Just War Theory and FDR’s Declaration of War

This lesson introduces students to the principles of just war theory, the basis of international agreements such as the Geneva Conventions that regulate the conduct of nations in wartime. The lesson asks students to consider the six principles of jus ad bellum, or what makes a war just, as applied to World War II. Students read Roosevelt’s Joint Address to Congress Leading to a Declaration of War Against Japan (the “day that will live in infamy” speech) in order to assess whether or not Roosevelt spelled out the case for a just war.

Students will:

• Examine the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and identify its effect on U.S. history.
• Review elements of just war theory, the basis of international law regarding warfare.
• Analyze a speech and its effect on the American people.

About the Author: 

Joan Brodsky Schur is the Social Studies Coordinator at the Village Community School where she has taught English and American history for over twenty-five years.