Harvest of Despair

1. Name of film/video: ___________________________________________________

2. Date production: _____________________________________________________

3. Producer; ___________________________________________________________

4. The period or epoch presented in the film __________________________________

5. The main idea presented in the documentary: ______________________________

6. Sources of information:________________________________________________

7. The central figures in the film: ___________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

8. Additional aids used by the film director to put his main idea across:

_____________________________________________________________________

9. If you were the director, what would you add to the film to emphasize the main

idea? _________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

10. Was this a fair presentation of the main idea? Explain, giving 3 specific

reasons/examples for your argument.

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

A. Find the definition for each of the following:

Perpetrator – _____________________________________________________________

Bystander – ______________________________________________________________

Henchman – _____________________________________________________________

Victim – _________________________________________________________________

Onlooker – _______________________________________________________________

Rescuer – _______________________________________________________________

B. From “Harvest of Despair” identify the following:

The perpetrators in the film were:_____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

The henchmen were:_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

The victims or targets were:__________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

The bystanders were:_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

The onlookers were:________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

The rescuers were:________________________________________________________  

_______________________________________________________________________

Viewing the DVD: “Harvest of Despair”

Teacher instructions:

It is recommended that the DVD be shown in 2 segments:-

Part 1. background information; events leading to Famine-Genocide (half hour)
Part 2. Famine-Genocide and the Cover-up (half hour)

Assignment Part 1

1. What evidence exists that the Famine was man-made?
   
   
2. What events led to the Famine-Genocide?
   
   
3. What evidence is there that the Famine-Genocide was directed specifically against
   the Ukrainian people?
   
   
4. How many people died as a result of the Genocide ? What percent of the population?
   
   
5. Select one eyewitness in the film. Describe the conditions under which that family lived,
   
   Describe their testimony.
   
   
6. Describe one scene from the film, illustrating the horror of the Genocide.
   
   
7. What did the Soviet government do that led to the Famine-Genocide ?
   

Assignment Part 2 “Harvest of Despair”

1. Western nations knew about the starvation of millions in Ukraine. Suggest reasons
   why they were silent about this tragedy in 1932-33?
   
   
2. Why was there a “media cover-up” inside and outside the Soviet Union?
   
   
3. Who were Malcolm Muggeridge ad Walter Duranty? How did they represent the
   Ukrainian Famine-Genocide in 1933?
   
   Malcolm Muggeridge: ________________________________________________
   
   Walter Duranty: ____________________________________________________
   
   
4. Who were the perpetrators? __________________________________________
   
   the victims? _______________________________________________________
   
   the observers/bystanders? ___________________________________________
   
   
5. Should the perpetrators, be exposed and held accountable for crimes against
   humanity? Why or why not? Suggest what could be done?

Class could be divided into groups of 5-6 with each group reporting their findings to the entire class, each group supplementing the answers of the previous groups on a chart. Conclusions will be drawn out in class discussion of findings.