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

 

  1. Le Ly Hayslip with Jay Wurts, When Heaven and Earth Changed Places
  2. Liang Heng and Judith Shapiro, Son of the Revolution
  3. Slavenka Drakulik, How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed
  4. Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions

 

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

 

CLICK HERE FOR OPTION A

 

Option B due October 10th 

 

CLICK HERE FOR OPTION B

 

Option C due October 18th

 

CLICK HERE FOR OPTION C

 

THREE STEPS TO BETTER WRITING

 

WRITING ANALYTICAL ESSAYS

 

2nd Analytical Paper -- 20%

 

CLICK HERE FOR OPTION A

 

CLICK HERE FOR OPTION B

 

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”

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

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”

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

                                   

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”

 

                                    STUDY QUESTIONS

 

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”

 

                                    STUDY QUESTIONS

 

                                    KOREAN WAR MAP

 

Tues. 16 Sept.         “One Hell of a Gamble:” The Cuban Missile Crisis – An Overview

Reading: James G. Hershberg, “The Cuban Missile Crisis”  

 

CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS TIMELINE

 

                                    CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS MAPS

 

                                    STUDY QUESTIONS

 

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.)

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

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

                                   

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

CHARACTER LIST

 

VIETNAM WAR TERMS

 

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

                                   

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

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

 

                                    STUDY QUESTIONS

 

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

 

                                    WRITING ASSIGNMENT #3

 

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”

 

                                    STUDY QUESTIONS

 

                                    IRAN LECTURE NOTES

 

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”

 

                                    AFGHANISTAN LECTURE NOTES

                                               

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