Parents across the nation have all been thrust into learning at home and finding different ways to teach our kids. Homeschooling may have felt like a foreign language a few weeks ago, but now it is a reality for parents for the next few weeks and in some cases the rest of the school year.
Did you know there are a ton of resources that you can teach your kids about military history? The military is a steady constant throughout history and you can use tools online to learn more about American military history or history from other countries and distant pasts. The military tells a lot about culture and history and learning so there is a lot we can learn from military history.
Podcasts
There are a number of great military-focused podcasts that share the history of the military through sharing the stories and experiences of military members.
The History of WWII by Ray Harris Jr.: A biweekly podcast covering the last great war, with over 280 episodes there is plenty of history to discover.
The Civil War (1861-1865): A History Podcast: A history podcast in which hosts Rich and Tracy weave together a chronological narrative of the Civil war era. Over 300 episodes are available.
Voices of the First World War: This is a 50-part series from the Imperial War Museum in 2014 to mark the 100 years from the war’s outbreak. There is also a comparison website www.1914.org that offers photos, transcripts and more.
Women of the Military: Sharing the stories of military women from as far back as WWII to the present day. Sharing the real stories of military women that are often unheard or written about in today’s history books.
Borne the Battle: In 2016, Veteran Affairs dove into podcasting by creating a place for veterans to share their experience through recognizing the challenge and sacrifice our Veterans endure during and after their service. They also spotlight various services available from the VA.
Books
Captain Mama Series: Not only are the books written by Graciela Tiscareno-Sato full of information on what it is like to be a Navigator in the Air Force. She also has virtual author packages with recorded or in-person virtual meetups that allow you to have your kids hear from a real Navigator. Her book is written in English and Spanish. Digital programs include Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, and Women’s History Month.
What was the Vietnam War? Part of the “What Was” series this edition was written by Jim O’Connor sharing how the United States ended up fighting for twenty years in a remote country on the other side of the world. Check out the rest of the “What Was” series to help answer more of your kids questions about events throughout history.
Great Battles for Boys This is a series of books written by Joe Giorello with Sibella Giorello. These books were written to get boys out from behind their video game screens and focused on learning history. It allows boys to find an excitement for history through reading these stories. With a number of books located within the top 10 books for kids on Amazon, this is a must for parents of kids interested in learning military history.
Online Resources
Looking to learn about the history of military women? For the month of March, Brave Women Served shared over 60 stories of military women along with a weekly series sharing 100+ years of the history of military women. You can listen to all the episodes here.
Find Military Records through Genealogy
You can get free military records through Ancestry.com. You will be able to find historical insights, photos, records and more. You can research your family tree and see if you have a military history within it or search the records of various military leaders in history.
A unique collection on military history is available at War History Online. There are articles, guest authors, photos, videos and more. They also have a Facebook and Instagram page they use to highlight stories and connect with others interested in military history. You could spend hours looking through this site and only scratch the surface of what information it contains.
The National Archives Library Information Center
The National Archives Library Information Center’s mission is to provide staff and researchers ready access to the background and context information necessary to describe, organize, and access the essential evidence in NARA records. It is an online public access catalog. They are there to answer questions and provide more detailed information. You can also search on your own to discover history.
A quick google search of military history will give you countless websites that can help you in your military history journey. If there is some piece of history you are looking to learn more about, your key to learning is in your hands through the computer and the internet. The resources mentioned in this article are just the tipping point to get you started in your journey toward learning.