Introduction
This guide is intended to help you navigate the resources and tools you need to do research for this course. If you get stuck or confused, contact me directly (ggradowski@scu.edu) or use our Ask-a-Librarian resources, which include a 24/7 chat service (Yes! You can chat with a librarian at 3 a.m.!).
Never underestimate . . .
Never underestimate the power of an encyclopedia. Just as you've probably learned to rely on wikipedia in your daily life, as a researcher, never fail to take advantage of a quick, authoritative overview. Then, you'll be sure to be starting on firm footing. The following electronic encyclopedia sources could turn out to be true treasure troves. Give them a try.
The Encyclopedia of World War II: a political, social and military history by ISBN: 1576070956Publication Date: 2004An unprecedented achievement in publishing—a multivolume encyclopedic resource, for both the general reader and specialist—on the central conflict of the 20th century,The Encyclopedia of World War II covers the entire scope of the Second World War from its earliest roots to its continuing impact on global politics and human society.
The Oxford Companion to World War II by ISBN: 0198604467Publication Date: 2002'The Oxford Companion to the Second World War, by virtue of its scale, its range and its scholarship, is an outstanding guide, as sensible and cogent on the big questions as it is instructive and informed on the lesser ones.' (HEW STRACHAN, TLS)
Dictionary of American History by ISBN: 0684805332Publication Date: 2003"The third edition of this classic and indispensable work, first published in 1940 and last revised in 1976, has been updated completely for a new generation of students and scholars. Recognizing that the ways in which history is understood and interpreted have changed drastically over the past six decades, the editors have revised 448 articles, replaced 1,360 articles, and added 841 new entries. Gender, race, and social-history perspectives have been added to many entries for the first time. In another departure from the earlier editions, the editors have added maps and illustrations throughout the text, providing helpful visual cues to readers. No library should be without these new volumes."--"The Best of the Best Reference Sources," American Libraries, May 2003.
An Illustrated Dictionary of the Third Reich by ISBN: 9780786473724Publication Date: 2013This dictionary gives an enormous amount of basic information on the Third Reich era by listing, and often depicting, German terms connected to Nazism and the Germany of World War II. It includes ranks, badges, insignia, regalia, medals, flags and banners, weapons, uniforms, equipment, vehicles, fortifications, airplanes, battleships, main Nazi concepts and organizations, slogans, sayings, code names, nicknames, slang words, places of importance, events and battles, treaties and alliances, industry and economics, justice, art, religion, education, political parties, newspapers, laws, institutions, and short biographies of Nazi leaders. To make the rise of Nazism comprehensible, aspects of the Weimar Republic have also been considered. In all there are 1,650 entries and 234 illustrations.
Encyclopedia of Japanese American Internment by ISBN: 9780313399152Publication Date: 2013This reference for general readers provides alphabetical entries on key figures, legislation, organizations, movements, ethnic groups, and incidents of violence and discrimination related to the internment of Japanese American citizens during WWII. A separate section offers entries on camps, centers, and prisons. The book also includes a section of 15 primary documents, including personal letters and memoirs as well as official documents. It is illustrated with b&w historical photos. Editor Okihiro teaches international and public affairs at Columbia University.
