History
475: World War II
Dr. Phillip G.
Payne
134 Doyle Hall
http://web.sbu.edu/history/ppayne
Class
Description:
The purpose of
this course is to provide a history of the Second World War from its origins to
the aftermath of the war. To this end,
the class will cover events beginning in the 1920s and 1930s and continuing
through the early origins of the Cold War in the late 1940s. We will be discussing as many aspects of the
war as possible, including military, diplomatic, social, and economic changes
that occurred.
Class Schedule:
History 202 05
History 201 06
History 475 01 World War II 1:30-2:20 p.
211
Office Hours: MWF 9:30 – 10:15
Communication: I
will be posting a copy of this syllabus and all other course handouts on my
faculty web page and WebCT. Grades will
be posted on WebCT (in addition to having the materials returned). You should check both your SBU and WebCT
e-mail for announcements. In the event
of a circumstance that would force me to cancel class (say a blizzard or sudden
illness) I will announce it via WebCT e-mail (if possible). You can e-mail on either account, although I
prefer the SBU account.
Books:
Kennedy, David M.,
The American People in World War II.
Dower, John. Embracing
Defeat:
Stoler, Mark A.
and Melanie S. Gustafson, ed., Major
Problems in the History of World War II.
Houghton Mifflin.
Bowman, Constance. Slacks
and Calluses: One Summer in a Bomber
Factory. Smithsonian Institution
Press.
Emily S.
Rosenberg, A Date Which Will Live:
Method of
Determining Grade and assignments:
Bowman Review 10%
Dower Review 10%
Reaction Papers 10%
Midterm: 25%
Final: 25%
You will review
Dower, and Bowman books individually (at 10 % each) following the book review
guidelines posted to my web page (be sure to note that you are required to
incorporate an academic review). Your
review is due the day we discuss the book and should be 2-3 pages in length. Additional information will be provided in
class.
Throughout the semester
you will write 4 reactions to readings in Stoler and Gustafson that is at least one page in length
(approximately 200 words). You will past
this paper on the WebCT discussion board by Wednesday at 5 p.m. The purpose of the paper is to raise issues
that will be discussed in class on Friday.
In addition you
will write a 5 – 7 page paper based on your reading of
In addition to
handing the paper to me during class, you will upload an electronic copy of the
papers to WebCt. This serves as a
receipt and backup. If, for some reason, a dispute arises over whether or not a
paper was turned in then we can turn to the uploaded papers to solve the
dispute.
Grade Scale:
93 – 100 A
90 – 92 A-
88 – 89 B+
83 – 87 B
80 – 82 B-
78 – 79 C+
73 – 77 C
70 – 72 C-
68 – 69 D+
63 – 67 D
60 – 62 D-
59 - F
A
An
A essay or paper demonstrates that a student is using accurate evidence in a
thoughtful way that synthesizes information from a variety of course
materials. Papers that receive an A are
well-argued, well written and organized around a strong thesis. To achieve the grade of “A” a student must
submit a paper or essay that goes beyond the basic requirements of the
assignment to demonstrate a sophisticated interpretation, thoughtful analysis,
and good writing skills.
B
A
paper or essay that receives a B grade demonstrates a student’s accurate
understanding of the material, adequate use of a variety of course sources, and
competence in writing.
C
A
paper or essay receiving a C grade demonstrates average work that meets the
basic requirements of the assignment. A C represents average and often uneven
work. C papers or essays often contains
some mixture of solid work with factual inaccuracies, vague assertions, errors
in or lack of interpretation, inadequate use of the assigned documents, or
mediocre writing.
D & F
A
failing grade is assigned to work that fails to meet the requirements and
expectations for the assignment. Often a
D paper or essay falls short of the basic assignment requirements but contains
some indication of an effort to meet the requirements (for example having some
but not enough factual information, containing too many inaccuracies, or using
only a portion of the assigned materials).
An F paper or essay fails to meet basic requirements and often also
falls short in writing and argumentation as well as use of evidence.
Cheating:
If you are
caught cheating you will receive at minimum a zero on the assignment with the
possibility of further action including pursuing academic misconduct. What is cheating? Common sense will essentially answer this
question for you, but cheating is any attempt to gain an unfair advantage in a
class assignment. This can include, but
is not limited to, copying, plagiarism, using another person’s work as your
own, and the use of prohibited materials while completing an assignment. You should consult the SBU student handbook
for more information on academic dishonesty.
For more on plagiarism see the History Department writing guide on the
department web page http://web.sbu.edu/history/writingguideintro.html
Class Schedule:
Week 1: August 27 - 31
First Day of
Class, Introduction & Major Themes
The legacy of
the Great War
Question:
Was the Versailles peace simply an armistice that allowed Europe to
re-arm?
Week 2: September 3 - 7
Isolationism and
Appeasement and
Its Failure
Why would European leaders embrace
appeasement? What has appeasement meant
historically since World War II?
Week 3: September 10 - 14
Nazi-Soviet Pact
Invasion of
FDR’s Neutrality
and domestic politics
Question:
Why was the American public so reluctant to re-arm in the face of
aggression in Europe and Asia?
Questions:
Why would Hitler decide to invade the Soviet Union? Why was France so easily defeated?
Week 4:
September 17 - 21
Rise &
expansion of militant
American
relations with
Question:
Compare the rise of Fascism in Europe with the rise of militarism in
Japan. Was the Japanese government
fascist? How, and why, could we argue
that WWII actually began in Asia rather than Europe?
Week 5: September
24 - 28
Japanese
expansion
Peal Harbor
Paper Due Friday
Week 6: October 1 - 5
Midterm
Break: October 6 - 9
Week 7: October 10 - 12
War in the Pacific
First
Examination Friday Oct. 12
Week 8: October 15 - 19
Home Front: Selling the war & Prosperity
Home Front: Economics and Social Change
Bowman review due Friday Oct. 19
Questions:
Was women entering the industrial workforce a watershed event?
Week 9: October 22 - 26
American,
British, and Soviet War Goals & Foreign Policy
The War in the
Pacific
Questions:
How did the Asian war differ from the European war? Was Japan justified in its claims to be
anti-imperialist?
Week 10: October 29 – November 2
Home Front: Japanese Internment & the Double V
The Holocaust
Gustafson, MP,
chapter 9, “The United States and the Holocaust.”
Question:
What was the origins and nature of the Holocaust? What were the Nazi justifications? What was the American response?
Week 11: November 5 - 9
Home Front: Cultural Change
Week 12: November 12 - 16
War,
Intelligence, and Technology
Invasion of
Week 13: November 19
War in Europe
and
Diplomacy
Question:
What steps did the Big Three take to prevent another world war? Did they avoid the mistakes of the past? Learn the lessons of history?
Thanksgiving Break
Week 14: November 26 - 30
VJ Day and the
Occupation of
VE Day and Post
War
Dower Review due Friday November 30
Question:
What motives existed for the dropping of the Atomic Bomb? Was conflict between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.
inevitable?
Week 15: December 3 - 7
Marshall Plan
and Post-war
Final:
Monday Dec. 10 10:35 a.m. – 1:05 p.m.