A421/H511
American
Military History
Section: C279/C301
Monday
Cavanaugh Hall, Rm. 217
Instructor: M. H. Little
Office: Cavanaugh Hall, Rm. 503C
Telephone: (317) 274-0098
Email:
Welcome to A421 American Military History. This course is designed as a comprehensive
introduction to the history of the
Course work will involve attending weekly lectures
as well as discussions of assigned readings. In addition, students are expected
to complete two 3-5 page essays (excluding cover and end-notes pages) as well
as 5-7 page take-home midterm and final examinations. Please note that prompt and regular
attendance as well as the completion of all
assignments and examinations is absolutely essential for successful completion
of the course. Students’ course grades
will be calculated on the basis of: (a)
attendance and participation--30%; (b) essays--30%; quizzes--10%; and (c)
examinations--30%. Late submission of
assignments will result in the deduction of one entire grade for each day that
it is late. It is understood that there
are always unforeseen events which may prevent a student from attending class,
but in the event that this occurs, students are required to report their
absence immediately at the telephone
number listed at the top of this syllabus.
For a more detailed explanation of the objectives of this course as they
relate to IUPUI’s undergraduate education goals,
please consult the following link: Principles of Undergraduate Learning. Please note that all of the
information contained in this syllabus is tentative and subject to change by
the instructor.
Administrative Withdrawal
A basic requirement of this course is that you will participate in class and conscientiously complete writing and reading assignments. Keep in touch with me if you are unable to attend class or complete an assignment on time. If you miss more than half our class meetings within the first four weeks of the semester without contacting me, you will be administratively withdrawn from this section. Our class meets twice per week. Thus, if you miss more than four* classes in the first four weeks, you may be withdrawn. Administrative withdrawal may have academic, financial, and financial aid implications. Administrative withdrawal will take place after the full refund period, and if you are administratively withdrawn from the course you will not be eligible for a tuition refund. If you have questions about the administrative withdrawal policy at any point during the semester, please contact me.
Academic Dishonesty
It should be noted that any form of academic dishonesty committed in the course will not be tolerated. This includes obvious types of dishonesty such cheating on examinations and plagiarism as well as submitting the same paper for credit in two different courses. Any student who is found guilty of such criminal behavior by the instructor will be awarded an F for the course as well as having his/her dishonesty recorded as a permanent part of his/her student record. For a more detailed explanation of the different types of academic dishonesty, please consult the IUPUI Student Responsibilities and the IUPUI Student Rights and Responsibilities handbooks.
The following texts are required for the course. They are available for purchase at either the IUPUI Bookstore as well as Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com
Russell F. Weigley, The
John W. Chambers II, et al. (eds.) Major
Problems in American Military History
Robert C. Mason, Chickenhawk
Dana Priest, The
Eugene B. Sledge, With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and
The following text is recommended
Robert H. Nye, The
Challenge of Command
Weekly assignments are as follows:
Week of:
Jan. 12 - Introduction to the Course
Jan 19
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jan 26 - The Colonial Era
Lecture: The Colonial Origins of the American Military
Read:
Chambers and Piehler, pp. 37-64
Feb 2 - The American Revolution
Lecture: Washington and His Generals
Read: Weigley, pp. 3-39; Chambers and Piehler, pp. 66-93
Written
Assignment #1 due
Feb. 9 - The War of 1812
Lecture: Jefferson, Federalists and the U. S. Military
Read: Weigley, pp. 40-55; Chambers and Piehler, pp. 95-117
Feb 16 - The Professional Army,
Lecture: The Origins of the Professional Soldier
Read:
Weigley, pp. 59-91; Chambers and Piehler, 119-150
Feb. 23
- Midterm Examination
Take-home Midterm Examination due
Mar. 1 - The Civil War
Lecture: Grant, Sherman and the
Read: Weigley, pp. 92-152; Chambers and Piehler, 152-185
Mar. 8 - Military Power, the Great Plains and Native Americans
Lecture: The Frontier and the American Military
Read: Weigley, pp. 153-163; Chambers and Piehler, pp. 187-219
Written
Assignment #2 due
Mar. 15
- Spring Break--No Class
Mar. 22 - Winning an American Empire
Lecture: The Spanish-American-Cuban War
Read: Weigley, pp. 167-191; Chambers and Piehler, 221-246
Mar. 29 - World War I
Lecture:
The
Read: Weigley, pp. 192-222; Chambers and Piehler, 248-275
April 5 - The Interwar Years
Lecture: Planning for Three-Dimensional Global War
Read: Weigley, pp. 223-265; Chambers and Piehler, 277-308
April 12 - World War II
Lecture: The Age of Total Warfare
Read: Weigley, pp. 269-359; Chambers and Piehler, 310-336; Sledge, all
April 19 - The American Military and the Cold War
Lecture: Planning for War in the Nuclear Age
Read: Weigley, pp. 363-381, 399-440; Chambers and Piehler, pp. 374-407,
409-444; Mason, all
April 26 - Non-Nuclear War and the Post-WWII American Military
Lecture:
Old and New Challenges for the
Read: Weigley, pp. 382-398, 441-477; Chambers and Piehler, pp. 445-487;
Priest, all
May 3 - Classes end
Take-home
Final Examination due
Last revised