Dr. Barbara Skinner                                                            

H425 Topics: The Cold  War

M  2:30-5:10, CA 221

 

 

A World Divided: Understanding the Cold War

 

 

 

Course Description/Objectives:

 

Known as the “Cold War,” intense rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States dominated global history and International politics in the second half of the twentieth century.  With ideological, social-economic, political, cultural, and military connotations, the Cold War divided the globe into two opposing camps -- two superpowers, their allies and client states -- and created global fears of imminent conflict and nuclear holocaust. 

 

This course will explore the uncompromising nature of the Cold War rivalry with assessments of major crises and conflicts from both the U.S. and Soviet perspectives.  In addition to diplomatic history, we will also discuss the social, institutional, and cultural ramifications of the conflict within the everyday lives of U.S. and Soviet citizens.  Proceeding chronologically through the historical landmarks of the Cold War from the time of the Communist takeover of Eastern Europe, the crises in Berlin and Cuba, the arms race, the “hot” wars in Asia, the “proxy” wars in the Third World, and the final collapse of the European Communist regimes, we will assess how and why superpower conflict arose, question and critique political behavior behind key events, and discuss the social and political psychology created by the tensions of the era. 

 

The objectives of the course are threefold.  First, this course aims to further your knowledge on important recent global history and your ability to assess its legacy on current affairs.  Secondly, the selected readings, videos, and in-class discussions are designed to help you to think critically from multiple perspectives about decisions made and societal reactions and to express your thoughts effectively in oral form.   Finally, the written assignments develop critical and analytical writing skills to give effective written form to your own arguments and analysis.

 

The weekly meetings will approach the subject in with a variety of methods: lectures, discussion of assigned texts, analysis of selected primary sources (mostly web-based), viewing and discussion of documentary videos on the major events of the Cold War.

 

 

Course requirements and grading:

 

Grading components:

Class attendance and participation: 25%

Mid-term exam: 20%

Written assignments: 30% (two 4-5-page papers, one film critique)

Final exam: 25%

1) Class participation: Regular attendance and participation in the discussion are essential to your success in this course.  We meet only once a week, so each meeting is critically important.  You must complete the readings assigned for each class session and to come to class ready to discuss and comment on the assigned readings for that day.  To aid in your preparation, consult Oncourse for a more detailed schedule each week, with discussion questions to focus your reading.  I expect to be able to call on anyone during class, whether or not you have raised your hand.  Your regular attendance and participation in the discussion will help you to prepare for the exams better than any last-minute cramming.

 

* If you miss class, you are still responsible for all materials presented and discussed that day.  Make sure you are in contact with someone in the course for this kind of situation.  

 

 **If it becomes clear that the class is not prepared to discuss the readings, I reserve the right to give pop quizzes that will factor into your participation grade.

 

2) Exams: Mid-term and final exams will include an in-class section of short answer and ID questions, as well as a take-home section of one or two essay questions. 

 

3.) Written work: Two short papers (4-5 pages), and a 2-3 page critique of a Cold War film of your choice (list to be provided).  Paper topics will be assigned one week prior to the due date and will be based on assigned readings for the course. 

 

 

Required texts: (these have been ordered through the university book store)

 

$          Jeremy Isaacs and Taylor Downing, Cold War: an Illustrated History, 1945-1991 (Little, Brown, 1998)

 

$          Vladislav Zubok and Constantine Pleshakov,  Inside the Kremlin’s Cold War: From Stalin to Khrushchev (Harvard Univ. Press, 1997).

 

$          Robert M. Gates,  From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider’s Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War (Simon & Schuster, 1997).

 

 

Additional required readings/viewings:

 

$          *You are also responsible for additional readings distributed in class AND all assigned primary sources, which will be from web sources whenever possible. 

 

$          Additionally, documentary videos shown in class should be given the same respect as lectures: take notes and be able to utilize the material presented in the videos within your exams and papers when applicable.

 

$          I will distribute a list of Cold War films, from which you will choose one to view and critique.

 

Prof. Skinner’s contact info:

$          Office hrs.: M, 1:00-2:00 and after class until 6:00pm, CA 313

$          Telephone: cell 812-391-3393 (try first); home: 812-339-8137

$          e-mail skinnerb@kiva.net – this is the best way to communicate with me if it is not an emergency  

$          Mailbox: History Department, CA 504M (telephone 274-3811)

 

 

Course Schedule

***Note: readings may be added or changed throughout the semester.  Web sources have not yet been included in this schedule for the class meetings following spring break.  You must consult Oncourse for the complete reading list for each scheduled class.

 

I.  (Jan. 7) Introduction to course; Lecture -- Characteristics of Russia and the Soviet Union

 

2.  (Jan. 14) Origins of the Cold War: U.S and Soviet Perspectives

Isaacs, 3-41; Zubok, 1-53;

            John Lewis Gaddis, We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History, Ch. 1 (handout);

primary sources from web site (http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/02/): Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech and Stalin’s reaction;

            first paper assignment distributed

 

Jan. 21 – Martin Luther King Day (no class)

 

3.  (Jan. 28) Marshall Plan, Containment, Berlin Air Lift

Isaacs, 43-81; Zubok, 78-137;

            Kennan’s long telegram (handout); Novikov’s telegram (web); NSC-68 (handout)

Paper 1 due

 

4.  (Feb. 4) Red Scare and Cold War Culture

Isaacs, 107-123; Whitfield, The Culture of the Cold War, Ch. 4 (handout); Fried, The Russians are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!, Ch. 1(handout);

primary sources from web site (.../episodes/06/): interviews with John Service and Eduard Goldstucker, HUAC documents, McCarthy’s speech and Time article

           

5.  (Feb. 11) “Thaw” and Eastern Europe

            Isaacs, “After Stalin”, 125-143; Zubok, Ch. 5- 6 to p. 194;

from web site (.../episodes/07/): Time and Pravda articles, Khrushchev’s secret speech and Imre Nagy’s statement

                       

6.  (Feb. 18)   Sputnik, Arms Race, and Gary Powers

            Isaacs, 145-63; Robert Divine, The Sputnik Challenge, Ch. 3 (handout);

from web site (.../episodes/08/):  Pravda article and Dulles Press Conference; U.S. and Soviet statements on Gary Powers

            Kennedy’s inaugural speech (handout); midterm essay distributed

 

7.  (Feb. 25) Berlin Wall; in-class midterm and midterm essay due

Isaacs, “The Wall”, 165-83; Zubok, Ch. 6, 194-202 and Ch. 8, 248-258;

Deane and David Heller, The Berlin Wall, Ch. 3 “The Human Drama”;

            from web site (.../episodes/09/):  Kennedy’s speech and Khrushchev’s response,

Time and Izvestiia articles

 

8.  (Mar. 4) Cuban Missile Crisis

            Isaacs, 185-203; Zubok, 202-209 and Ch. 8, 236-248, 258-274, 275-82;

from web site (.../episodes/10/): Pravda article, Kennedy’s speech, Khrushchev/Kennedy correspondence

 

Mar. 11 – Spring break (no class)

 

9.  (Mar. 18) Perceiving the Enemy: Cold War film

 

10.  (Mar. 25) Arms Race and Arms Control; KGB and CIA

            Isaacs, “MAD”, 231-45; Ameringer, “The Craft of Intelligence” (handout); Gates, Ch. 1, 3, 6-7

            film critique due

 

11.  (April 1)   Cold War Turns Hot (Korea, Vietnam, Third World)

Read one of the chapters on Cold War conflicts from Isaacs, “Korea,” “Vietnam,” or “Surrogates,” and consult the documents and articles on the web site for the conflict;

            Gates, Ch. 4, 8.

 

12.  (April 8) Detente and Increased Tensions

             Isaacs, “Detente” and “Freeze”, 271-289, 311-331; Gates, Ch. 2, 5, 9-10

            Paper assignment #2 distributed

 

13.  (April 15) Reagan, the “Evil Empire”, and Star Wars; Afghanistan

            Isaacs,”Reagan,” 333-351; Gates, Ch. 11-17; Reagan “Evil Empire” speech (handout)

            Paper 2 due

 

14. (April 22) Gorbachev, 1989, and the Fall of Soviet Union

            Isaacs, 355-417; Gates, Ch. 18, 20-28

 

15.  (April 29) End of Cold War and Post-Cold War World; in-class final and final essay distributed

            Isaacs, 417-421; Gates, Ch. 29-30; Huntington, “Clash of Civilizations” article (handout)

 

submit final essay via e-mail attachment by noon, Wed., May 1