War of the Worlds Fear of Invasion By Janice McDonald, Library Media Specialist and James B. Hagerman, Drama, Media Broadcasting, Acting Beechcroft High School, Columbus Public Schools

Introduction

Tasks

Process

Resources

Evaluation

Introduction:

The War of the Worlds radio broadcast by the Mercury Theatre under the direction of Orson Wells caused mass hysteria across the country when first broadcast in 1938. Why were people so willing to believe that men from Mars were actually attacking the world? Commercials and warnings were broadcast saying the program was just a dramatization, but still people believed the sounds of destruction coming from their radios. The story by H.G. Wells became fact for many listeners on that Halloween night. What started out as a hoax, became a national panic and the power of broadcasting would be forever changed. Let’s see how the world was tricked.

Tasks:

You will work in groups of 3-4 students. Each group is to choose a different topic listed below. Each group will prepare one of the following projects: Radio dramatization for the class which will be videotaped. Newspaper detailing events through the eyes of the reporters. A magazine focusing on one of the specific topics. A speech using the power of influence to convince the audience of the topic's validity. A script for a movie/tv show based on one of the topics. For each site you use, you must fill out a web page evaluation form; this means that your group must analyze the validity of information that you find on the world wide web and analyze what factors make the site believeable or unbelieveable. The web page evaluation form is available at: Checklist for an Informational Web Page

Topics:

A. The Orson Wells Broadcast - Analyze what elements of the broadcast "War of the Worlds" made it believeable to the American population during 1938.

B. Fear of Hitler - Nazi Invasion of the U.S. - Compare how events in Europe during 1938 and the media may have contributed to the mass hysteria of Americans at that time.

C. Science Fiction - H.G. Wells - Explore H.G. Wells' impact on the genre of Science Fiction and how he wrote semi-documentary novels about the unification and militarization of Germany.

D. Radio as a Trusted Friend - Analyze how the role of radio has changed between the 1930s and the present time.

E. The Power of Suggestion, Hysteria, and Conspiracies - Analyze the format of mass media and the impact of the media on group dynamics.

F. The Science behind War of the Worlds - Explore the technologies and the descriptions of Martians by H.G. Wells.

The Process:

The steps to complete the project are as follows:

1. Students will be divided into teams and choose one of the listed topics.
2. Each team will be required to read the information at each site listed in the resources.
3. Each team will formulate information on 4x6 notecards for each site. Sources must be included.
4. Each team will evaluate their web sites using the web site evaluation form.
5. Each team will collaboratively write a radio dramatization, newspaper, magazine, speech or script for a movie/tv show based on their research answering the questions for their topic.
6. Each team member will include at least one multimedia device in the report.
7. Each team will perform their project.

A. The Orson Wells Broadcast Find out some of the facts behind The War of the Worlds broadcast. How long did it last? When was it written? Who directed it? How was it presented? What effects did it have on Americans? Download a sound clip from the broadcast. List five elements of the broadcast that made it seem real. Why were people so willing to believe a fictional broadcast, even with disclaimers? Perform a section of the radio script. Prepare a short skit of what might occur if Martians came back in 1999 to invade Columbus, Ohio.

The Mercury Theatre - MP3 Radio Broadcast Radio's War of the Worlds Broadcast (1938) Study Guide for War of the Worlds Science Fiction on Radio: War of the Worlds 1938 "War of the Worlds" Radio Broadcast Script 1938 "War of the Worlds" Radio Broadcast Wavs History of the War of the Worlds Classic Sci-Fi War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast SCI-FI Road Trips Map of Mercer County, New Jersey

B. Fear of Hitler - Nazi Invasion of the U.S. List three events that were occuring in Europe during 1938. How might these events have impacted American thoughts? What was the link between the Martians and Nazis? Explore how the media may have allowed the Holocaust to occur as well as how the media may have perpetuated revisionists' arguments to the Holocaust. Analyze Hitler's radio presence/vocal techniques and how the masses responded. Give examples. What techniques were used to convert German children into Hitler Youth, children who were "brutal, indifferent to pain, without weakness and tenderness"? Compare these techniques with cult techniques of coersive persuasion. History Place Timeline of Europe in War War II Hitler Declares War on U.S. Responses to Revisionists Arguments History Place Holocaust Timeline History Place Rise of Hitler Cult Techniques of Coercive Persuasion The History Place Hitler Youth: Prelude to War 1933-1938

C. Science Fiction - H.G. Wells

List other works by H.G. Wells that contain the "doomsday" element. Outline The War of the Worlds novel. Explore H.G. Wells' impact on the genre of science fiction. List other science fiction authors influenced by Wells. Examine how and why Wells and others wrote the semi-documentary novels about the unification and militarization of Germany. Discuss film versions of H.G. Wells' novels. War of the Worlds etext SF and the race between education and catastrophe H.G.Wells: "The Time Machine": A Comparison of the Book and the Film, in terms of the Social and Cultural Background of the Time Science fiction: H.G. Wells and other modern writers Works of H.G. Wells Brief Biography of H.G. Wells The Mercury Theatre - MP3 Radio Broadcast

D. Radio as a Trusted Friend Look at the role of radio in the household. Analyze how the role of radio has changed between the 1930s and the present time. How did radio entertain and inform? What type of programs caused the two to come together? What television programs today are most similar to radio programs of the past? List 3 shows of old time radio in the late 1930s. How did their main characters reflect that time period? History of Radio Old Time Radio The Original Old Time Radio WWW Pages The History of Broadcasting, 1920-1960 Jeff Miller's Broadcasting History Pages Radio and Television History Sites

E. The Power of Suggestion, Hysteria, and Conspiracies - The truth is out there... They're coming to get you! The effects on the masses of people is one of the most compelling reasons that the government protects the public from knowledge of the presence of aliens on the Earth.

1. Analyze why the government and major companies do not want information to go out to the public.
2. Find two conspiracies that are out now and list them?
   Do you believe them? Why or why not?
3. What kinds of invasions do we fear today? What media would make people today believe in something? (Microsoft Corp., Y2K, Meteors) Explain.
4. Analyze the impact of the media on group dynamics.
5. The format of mass media and how we are drawn into its' power.

The Media History Project The Intergalactic UFO Network War of the Worlds: The Broadcast The Conspiracy Hell Update CUFOs: Roswell, The Whole Story Received…and Deceived NASA Home Page NASA Space Science News Y2K News Magazine The Lion King WWW Archive: Protest Against Microsoft A Microsoft monopoly or a standard contract?

F: Science and Technology Behind War of the Worlds:

1. Compare the technologies predicted by H.G. Wells in his stories with current technologies.
2. Explore the descriptions of Martians by H.G. Wells vs. the Martian environment they would inhabit.
3. Discuss your feelings about recent space exploration projects and what knowledge has been gained from these explorations.

• The Technology
• The Invasions
• The Expanding Universe of Lasers
• FLORIDA TODAY Space Online
• The Red Planet: A Quick Summary...
• Mars Chronology.

Resources:

Evaluation:

1. Each member of your group will be given an individual and a group grade. You will be grade on accuracy as well as creativity.
2. Your constructive use of class time to accomplish the assigned tasks (individual grade).
3. Each person in your group will be responsible for 5 notecards including resources (individual grade).
4. Your part of the overall presentation (individual grade).
5. Your group presentation (group grade).
6. Your evaluation of web sites (group grade).

Evaluation Rubric

Conclusion:

If you had been one of the original listeners of the Orson Wells' broadcast, would you have believed the Martians had landed? You should have an idea of the powerful effects the media plays on people. Notice the importance of evaluating your information resources before you believe any information.