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Course: World History Project AP® > Unit 7
Lesson 5: 7.4—World War IIREAD: Plaek Phibunsongkhram – Graphic Biography
Plaek Phibunsongkhram was an authoritarian Prime Minister of Thailand. He forged his own version of fascism and allied with Japan during the Second World War.
The Graphic Biography below uses “Three Close Reads”. If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.
First read: skimming for gist
This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the graphic biography will be about. Pay attention to the title, headings, images, and layout. Ask yourself: what is this graphic biography going to be about?
Second read: understanding content
For this reading, you should be looking for unfamiliar vocabulary words, the major claim and key supporting details, and analysis and evidence. You should also spend some time looking at the images and the way in which the page is designed.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- What country did Plaek Phibunsongkhram lead, and in what years?
- What did he change the country’s name to, and what did the new name mean? Why was this name change ironic?
- What evidence does the author provide that Phibunsongkhram was an authoritarian ruler?
- Why did he create Pad Thai? Why was this creation ironic?
- What happened to Phibunsonghram after the war?
- Authoritarian and fascist governments are all about order and following rules and governmental control. How does the artist use art and design to contribute to the message that Phibunsongkhram was an authoritarian leader?
Third read: evaluating and corroborating
In this read, you should use the graphic biography as evidence to support, extend, or challenge claims made in the course.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
- Using evidence from the graphic biography, make two connections to two different AP themes.
- How does this biography of Phibunsongkhram support, extend, or challenge what you have learned about the fascism and authoritarianism leading up to the Second World War?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to read! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished reading.
Plaek Phibunsongkhram (Graphic Biography)
Writer: Sean Bloch
Artist: Liz Clarke
Plaek Phibunsongkhram was an authoritarian Prime Minister of Thailand. He forged his own version of fascism and allied with Japan during the Second World War.
Download the Graphic Biography PDF here or click on the image above.