake in the war" is central to Manning's study, which begins with an account of a book burning in Berlin in Librarians across America waged publicity campaigns, hosted collection contests, worked with organizations like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts for door-to-door collections, pitched stories to newspapers, and scattered book donation boxes across their towns and cities to collect books to distribute to service members. What came to be known as the Victory Book Campaign mobilized American civilians to donate 18 million books between 1942 and However, many of the donated books did not suit the reading tastes of young men for example, thousands of children's books were donated. Librarians had to painstakingly sort the books they collected, so they could send only the best. Many of the donated books were hardcovers, so as servicemen shipped out overseas, they proved to be too heavy to carry. These problems exposed the need for paperback editions of books that young men would especially enjoy. The War Department took over in 1943, set up the Council on Books in Wartime and worked with publishers to produce special lightweight paperback volumes called Armed Services Editions (ASEs). These books ranged from cowboy novels to poetry, to murder mysteries and to classic novels like "The Great Gatsby." They were designed to fit in the hip or breast pocket of a military uniform. Books On Controversial Subjects Were Included Great care went into choosing the ASE titles as publishers put together lists of best-sellers and other popular books. Then a group of hired readers went through each book and highlighted any passages that were offensive or hurtful or might seem to help enemies of the United States. These were reviewed more closely, and the Army and Navy had the final say. Manning's book includes an appendix listing all 1,200 titles. The publishers did not avoid books about Hitler or Nazi Germany. The council published "Der Fuehrer: Hitler's Rise to Power," a biography of the Nazi leader by German-Jewish journalist Konrad Heiden. They also printed some books that had been banned in some U.S. states. "Strange Fruit," about interracial lovers that led to the lynching of an innocent black man, was published after Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, said it was an important novel. "Forever Amber" was about a woman who married rich men for their money in the 1600s. It was banned in some states and cities because it contained sex scenes. It was published. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

3 For the soldiers themselves, the books were very practical. Homesick, bored and anxious, the young men needed books to pass the time. Their letters clearly expressed the importance of the books. One private reported that "they are as popular as pin-up girls." The huge reach of the Armed Services Editions could turn a popular book into an instant classic. A first printing began at 50,000 copies and grew from there. Betty Smith's 1943 novel, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," about a teenage girl growing up in a poor and loving immigrant community in New York, touched many soldiers and sailors deeply as they saw the young girl's world as their own. One battle-scarred young Marine told the author that a "surge of confidence has swept through me and I feel that maybe a fellow has a fighting chance in this world after all." Taft Amendment Had Free Speech Implications Manning writes that with the presidential election coming in November 1944, Republicans and Democrats in Congress fought over the Soldier Voting Bill. When it finally passed, Republican Senator Robert A. Taft quietly added an amendment. It changed what kind of reading material could be sent to service members. For the military's Council on Books in Wartime, the amendment warned that freedom of speech should be controlled more during war. It was a potential disaster for the popular program. The Navy protested that changing the books might "result in coloring the intent of the author." The readers would be given "half-truths." The council felt this was too close to the Nazi s vicious censoring of ideas that Americans were supposed to be fighting against. The Council on Books in Wartime got newspapers and radio stations to protest this censorship. The spring and summer of 1944 saw a flood of furious editorials against the changes. When Taft, a Republican, met with the Army, journalists overheard him claiming that three-quarters of soldiers would vote for Roosevelt, a Democrat. He said the overseas troops were so out of touch with current issues that they should not be allowed to vote anyway. Once made public, his supporters backed away and no changes were added. Soldiers Developed A Love For Reading Many service members came home with a love of books. Thanks to the popularity of the ASEs, publishers started to release cheaper paperback editions for civilians. Veterans came home to a popular, new paperback book industry. The ASEs also motivated many soldiers to go to college, having proven that they could enjoy reading and studying. Some 2 million veterans, who might never have enrolled in a university before the war, found themselves signing up for a free college education. In 2002, the Legacy Project revitalized the ASEs and sent pocket-sized books to Americans serving around the world. Today, the Navy is distributing e-readers pre-loaded with popular books so service members always have hundreds of books at their fingertips. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 3

4 So the tradition of providing books to help men and women through their service far from home continues. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 Quiz 1 Read the following selection from the article. Many service members came home with a love of books. Thanks to the popularity of the ASEs, publishers started to release cheaper paperback editions for civilians. Veterans came home to a popular, new paperback book industry. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from this selection? The ASEs had a positive impact on both soldiers and the publishing industry. The publishing industry began to lose money because of the demand for cheaper paperback books. The soldiers were upset that they were no longer able to get inexpensive books when they came home. After the war, civilians were able to read the banned books that the soldiers had made very popular during the war. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5

6 2 Read the sentence from the section "18 Million Books Donated To Military Book Campaign". The idea that "books were intertwined with the values at stake in the war" is central to Manning's study, which begins with an account of a book burning in Berlin in Which of the following selections from the article BEST supports the idea that "books were intertwined with the values at stake in the war"? The publishers did not avoid books about Hitler or Nazi Germany. The council published "Der Fuehrer: Hitler's Rise to Power," a biography of the Nazi leader by German-Jewish journalist Konrad Heiden. They also printed some books that had been banned in some U.S. states. Betty Smith's 1943 novel, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," about a teenage girl growing up in a poor and loving immigrant community in New York, touched many soldiers and sailors deeply as they saw the young girl's world as their own. The Navy protested that changing the books might "result in coloring the intent of the author." The readers would be given "half-truths." The council felt this was too close to the Nazi s vicious censoring of ideas that Americans were supposed to be fighting against. In 2002, the Legacy Project revitalized the ASEs and sent pocket-sized books to Americans serving around the world. Today, the Navy is distributing e-readers pre-loaded with popular books so service members always have hundreds of books at their fingertips. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 6

7 3 What is the relationship between the following selections from the article? She relates that the average World War II soldier or sailor had an 11thgrade education and did not read books. One battle-scarred young Marine told the author that a "surge of confidence has swept through me and I feel that maybe a fellow has a fighting chance in this world after all." The ASEs also motivated many soldiers to go to college, having proven that they could enjoy reading and studying. They all support the central idea that the great majority of Americans supported the project to send books to soldiers. They all support the central idea that the soldiers wanted to spend their free time reading books. Together, they develop the central idea that the books changed the way soldiers felt about reading. Together, they develop the central idea that the books were important in the fight against censorship. 4 Which answer choice provides an accurate and objective summary of the article? In the 1930s, Nazis were burning books that went against their world view. This was because they did not want people to have their own independent ideas. Many foolish senators in the United States also wanted to censor what could be read and said. A new book tells the story of how a council was formed to send books to soldiers during WWII. The books became a way for soldiers to pass the time, as well as an important symbol of American freedom of speech. The tradition of sending books to service members continues today. Many soldiers were sad and homesick during WWII. The government began a project to send them books that they could read. They made some strange selections to send the soldiers, including books that were banned in many states. This made many soldiers think critically about attending college. The Council on Books in Wartime was begun as a fight against censorship. It attempted to get Americans to donate their used books to soldiers who were overseas. However, since many of the books that people donated were children's books or hardcovers, the project was mostly unsuccessful. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 7

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