VC

=**George Orwell: __1984__  ** =


=Lesson 1: //Understanding the Times// =

= = = = = =

= = =Standard:  = = = =Expectations:  = = = = = =<span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">Materials:  = = = = = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Opening:  = = = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Middle:  = = = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Closing:  = <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> =<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(7,0,255);">Links: = >
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(227,13,101);">Media Literacy 3.A.1. Understand that messages are representations of social reality and vary by historic time periods and parts of the world.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will research the events that were taking place at the time Orwell wrote  __<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">1984   __<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will learn how these events influenced Orwell's novel.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will demonstrate their understanding of the program Keynote by creating a brief slideshow.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">Laptop with Keynote and internet capabilities
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[|This handout] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">which will guide the students in their lesson
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Student will access the handout from GoogleDocs and read the introduction I wrote about the time period in which the book was written.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will fill in the chart on the handout after researching the time period and similarities to characters and elements in  __<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">1984   __<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will organize their findings into a brief slideshow created on Keynote.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will show me their Keynote presentations.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">We will di<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">scuss their findings.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[|This piece] compares Oceania to USSR, 1984 to Stalinism.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Hitler's Youth is described on [|this website]. See any parallels to __1984__?
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Is [|iPhone] a Trojan Horse for Government Surveillance?
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is a [|Newspeak Dictionary]

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=<span style="color: rgb(40,19,174);">Lesson 2: //Psychological Manipulation// =

=<span style="color: rgb(40,19,174);"> = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(227,13,101);">Standard:  = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Expectations:  = = = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">Materials:  = >  >   = = = = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Opening:   = >  = = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Middle:   = >  >   = = = = =<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Closing:   = >  <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> =<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(7,0,255);">Links: = >
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(227,13,101);">Media Literacy 3.A.1. Recognize that creators of media and performances use a number of forms, techniques, and technologies to convey their message  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(227,13,101);">.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will understand how psychological manipulation is used by Big Brother in __1984__.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will demonstrate their understanding of Keynote or PowerPoint.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">Laptop with Keynote or Powerpoint.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[|This handout] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> <span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">which will introduce the topic, set up the discussion, the instruct the students in their assignment.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">A copy of __1984__.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Student will access my handout from GoogleDocs and read the introduction I wrote about psychological manipulation.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">We will discuss how elements in the book are used to turn the people into blind followers with no instincts.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">   <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">choose a group in today's society that uses psychological manipulation to gain a following and research this group. They will have 15-20 minutes to create a presentation on Keynote or Powerpoint.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">I will be available for help and will also be creating a presentaion similar to those of the students.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will show their presentations and explain the elements of psychological manipulation that are present.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">We will relate their chosen group to Big Brother's reign in Oceania.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This website lists [|coercive mind control tactics].
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This [|press release] explores psychological manipulation by doctors, lawyers, and salespeople.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This source describes brainwashing and mind control in [|religious cults].

=<span style="color: rgb(40,19,174);">Lesson 3: // __1984__ and Freud's Pleasure-Pain Principle// =

=<span style="color: rgb(40,19,174);"> = = = =**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(227,13,101);">Standard:  **= = = =**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Expectations:  **= = = = = =**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">Materials:  **= >  = = = = = = =**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Opening:   **= = = = = =**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Middle:  **= >  = = = = =**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Closing:   **= <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> =**<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(7,0,255);">Links: **=
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(227,13,101);">Media Literacy 3.C.3. Recognize that creators of media and performances use a number of forms, techniques, and technologies to convey their messages.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will understand Freud's Pleasure-Pain Principle  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will be able to compare/apply the above principle to __1984__.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(246,113,14);">Students will demonstrate their understanding of the use of pain as a method of control by Big Brother.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">Laptop with internet capabilities
 * Keynote, Microsoft Word, and/or Garageband
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">[|This handout] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> <span style="color: rgb(222,178,13);">which will guide the students in their lesson
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Student will access the handout from GoogleDocs and read the quotes I found about pain in __1984__ and a brief description of Freud's Pleasure-Pain Principle.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will further research Freud's principle (see links below)  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">.
 * Students will think about why Big Brother would use pain as a tool to "transform" rebels.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will (A) organize their findings into a brief slideshow created on Keynote or (B) write two organized paragraphs on Word, one about the Pleasure-Pain Principle and one relating it to __1984__ . If students choose the latter, they must record the writing (their voice) using GarageBand.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">Students will present their Keynote slideshow or play their GarageBand audio for the rest of the group to see/hear.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="color: rgb(20,138,29);">We will di<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">scuss their findings.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Here is a [|comparison] of the Pleasure Principle and the Reality Principle. Do you think any of this rings any bells for Winston? Scroll down to article number 1911B 12/213 (tip: use the search function on your laptop [ Apple + F ])
 * [|This site]<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> talks about the unconscious "Id,"which operates on the Pleasure Principle. This instinctual behavior is what BB suppresses.

= = ="The Old Italy, Born Again"= //Interview by Vanessa C.//



Imagine growing up in a country where fear is the president, where fifteen-year-old girls must flee from German soldiers with immoral intentions, where innocent civilians duck and cover at the sound of mechanical birds of death overhead. Italy was not the ideal place to be during [|World War II], and I was able to locate someone who experienced the atrocities firsthand: my grandmother. A young lady when WWII’s all-encompassing fingers grasped Italy by the throat, my grandmother endured quite a traumatic ordeal. A harrowing tale of survival and terror, her account of the events of her early life leaves one in awe of the strength of the human spirit.

I arranged the video-chat knowing only that she was around during a time of war in Italy, and therefore had some [|interesting stories] to tell. Never did I imagine that its impact on her would be so great.

The first indication I received of her presence was the fluttering of her shawl in the corner of my eye. A brief moment later, she appeared before me, seated on what I assumed to be a swivel chair, given the circular motion of her body as it turned in my direction. I stared at the computer screen in front of me, our equally curious brown eyes locking. “Hola, Nona.” Her anticipation was written across her face like a store’s neon sign begging customers to unearth the secrets within. This turned her usual pursed lips into an impatient smile, the same one present on a child eager to divulge every detail about his exciting day at school to his mother. She was no child, however, and I knew that the stories to come would make a bad day at school seem like an infinitely more appealing option.

When we got the formalities out of the way and were both comfortably seated in our respective living rooms, I figured the best approach would be to jump right into the questioning. “So, how long did the war last?” Actually, since our entire conversation was conducted in Spanish, the question was, “Cuánto duró la guerra?” but the entirety of our dialogue has been translated for the sake of comprehension.

“Six years.” The words sounded heavy on her tongue, as if the weight of the war continues to live on in her thoughts, even today. “I was fifteen years old.” The first thing that occurred to me was that, at the time, she was not much younger than me at my present age, and I certainly could not imagine growing up with those memories.

“Which war was it?” I asked next, “Was it a civil war in Italy?”

“No, it was //la última Guerra mundial.// [¹] ” Here she paused, most likely attempting to find the most appropriate way to phrase her next words. “I had a rough time, because the Germans were searching for women. I had to hide, usually in the basement, so that they couldn’t get me, but I saved myself. It was terrible. Can I tell you about this one day that I fell?”

“Of course,” I said.

“Well,” she began, “I was so afraid one day that I fell and I cut my head. A German came to my house. When I saw him, I hid because I thought he would get me. Then he made a signal to my mother that he could treat my injury. So he came in and he healed it, wrapped it up, and then my fears passed. He behaved very well.” With a girly laugh, she continued, “He gave me chocolate.”

Through further questioning, I learned more about her connection to the war. My grandmother lived in a small town in the center of Italy; its size resulted in her knowledge of essentially each soldier who left to fight. Not only did she live in a war zone, but her mother also owned a store that was frequented by German soldiers.

“[The Germans] came to buy things…but they didn’t pay. They said their government would pay for it later…but they didn’t pay anything.” She sounded quite annoyed. I would hate to be around if she were to encounter one of those Germans today (the force of an angry grandma is not one to be reckoned with). “They left //mi probre madre// [²] with all of the debts.” She sighed, perhaps remembering her mother and the good ol’ days before the war. “But the truth is they behaved very well in my town…We lived together with them, the soldiers. They stole chickens to eat. Chickens and pigs. They stole them, killed them, and ate them,” she finished her last spoken thought with a chuckle. I failed to see the humor in her statement, but maybe it was simply one of those times when you had to be there.

I figured it was about time to ask the million-dollar question. “Is there any event that stands out in your mind, something that remains clear in your memories?” She did not even hesitate to think of her reply. “The [|bombing],” she deadpanned, plain and simple. “All around us. The Germans flew over us in their planes. Whenever we heard them coming, we covered our ears…They marched through our town a lot. I was very afraid. We all ran around //el campo// [³] hiding under bushes. That I remember clearly—my mother with all of my little brothers running around el campo because…she was afraid they would bomb us too.” And then, more resolved, she concluded, “But we saved ourselves. That [memory] stayed engraved [in me].”

Since there still existed a gap in my knowledge of the events between her departure of Italy and her arrival in Argentina, her current country of residence, I decided to fill them in.

“When did you decide to move to Argentina?”

“In 1950 because the war ended in ’46. There was talk about how there was going to be another war; we were scared…We left everything. We brought a trunk of mostly clothes, but the rest stayed there—house, clothes, everything. We just brought the necessities.” I couldn’t fathom what it would be like to leave my life behind. I guess one’s survival instincts override one’s emotional attachments. I was dying to hear about her journey to Argentina, so that was the subject of my next question.

“We came on the [|Paolo Toscanelli].” With an air of pride, she added, “We traveled for 24 days!”

In disbelief, I stupidly repeated her answer, “24 days…on a boat?”

She laughed at my surprise, “On a boat, dear, yes. I thought we would never get there.”

How a person could stay on a boat for nearly a month is beyond me. “Were there a lot of people on the boat with you?”

“Yes, the boat was full [of people]. It was my mom, my four—no, wait—my five brothers, and me.” It did not slip my notice that she hesitated before telling me about her siblings. I found out later from another source that one of her brothers actually died on the journey to Argentina. If she wasn’t going to mention it, I sure as hell wasn’t. “We arrived on November 5th of 1950.”

It then occurred to me that she chose Argentina to flee to, when she could have chosen America, or any other country for that matter. I voiced my query and she replied, “In the US, we should have been allowed to enter because my grandparents were born there. But they didn’t permit us to enter. So, since I had my dad’s brother in Argentina, we asked him to make a call and [|they let us in].”

“Oh, so legally you were allowed to go to the US, but they didn’t let you enter?” Such a situation was not unheard of. During WWII, the US passed quite a few [|immigration laws] prohibiting the entrance of new immigrants. Of course, it is a different sentiment altogether when the cheek is turned on your own family.

“No, they didn’t let us. We could have because my grandma was a //ciudadano// [⁴] but…I was prohibited from entering. So my dad’s brother handled the paperwork, and they let us in [Argentina]. Actually, Argentina gave a lot of aid to Italy during the war. They sent us milk, sugar, things for the kids…”

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace; text-align: center;"> The only experience I had with starting over was moving from one town to the other, each a fifteen-minute drive from the other. My grandmother actually crossed an ocean and changed continents. “Was it difficult to adjust to your new life in Argentina?”

“Yes, I didn’t speak Spanish at all, so I never knew what anyone was saying.” She laughed again. “Eventually I picked up the language. I actually returned to my hometown in Italy after forty years. It was not the same Italy I left behind.”

When we were nearing the conclusion of the interview, I asked her if there was anything else she’d like to add, any final thoughts.

“Well, I remember, for a time, we were allowed one hundred grams of flour, one hundred grams of sugar; everything was measured. The war was a really bad experience. All kinds of things happened to us. We lived in fear.”

I thanked her for her time, promised to make a social call soon, and clicked End Session. Left with a now-empty screen and no further questions to ask, one thing dominated my every thought: her answers. Bombing. Fleeing. Germans. War. Terror. I tried to imagine one of the nameless, faceless, frightened people and replace them with my grandmother, but the image simply would not come. If she is on so high a pedestal that the thought of her ever being so vulnerable is inconceivable, then maybe the war made her a stronger person. Maybe it changed her. For the better.

Footnotes: 1. //la última Guerra mundial//: literally, “the last world war,” referring to World War II 2. //mi pobre madre//: my poor mother 3. //el campo//: the farm or town 4. //ciudadano//: citizen

media type="youtube" key="3zCbLEhQ1Lo" height="344" width="425" //<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">The above video contains clips of WWII in Italy, including air and tank warfare, as well as bombing. The region where my grandmother lived was one of the most heavily bombed in Italy. //


 * =  ||||||||||||||||||~ __Italian Population in Argentina__ ||=   ||
 * =  ||~ Year ||=   ||~ Foreign population ||=   ||~ Italian population ||=   ||~ % Italians over foreigners ||=   ||~ % Italians over total population ||=   ||
 * =  ||= 1869 ||=   ||= 210,330 ||=   ||= 71,403 ||=   ||= 33.9 ||=   ||= 3.8 ||=   ||
 * =  ||= 1895 ||=   ||= 1,006,838 ||=   ||= 492,636 ||=   ||= 48.9 ||=   ||= 12.2 ||=   ||
 * =  ||= 1914 ||=   ||= 2,391,171 ||=   ||= 942,209 ||=   ||= 39.4 ||=   ||= 11.9 ||=   ||
 * =  ||= 1947 ||=   ||= 2,435,927 ||=   ||= 786,207 ||=   ||= 32.3 ||=   ||= 4.9 ||=   ||
 * =  ||= 1960 ||=   ||= 2,604,447 ||=   ||= 878,298 ||=   ||= 33.7 ||=   ||= 4.4 ||=   ||
 * =  ||= 1970 ||=   ||= 2,210,400 ||=   ||= 637,050 ||=   ||= 28.8 ||=   ||= 2.7 ||=   ||

My grandmother lived in the region of **Abruzzo, Italy**. According to the Abruzzo World Club in [|this journal]:

//"...in World War II Abruzzo became the central battlefield in the fight between the Germans and Allied Forces (Rommel against Montgomery along the Gustav line); whole villages and towns were literally razed to the soil by the American bombings in the famous, long battle of the Sangro river. The governments of the postwar period, with the industrial centralization policy in the North, made the depopulation of the whole area still worse than before."//

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