Connor Mason
Education Abroad
For my STEP Signature Project I participated in Ohio State’s History of World War II Study Program. Through this program, I studied abroad in four countries and visited two others between May 6 and June 7, 2017. In each of these countries we visited important sites and museums related to WWII.
My STEP Signature Project allowed me to explore WWII in greater detail than I had previously been able. In preparation for the trip abroad I took courses about the military and civilian aspects of the war. I gained a better understanding of the events surrounding WWII and the different ways it is discussed between countries. These new perspectives challenged my understanding of WWII, which has always been an American-centric understanding. My project allowed me to explore specific topics within WWII and discuss them with my peers. These discussions developed my ability to think about historical events and convey my understanding to others. I also met a group of wonderful and intelligent students and forged valuable friendships with them. These experiences allowed me to explore a topic I love learning about with a talented group of similarly-interested people.
My STEP Signature Project also afforded me my first chance to travel outside of the United States. This was especially exciting for me because of the number of countries I visited. Of the six countries I travelled to, I was particularly struck by France. I had previously studied French language and culture through four courses in high school and later two at Ohio State. Being able to finally see many of the landmarks I had studied was often breathtaking. I was also able to employ my French language skills and am now considering adding a minor in French to my undergraduate studies.
My biggest take-away from this project was seeing WWII from the perspective of countries and people outside of the United States. The United States tends to adhere to the narrative of the Good War. This stems from a victory that left the American people relatively unscathed when compared to the cost incurred by other nations. Different nations experienced the war differently and as such, their narratives of the war are also different. In England, there is the People’s War. This narrative comes from England’s closer proximity to the war and the direct, personal cost it exacted on the lives of soldiers and civilians alike. We explored this narrative through museums and a dinner with Michael Handscomb, who lived through the Blitz. Mr. Handscomb and the British museums alike recounted the war’s toll on British civilians as they stood steadfast against the onslaught of Hitler’s war machine. They also showed us the contributions of everyday Brits towards the war effort. From the Enigma codebreakers to the Boy Scout Troops collecting scrap metal, every ounce of British society was caught up in fighting the People’s War.
In France, we saw a nation that was removed from the war before it ever had a chance to really defend itself. However, with General de Gaulle’s call to action there remained an active resistance force in France under Nazi occupation. As we visited the French museums we saw a storied mythology surrounding the resistance that didn’t always agree with the facts we had studied. We saw resistance’s size exaggerated and French collaboration with Nazi Germany diminished by museum exhibits. The slanted view of the war in French museums forced me to not only consider how these people view their history of the war but also how my own understanding of the war has been warped by my national upbringing. Seeing the distortions made by others forced me to increase my scrutiny of myself.
In Poland, we were confronted by some of the war’s greatest atrocities. Here, we visited Auschwitz-Birkenau. This is a place haunted by horrors that defy description. The still-standing barracks, gas chambers, and rail tracks serve as a testament to the potential evil of humanity. The monuments here to those who were senselessly exterminated are sobering. By visiting this place, we were connected in space to one of the darkest chapters of human history. We discussed both the Holocaust and the Bloodlands, Timothy Snyder’s thesis on the interaction of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union as they conquered areas of Eastern Europe at horrifying human costs. Naturally, we discussed the origins of the killings as a victory of fear, instinct, and hate over rationality and compassion. We also discussed the importance that these events hold in the modern world and how they will be remembered as we become further removed from them in time.
Finally, in Germany, our trip encountered a nation in the unenviable position of coming to terms with the rise of a hateful dictator and the ensuing war he waged. Germany’s museums and monuments do not celebrate the war like they do in America, England, or France. Here, the war is remembered with little agenda beyond presenting what happened. The coverage of events, the events that led to them, and the consequences of those events is neutral and thorough. The attitude of these museums seemed to be more subdued as well. They were more than happy to lay every bit of information out but none were given added circumstance over another. At every stop, there was no ulterior motive beyond a remorseful account of Germany’s role in the tragedies of WWII. In this, I found it interesting that the nation most apt to discuss the war without a political slant is the one who would have the most to gain by polishing up some aspects of the war. It has inspired me to strive for a similarly neutral understanding of the war as I study it further and present it to others.
My STEP Signature Project allowed me to explore WWII in greater detail than I ever have before. As a future history teacher, these experiences and lessons will be invaluable as I discuss these topics with my students. Visiting Auschwitz firsthand has impressed the horrors of the Holocaust on me more than any textbook ever could. Standing in Winston Churchill’s underground war rooms made the desperation of the Blitz more potent than any slideshow. Context is essential to studying history; the environment an event happens in is every bit as important to understanding that period as the event itself. By visiting these places that were each at the center of some part of WWII, I have been able to connect my study of those events to a physical space. With that physical space, my understanding and appreciation for what happened there has increased dramatically. With this now-greater understanding I am better equipped to convey the significance of these events to my future students.
In addition to enhancing my knowledge of a topic I am passionate about, my STEP Signature Project allowed me to travel abroad for the first time in my life. The past few years have ingrained me with a growing desire to explore the world. I am fortunate to come from a decent upbringing but I have found that the breadth of my travels is less than I’d like it to be. There is so much out there in the world, different places that each have their own story and there are so many I’d like to visit. This project allowed me to knock a few of those off my list. The foremost of these was Paris. I have studied French language and culture for nearly six years now and I have heard about the famous sites of Paris my whole life. Finally being able to see the magnificent buildings, artwork, and landscape in person was nothing short of breathtaking. This project allowed me to visit places that I may not have been able to afford visiting until much later in life. With these experiences, I feel more connected to the world around me because, as much as I was shocked by the famous sights and beautiful views, these places never felt all that different from home. This trip has given me a new perspective on the international community. The world seems a bit smaller and a bit more familiar now that I’ve gone out and visit it. I’m looking forward to my next international excursion and the opportunity to make more unfamiliar places feel like home.
For further reading on my Education Abroad experience, check out my blog I wrote as part of the program: http://u.osu.edu/wwiihistorytour/author/mason-819/
Climbing in craters at Pointe du Hoc
OHIO along the Seine River