Syllabus: B421/H509 (Subject to change)

Sections 24255/15465

War and Society II: The Second World War: Fall 2004

MW 9:30-10:45: Cavanaugh CA 221

Professor Kevin Cramer Cavanaugh 503M

317-278-7744 Mon/Weds: 1-3

kcramer@iupui.edu and by appointment

Required Texts

1. R.A.C. Parker, The Second World War: A Short History, revised ed., (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002). Background text.
2. Heinrich Böll, The Train was on Time, (Evanston, IL, Northwestern University Press, 1994). Novel.
3. Mary L. Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 4^th ed., (New York, Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004). Citation and scholarly style manual.

Course Description

The end of World War II in 1945 terminated a 350-year-old era in world history: an epoch distinguished by the economic and military rivalry between the European powers, imperial domination and competition, the global hegemony of European culture and values, and the destructive and genocidal aspirations of aggressive nationalism. The war left as its legacy the potential of even greater global destruction and destabilization in the Cold War confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. Another consequence was the emergence of the idea of the “Third World” as a result of the bankruptcy and collapse of the old European empires. The war also made American military and economic power and cultural influence the foundations of globalization. Some of the issues left unresolved at the end of the war have been decided, notably in the collapse of Soviet communism, the reunification of Germany, and the emergence of the European Union. Other issues, such as Balkan and eastern European nationalism, the democratization of the developing world, and the global aspirations of the capitalist economic system, remain sources of instability and conflict. This course does not focus exclusively on military history. It will also examine the origins of the war, the war’s impact on economic, social, and cultural life, and the war’s enduring legacy for a world that continues to grapple with problems of globalization, the international balance of power, terrorism, and genocide.

Course Objectives

The aim of this course is to place the war in the context of international relations and history; to understand the aims and strategies of the combatants; to examine the impact of the war on societies, culture, families, soldiers, and victims; to understand the war’s impact on economic and social policy; and to understand the place of the war in modern memory. The course is also designed to further develop and improve the skills required by the university's "Principles of Undergraduate Learning” (for details and further information on the PUL go to www.iupui.edu/~history/principlesundergradlearning.htm). Lectures and exams will introduce you to facts, concepts, themes, and terms that will allow you to understand the importance of this event while giving you the historical context for a better understanding of how the war continues to resonate in our world sixty years later. The term paper assignment, based on readings of primary sources and current secondary literature, will enable you to develop your reflective, critical, and analytical abilities while requiring you to become familiar with library resources and research techniques. In-class participation and discussion will enable you to sharpen your communication skills as well as your capability to efficiently and spontaneously summarize, categorize, interpret, and evaluate information. This part of the course also allows you to make a vital and necessary contribution to how topics and issues are brought into focus in each class.

Course Requirements

By the second week of class undergraduates must choose either Option A or Option B for their final evaluation requirements.

Option A

1. Final Test (25%; non-cumulative)

2. Mid-Term Test (20%)
3. Term Paper with Annotated Bibliography (25%; 15-20 pages. Topic Guidelines and Format TBA)
4. Participation in Book Discussion and six Discussion Sessions (20%; with submission of Response Papers)
5. Three Map Quizzes (10%)

With this option the paper counts more and the two tests count less toward your final grade.

Option B

1. Final Test (30%; non-cumulative)

2. Mid-Term Test (25%)
3. Book Essay (15%; 8-10 pages. Questions and Format TBA)
4. Participation in Book Discussion and five Discussion Sessions (20%; with submission of Response Papers)
5. Three Map Quizzes (10%)

With this option the paper counts less and the two tests count more toward your final grade.

H509 (Graduate section)

Requirements as in Option A. Graduate students are required to submit a Research Proposal with Annotated Bibliography and a longer research paper using primary sources (25-30 pages; Topic Guidelines and Format TBA)

Grading System and Policy

Tests, quizzes, other course work, and the final grade will be calculated according to the traditional 100-point scale. On assignments where the grade is not strictly calculable (i.e., your participation grade) you will be given the highest numerical score within the grade range (i.e., a B+ would be scored as an 89). An A-range grade evaluates work that goes substantially beyond the formal outlines of the assignment by showing marked originality, creativity, and strength of argument, organization, and conception. A B-range grade evaluates work that fulfills the assignment with noticeable, but not thorough, attention paid to these ideas. Such work might also include flawed reasoning and organization as well as stylistic problems (sentence structure, spelling, vocabulary, use of scholarly conventions, etc.). A C-range grade evaluates work of genuine effort that largely fulfills the assignment but displays substantial weaknesses in several of the above areas. D-range work is evaluated as meeting the bare minimums of the assignment in a perfunctory fashion. Obviously, an F grade indicates complete failure to fulfill the assignment. You are graded according to my evaluation and judgment of your participation in class, your willingness to ask questions (there are no stupid questions), the quality of your preparation for, and fulfillment of, assignments, and your willingness to risk thinking analytically and originally. You are not graded for "effort" and merely showing up each day.

Course Policies

Make up tests and quizzes will only be offered in emergencies (and given on the next class day) and when I am notified no later than the morning of the test or quiz class day. As a gesture of good faith, please keep me informed reasonably in advance of circumstances that will force you to miss lectures. Lecture outlines, writing assignments, test reviews, film and slide notes, discussion questions and other important information and course material will be posted on Oncourse, so check it regularly. To log on or get help go to https://oncourse.iu.edu. All assignments must be completed for your final grade to be accurately calculated (an A+ on the introductory test, for example, does not give you the option of skipping the map quizzes). Failure to turn in assignments or take tests and quizzes will be noted as part of your participation grade. Late submission of the paper will be penalized a third of a grade (e.g. B to B-) for papers not turned in on the due date, one full grade for the first week overdue, and two full grades for two weeks overdue. Unless there are extraordinary and documented circumstances that prevent timely submission, papers overdue by more than two weeks will not be accepted. Late papers must be submitted as hard copies; I will not accept late papers via e-mail attachments (when submitting written work via e-mail always ask for confirmation of receipt; if you do not receive this confirmation, notify me immediately).

Academic Misconduct

Plagiarism is usually defined as the deliberate theft of someone else's work and passing it off as your own. But inattention, ignorance of citation conventions, and sloppy note taking can also result in what can be construed as plagiarism, even if it is unintentional. Cutting and pasting from the Internet is plagiarism. Please consult the IUPUI Campus Bulletin (2001-2002) for further guidelines and information on plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct. For details and further information, also see “Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct” at www.hoosiers.iupui.edu/studcode.

Other Important Information

• As participation in class discussions is part of your final grade, and lecture material not covered in the textbooks is tested on the exams, attendance is important (and it also effects your participation grade). For the same reasons, tardiness and leaving early will also be noted.
• Lecture outlines will be posted on Oncourse no later than the day before the lecture.

• Learning to take effective notes is a skill rewarded by heightened comprehension, increased retention of information, and good grades; the recording of lectures is therefore prohibited barring special circumstances.
• The five discussion sessions will be based on sets of primary source readings available on the Internet (“Source Modules”). These readings are accessible as links from the syllabus posted on Oncourse and the History Department website. The questions for each discussion session will be posted a week in advance. As part of your preparation for participation in the discussion sessions you must submit (on the day of the discussion) a "Response Paper" answering one of the discussion questions (these papers must be typed and be no longer than one page; they will be returned with comments but will not be graded). Failure to turn in these papers will lower your participation grade. However, you must still be prepared to discuss all of the questions. If you come unprepared to the discussion sessions, simply show up and do not participate, and/or participate infrequently over the course of the semester, you can expect to receive the "average" grade for participation, that is, a C.
• The readings for each week are intended to provide background information for that week’s lectures. The primary source links are for that week’s discussion session (they must be read in advance). It is essential that you keep up with the readings. The tests will have material drawn from the textbook that will not always be discussed in class.
• Because of the sheer number and profound differences in quality of Internet sources and references, they can only be used (sparingly) in the term paper with my approval.
• If you choose Option A (and if you are a graduate student) you must submit in advance an annotated bibliography for your term paper. Format and details will be provided. I will not evaluate and grade your paper if you fail to submit this bibliography.
• The test format consists of an identification/short answer section covering important terms, people, events, and ideas; a multiple-choice section covering factual information drawn primarily from the lectures; and an essay section answering a question (or questions) dealing with broad themes and issues. You will be provided with a test format and study guide well in advance of each test. The final exam, given on the last day of class, will include extra-credit questions based on the films.

Class Schedule and Readings

Important Note: You should be able to access the primary sources from the syllabus posted on Oncourse by clicking on the web addresses. If this does not work, try typing in the exact URL in the address line of your browser. I have double-checked all of these links and they all work. For some of the documents (pdf files) your computer needs at least Adobe Acrobat 4.0 (a free download; this is not a problem if you are using the library computers). Let me know immediately if you have any problems.

Week One

1. Introduction (W 8/25): Introduction; The Syllabus

Discussion Session 1Questions posted on Oncourse; Map Quiz 1 announced

Week Two

2. Lecture 1 (M 8/30): The Treaty of Versailles
3. Lecture 2 (W 9/1): Appeasement and the Approach of War

Readings: Parker, chapter 1

Labor Day Holiday: 9/6 (no class)

Week Three

4. Discussion 1 (W 9/8): The Policy of Appeasement; Map Quiz 1

Readings: Source Module 1: “Appeasement”:

“The Treaty of Versailles: Part VIII. Reparation. Section 1. General Provisions. Articles 231-247”

http://history.acusd.edu/gen/text/versaillestreaty/ver231.html

Neville Chamberlain: “Peace in Our Time”

http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/ralph/workbook/ralprs36.htm

Winston Churchill: “A Total and Unmitigated Defeat” (House of Commons, 10-4-38)

http://www.churchill-society-london.org.uk/Munich.html

“The Hossbach Memorandum” (11-10-37)

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/document/hossbach.htm

Book Essay Questions/Format and Term Paper Topics/Format posted on Oncourse

Week Four

5. Lecture 3 (M 9/13): World War I Resumed, 1939-1940
6. Lecture 4 (W 9/15): Japanese Imperialism, 1936-1942

Readings: Parker, chapters 2-3, 5-6.

Discussion Session 2 Questions posted on Oncourse; Map Quiz 2 announced

Week Five

7. Lecture 5 (M 9/20): Hitler’s Invades Russia: Operation Barbarossa, 1941
8. Discussion 2 (W 9/18): War Aims and Strategies; Map Quiz 2

Readings: Parker, chapter 4; Source Module 2: “War Aims and Strategies”:

Winston Churchill: “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” (House of Commons, 6-4-40

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=393

“Japanese Imperial Policy Adopted at Imperial Conference, 2 July 1941”

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/PTO/Dip/IR-410702.html

The Atlantic Charter (August, 1941)

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/wwii/atlantic.htm

Washington War Conference: “Memorandum by the U.S. and British Chiefs of Staff, 1-10-42)

http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/psf/box1/t04g02.html

“Extract from the Commissar’s Order for Operation Barbarossa” (6-6-41)

http://www.yad-vashem.org.il/about_holocaust/documents/part3/doc170.html

The Nazi Slave Labor Program (excerpts from Nuremberg Prosecution Documents: “Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. 1, chap. X)

http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/document/DOCSLA1.HTM

Week Six

9. Lecture 6 (M 9/27): Technological War
10. Lecture 7 (W 9/29): The Turning Points: Midway and Stalingrad

Readings: Parker, chapter 7

Discussion Session 3 Questions posted on Oncourse

Week Seven

11. Lecture 8 (M 10/4): Mobilizing for Total War
12. Discussion 3 (10/6): War and Social Change

Readings: Parker, chapters 9-10; Source Module 3: “War and Social Change”:

The Defense Program: A Handbook for Speakers (U.S. Office of Emergency Management, 1941)

http://digitallibrary.smu.edu/cul/gir/ww2/pdf/p0144.pdf

“What Uncle Sam Asks of You: General Orders for the Home Front” (Office of War Information, 1943)

http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/memory/highlights/Rationing/Rationing_8.html

WWII Posters: Women's Roles

http://womenshistory.about.com/library/pic/bl_p_wwii_posters_index.htm

Henry Wallace: “The Post War World” (12-28-42)

http://ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1942/421228a.html

“Utilization of Negro Manpower in the Postwar Army Policy” (War Department circular, 4-27-46)

http://trumanlibrary.org

Note: For this document, go to the Truman Library homepage, click on "Documents", click on "Desegregation of the Armed Forces" under "Online Documents", click on "Documents" on the menu bar, and scroll down and click on "April 1946."

Week Eight

13. Lecture 9 (M 10/11): The War of Ideas
14. Film 1 (W 10/13): “The Propaganda Wars”

Readings: Parker, chapter 11.

Week Nine

15. Lecture 10 (M 10/18): Collaboration and Resistance
16. Film 2 (W 10/20): “The Eye of Vichy”

Mid-Term Review Guide posted on Oncourse

Week Ten

17. Mid-Term Review (M 10/25)

18. Mid-Term Test (W 10/27)

Week Eleven

19. Lecture 11 (M 11/1): The Nazi “New Order” in Europe
20. Lecture 12 (W 11/3): The Murder of the European Jews

Readings: Parker, chapter 17

Discussion Session 4 Questions posted on Oncourse

Week Twelve

21. Discussion 4 (M 11/8): The Final Solution
22. Film 3 (W 11/10): “Hell on Earth”; Annotated Bibliographies due

Readings: Source Module 4: “The Final Solution”:

The Wannsee Protocol (1-2-42)

http://library.byu.edu/~rdh/eurodocs/germ/wanneng.html

Operational Situation Reports of the Special Action Units (Einsatzgrüppen)

http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Holocaust/situation_reports.html

Testimony of Otto Ohlendorf (Nuremberg, 1-3-46, pp. 315-354))

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/proc/01-03-46.htm#ohlendorf

Private and Political Testaments of Adolf Hitler, 4-29-45

http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1945/450429a.html

Map Quiz 3 announced

Week Thirteen

23. Book /Essay Discussion (M 11/15): Heinrich Böll, The Train was on Time
24. Lecture 13 (W 11/17): Coalition Warfare; Map Quiz 3

Readings: Parker, chapter 12.

Week Fourteen

25. Lecture 14 (M11/22): The End of the War in Europe

Discussion Session 5 Questions posted on Oncourse

Thanksgiving Recess: 11/24 - 11/28 (no classes)

Week Fifteen

26. Lecture 15 (M 11/29): The End of the War in the Pacific; Book Essay and Term Paper due
27. Discussion 5 (W 12/1): The Atomic Bomb

Readings: Parker, chapters 13-14; Source Module 5: “The Atomic Bomb”:

Science Panel Recommendations on the Immediate Use of Nuclear Weapons, 6-16-45

http://www.nuclearfiles.org/redocuments/1945/450616-ic-sc-panel.html

Minutes of Meeting Held at White House on Monday, 18 June 1945 (full text version)

http://trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/documents/fulltext.php?fulltextid=1

Petition to the President of the United States by Scientists, 7-17-45

http://www.nuclearfiles.org/redocuments/1945/450717-petition.html

Final Exam Review Guide posted on Oncourse

Week Sixteen

28. Lecture 16 (M 12/6): The Postwar Settlement
29. Final Test Review (W 12/8)

Readings: Parker, chapters 15-16, 18

Week Seventeen

30. Final Test (M 12/13)