The World Since
1945 – Syllabus and Survival Guide
History 342 – Fall 2014
TuTh 12:30 – 1:45 pm,
Sierra Hall 186
Instructor
Dr. Thomas W. Devine
Office Hours: Sierra Tower 624, Tuesdays 2:00-3:00 pm; Thursdays 2:30-3:30;
and by appointment gladly given. Phone:
(818) 677-3550. Email: tom.devine@csun.edu
Teaching Assistant: Désirée
Dufresne Email: desiree.dufresne.658@my.csun.edu
Spirit of the Course
If you wish you understood more
about what’s going on in the world but find that you just don’t have the time
to keep as informed as you’d like, this is the course for you. It is designed
as a general education class and requires no “expertise” in the study of
history or historical methods.
From the origins of the Cold War to
the Chinese cultural revolution to the present turmoil across the Middle East,
this course will take you on a tour of the modern world; we will explore and
interpret the major developments that have occurred over the past seventy years
– events, trends, conflicts, and revolutionary outcomes that continue to shape
the world we live in today. The books we will read are gripping first-person
accounts that recount the suspenseful (and sometimes tragic) stories of
everyday people’s lives. The other readings (available on the web syllabus)
will provide context and detail that will help you better appreciate the first
person accounts.
Unlike other classes you may have
taken, this course is not about memorizing a series of facts
presented in a textbook and regurgitating them for exams. I will not be lecturing
at you while you sit passively. Most of the time, I’ll be asking you questions,
or, more precisely, asking you to think. Thinking can be hard work, which
explains why most people never bother, but as college students, you should
consider giving it a try. I will give you the opportunity to do so.
The course will also encourage you
to develop your analytical skills – skills that are invaluable if you are to
succeed in any number of career paths. In fact, it’s not a coincidence that
many employers say they like to hire History majors – they know that History
students have been trained to think critically, analyze data effectively, argue
persuasively, and write clearly – all skills in high demand in today’s job
market.
Throughout the semester you will be
critically examining historical sources – both primary (produced at the time of
the historical event in question) and secondary (produced after the fact). Drawing on evidence presented in these
sources, you will be formulating arguments and evaluating the strength of
others’ arguments based on the same evidence. In particular, we will work on
how to write a coherent, logical essay that takes a particular point of view
and makes a persuasive case for it – another skill that will serve you well in
the world beyond History 342. In short, you will be doing what good historians
(and journalists, and lawyers, and scientists, and businessmen, and advertising
executives, and marketing researchers) do.
Finally, as someone who believes an
informed citizenry contributes to the health of democracy, I hope that by
studying recent world history, you will leave this course a more informed
citizen than when you entered. Today, most Americans are astonishingly ignorant of their
own nation’s history and even more clueless about the world around them. This
is not only embarrassing, but unfortunate, for as
George Orwell reminds us in his novel1984, those who have no knowledge
of the past are not only powerless, they inevitably are dominated by those who
do possess such knowledge – something to think about as we begin the
semester.
Reading
Though there is no assigned textbook
for this course, many of you may find that you need one to provide basic
background information. If that is the case, I suggest you purchase David
Reynolds, One World Divisible: A Global History Since 1945.
To avoid the inflated prices at the
Matador Bookstore, you should buy your books on line. You will find used or
discounted new copies at the following web sites: http://www.bookfinder.com; http://www.amazon.com; http://www/half.com. You should order
your books immediately since it can take up to two weeks for them to arrive.
Requirements
& Grading
Class Participation, Quizzes, and
Short Writing Assignments – 20%
1st Analytical Paper – 10%
Option A
due September 14th
Option
B due October 10th
Option
C due October 18th
2nd Analytical Paper -- 20%
Midterm Examination [October 16] – 25%
CLICK HERE FOR MIDTERM
STUDY GUIDE
Final Examination [11 December,
12:45-2:45] – 25%
CLICK HERE FOR
FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
All grading will be done on the +/ – system. Any assignment not completed will be counted
as a “zero” in calculating the final grade.
Explanation of
Requirements
Class Participation
Though this course will include some
lectures, it is not primarily a “lecture course” – the emphasis will be on
discussion and classroom interaction rather than listening to the professor.
Class participation is important and will count heavily in your final
grade. Have the reading done BEFORE you come to class and be ready
to discuss it – simply being “present” will not earn you a high participation
grade. Since not everyone is comfortable speaking in front of others, your
performance on the quizzes and short writing assignments will also be
considered in calculating your participation grade.
Quizzes
There will be a quiz on each of the
books, and, if necessary, on some of the other reading assignments as well. The
purpose of the quizzes is to ascertain who has read and who hasn’t. If you have
done the reading, you should have no difficulty doing well on the quizzes.
Midterm and Final Examinations
The Midterm and Final Examinations
will consist of short answer questions and a long essay. You will have a choice of topics for the long
essay. A week or so before each exam, I will distribute review questions that
will help you study for the short answer questions. You are responsible for
bringing an unmarked book to the midterm and the final.
Paper Assignments
The paper assignments – the first
900 words, the second 1500 words – will focus on the material covered in the
readings and during class discussion. There will be a choice of topics handed
out a week or so before the due date.
Since the paper topics will address issues we have previously discussed
in class, it will be useful to take notes during our discussions and keep in
mind the questions and themes that emerge from these discussions – you will
likely see them reappear in the paper topic questions.
Surviving History 342…
Doing
Well
You have chosen to pursue a college
degree, and therefore – at least in this course – you will have to do college
level work if you expect to pass. That said, History 342 is a GE course, it
isn’t Rocket Science. As one student evaluation put it, “If you do the reading,
study for the tests, and pay attention in class, it’s pretty easy to do well.
On the other hand, if you don’t do the reading, don’t come to class, and don’t
study, you’ll probably fail.” That pretty much sums it up.
Attendance
Since active student participation
is crucial to the class’s success, you are expected to be at every meeting. I
do take attendance. Frequent absences will dramatically lower your course
grade. If you are a person who rarely attends class and relies on
copying notes from a friend, you would be best served fulfilling your GE
requirement by taking some other class. Or, perhaps more to the point, you
might reconsider why you are in college in the first place. Moreover, if you
are accepting tax payer dollars in the form of grants and/or subsidized loans
to fund your education and you do not attend class, you are engaging in fraud.
If you are paying your own way and you don’t attend class, you are simply
throwing your money away (about $60 a class, but who’s counting?)
History Writing Center
Most CSUN students, like most
Americans, lack college level writing skills. (In fact, recent evidence
indicates that most CSUN students write at a 6th grade level.) To
help address this serious problem, the History Department has established its
own Writing Center. You can make an appointment with one of the writing tutors
by calling the History Department at 818 677-3566 or you can talk to me about setting
up an appointment. The tutor will read a draft of your paper and discuss with
you ways to improve it. You may then resubmit your paper up to a week after
your appointment with the tutor and I will grade the revised version. If you
graduate still unable to write a coherent paragraph, beyond being embarrassing,
it will be difficult for you to advance very far in your career of choice. Make
an effort to improve your writing. I will make every effort to help you do so.
Problems
If you are feeling overwhelmed, find
yourself falling behind, or are having any problems outside of class that are
adversely affecting your performance in class, be sure to let me or the TA
know. Do not wait until the end of
the semester when it will be too late. We are more than willing to work
with you to insure you “survive,” but we need to know you are having
difficulties. Come to see me or send an email as soon as a problem arises and
we can work something out
Getting
Help
Contrary to what you may have heard
about professors in large state universities, I go out of my way to be
available for students on a one-on-one basis. If you need advice or help – even
if your problem is not directly related to this course – do not hesitate to
email me, come to my office hours, or set up an appointment. Students who make
the effort to get to know their professors end up getting far more from their
college education than those who don’t.
Professors are paid to help you (and you
pay – more each year! – to benefit from our help.) Get your money’s worth.
Laptop Policy
Since “multi-tasking” is a constant
temptation, laptops, tablets, and smart phones end up being more of a
distraction than an aid. I do not allow you to use a laptop, tablet, or any
electronic device in my classroom unless you have a medical note stating that
you must have one.
Common Courtesy
You are at a university among
professional people so you should try to act like you belong here. Do not
embarrass yourself by behaving badly. Don’t speak while others are speaking.
Please turn off and put away all cell phones and other electronic gadgets while
you are in class. Texting or constantly playing with your phone during class is
rude and distracts both me and your classmates. Beyond that, it makes you look
foolish, and people – like me – will judge you accordingly. Arrive on time and
do not walk out in the middle of class unless it is an emergency or you have
spoken to me about it ahead of time. Go to the restroom before class so as to
keep from distracting others by walking out of the room during class. In short,
act courteously and professionally. It’s part of being an educated person.
Academic Honesty
Do not lie to me about why you missed
class or failed to turn in an assignment. It is unnecessary and it insults my
intelligence. Do not cheat on the quizzes or exams. I will catch you and you
will receive an automatic zero for the assignment. Do not plagiarize from
written sources or from the web. Since plagiarism is always obvious and easily caught (I know how to use Google
too), it is better to hand in your own work and get a C than someone else’s and
get an F. Plagiarized assignments will receive a grade of zero. Beyond that,
your name will be circulated among other faculty as someone who lacks integrity
and you risk being expelled from the University. If you are unsure what
plagiarism is, please consult with me or the TA BEFORE you hand
in an assignment.
Schedule
of Topics and Assignments
The assignment listed
for each day should be completed BEFORE you arrive at class.
Tues. 26 Aug. Introduction: An
explanation of course objectives, mechanics, and procedures.
Thurs. 28 Aug. The Origins of the Cold War: Conflicting (Mis)perceptions
Reading: George F. Kennan, “The Long
Telegram, 22 February, 1946”
Vladimir Novikov, “The Novikov Telegram,
27 September, 1946”
WRITING ASSIGNMENT #1
Tues. 2 Sept. “Building Blocs” – The Breakdown of Big Three
Unity
Reading: David
Reynolds, “The Mushroom Cloud and the Iron Curtain”
Karl Mautner, “The View
from Germany”
In
Class Reading: Andrei
Zhdanov on the Founding of the Cominform
Harry S Truman announces the
Truman Doctrine
(To listen to Truman’s speech before Congress CLICK
HERE)
Thurs. 4 Sept. American Foreign Policy Under
Truman
Reading: Melvyn Leffler,
“The Emergence of an American Grand Strategy, 1945-1952”
Walter Lippmann, “Containment of the Soviet
Union is Poor Policy”
Tues. 9 Sept. Soviet Foreign
Policy Under Stalin
Reading: Vladimir Pechatnov, “The Soviet
Union and the World, 1944-1953”
Norman Naimark,
“The Sovietization of Eastern Europe, 1944-1953”
Thurs 11 Sept. “The Cold War Gets Hot” – The Korean Conflict
Reading: Vladoslov Zubok and Constantine Pleshakov, “Korea: Stalin’s Catastrophe”
Mark S. Byrnes, “The Korean War and
the Militarization of the Cold War”
Tues. 16 Sept. “One Hell of a
Gamble:” The Cuban Missile Crisis – An Overview
Reading: James
G. Hershberg, “The Cuban Missile Crisis”
Thurs.
18 Sept. Continue Discussion of the Cuban Missile Crisis
– Primary Sources
Transcripts,
Ex Comm Deliberations; Khruschev/Kennedy/Castro
Letters
To listen in on the “top secret” ExComm
meetings CLICK HERE
(This
link also provides a brief summary and chronology of the entire crisis.)
NATIONAL
SECURITY ARCHIVE SITE
QUIZ #1 on The Cuban Missile
Crisis
Tues 23 Sept. The Cold War in Asia: The Vietnamese
Conflict, 1945-1975
Thurs. 25 Sept. Vietnam: A
“Rice-Roots” Perspective
Reading:
Hayslip, When Heaven and Earth Changed Places
Tues. 30 Sept. When
the Americans Left: The International Legacy of the Vietnam War
Reading:
Continue discussion of Hayslip, Heaven and Earth
QUIZ #2 on Hayslip, When
Heaven and Earth Changed Places
Thurs. 2 Oct. “Revolution is not
a dinner party:” Maoist China, 1945-1976
FILM: “The Mao Years”
Tues. 7 Oct. “If you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao, you ain’t gonna make it with anyone
anyhow…” The Chinese Cultural Revolution
Reading:
Heng, Son of the Revolution
Thurs. 9 Oct. Continue Discussion of Heng, Son of the Revolution
QUIZ #3 on Heng, Son of
the Revolution
Tues. 14 Oct. “To Become Rich is Glorious:” Chinese
“Communism” Since 1976
Thurs. 16 Oct. MIDTERM EXAMINATION
Tues. 21 Oct. The Cold
War in Latin America
REVIEW
QUESTIONS
Thurs. 23 Oct. Economic Development in Latin America
Reading:
Mike Mason, “The Chimera of
Progress in Latin America”
STUDY
QUESTIONS
Tues. 28 Oct. “We Tried Our Best, But It Came Out as
Always” – Daily Life Under Communism in Eastern Europe
Reading: Slavenka
Drakulik, How We Survived Communism and Even
Laughed, Chapters 1-10
Thurs. 30 Oct. “The Communist Eye” – The Culture of
Communism in Eastern Europe
Reading: Slavenka Drakulik, How We
Survived Communism and Even Laughed, Chapters 11-end
QUIZ #4 on Drakulik, How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed
Tues. 4 Nov. “War in the Heart of Europe” – The Balkans in the 1990s
Thurs. 6 Nov. African Decolonization... and its
Discontents
Reading: Dangarembga,
Nervous Conditions
Tues. 11 Nov. VETERAN’S DAY – NO CLASS
Thurs. 13 Nov. African Independence… and its Discontents
Reading: Dangarembga,
Nervous Conditions
Tues. 18 Nov. “Dreams and Consequences” – The Iranian Revolution
Reading: Azar Nafisi, “Gatsby”
Thurs. 20 Nov. Continue Discussion of Nafisi,
“Gatsby”
Tues. 25 Nov. Afghanistan, 1979-2010
Reading: Milton
Bearden, “Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires”
Ahmed Rashid, “Osama Bin
Laden: How the U.S. Helped Midwife a Terrorist”
Thurs. 27 Nov. THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS
Tues. 2 Dec. Iraq – The Cold War
Background
Thurs. 4 Dec. Iraq – Since 1990
Tues. 9 Dec. Summing Up