U.S. Foreign Policy Since 1914

Syllabus and Survival Guide

History 485 – Fall 2015

Monday/Wednesday 11:00 am – 12:15 pm, Sierra Hall 288

 

Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime;

therefore we must be saved by hope.

Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history;

therefore we must be saved by faith.

Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone;

therefore we are saved by love. 

No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint.

Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.

 

– REINHOLD NIEBUHR, 1952 

 

Instructor

 

Dr. Thomas Devine

Phone: (818) 677-3550 Email: tom.devine@csun.edu

Office Hours: 624 Sierra Tower, Mondays, 3:30-5:30 and by appointment gladly given.

 

Web Syllabus: http://www.csun.edu/~twd61312/485/syllabus2015.htm

 

Teaching Assistant: David Agredano Email: david.agredano.2@my.csun.edu

 

Spirit of the Course

 

This course will offer an interpretive survey U.S. foreign policy over the past century.  For the most part we will proceed chronologically, but there will be some discontinuities in the timeline as we explore U.S. relations with particular nations and regions over an extended period of time. Rather than emphasize “coverage” (i.e. what happened), the course will focus on why specific events took on larger significance over time and how the American response to various crises often reflected long-held assumptions and preconceptions about diplomacy, war, democracy, and even human nature.

 

Among the themes the course will highlight include the ways in which strategic, ideological, cultural, political, economic, and even psychological factors compete in influencing policy-making decisions; the challenges of establishing a coherent, long-term foreign policy within a democratic political culture; the tension between moral principles and national self-interest (and the difficulty of pursuing policies that uphold and defend both); the struggle on the part of policy makers to recognize both the world’s interdependence and its pluralism (we’re all in this together, but we’re all profoundly and perhaps irreconcilably different in our beliefs, cultural traditions, and values).

 

Throughout the course we will also consider the extent to which contingency, ideological rigidity, arrogance, ignorance, and even inadvertent blundering have influenced the shaping and implementation of policy – perhaps even more so than the best laid plans of “wise men” or “conspiring elites.”

 

Required Reading

 

You should purchase the books listed below. All other assigned readings will be posted in pdf format on the web syllabus and can be accessed using the password “485.”

 

• John M. Carroll and George C. Herring, eds., Modern American Diplomacy Revised and Enlarged Edition

• David Reynolds, From Munich to Pearl Harbor: Roosevelt's America and the Origins of the Second World War

• Ralph B. Levering, Vladimir Petchatkov, and Verena Botzenhart-Viehe, eds., Debating the Origins of the Cold War: American and Russian Perspectives

• Mark J. White, Missiles in Cuba: Kennedy, Khrushchev, Castro and the 1962 Crisis

• Michael H. Hunt, Lyndon Johnson's War: America's Cold War Crusade in Vietnam, 1945-1968

• Fred Kaplan, Daydream Believers: How a Few Grand Ideas Wrecked American Power

 

To subvert the system and save yourself some money, you should consider buying used copies of the books at any of the following web sites: www.bookfinder.com/; www.amazon.com/; or www.half.com/. You can search the site using the ISBN number.

 

Requirements and Grading

 

Class Participation, Reading Quizzes                                                     20% 

 

Short Writing Assignments                                                                        20%  

 

Paper [October 3]                                                                                         15%

CLICK HERE FOR FIRST PAPER ASSIGNMENT 

 

Midterm Exam [October 19]                                                                        20%

 

CLICK HERE FOR MIDTERM STUDY GUIDE

 

Final Exam [December 9]                                                                           25%

 

CLICK HERE FOR FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE

 

• All grading is based on 100 points and will be done on the +/ – system.

• Late assignments and papers will be penalized. Any paper turned in more than a week late will not be accepted.

Any assignment not turned in or not accepted will receive a grade of ZERO in the calculation of 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 – or daydreaming, or playing with your phone, or sleeping. Have the reading done BEFORE you come to class and be ready to comment on it. The course will be far more enjoyable for you and your classmates (and for me!) if we can sustain a lively discussion. Since not everyone is comfortable speaking in front of others, your performance on the quizzes 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 – or even most of it – you should have no difficulty doing well. Doing well on the quizzes is the easiest way to raise your overall grade for the course.

 

Short Writing Assignments

In order to help you get the most out of the reading and to prepare you to discuss it in class, there will be occasional short written homework assignments that you will complete as you do the reading. These will be collected in class. There will also be “digs” – short exercises that will require you to read and interpret primary sources.

 

Midterm and Final Examinations

The midterm and final examinations will consist of short answer questions and long essays. You will have a choice of topics for the long essays. I will provide review questions that will help you study for the exams. You are responsible for bringing an unmarked green book to the midterm and the final.

 

Paper Assignments

The paper assignments will focus on the material covered in the readings and during class discussion. Each paper must be at least 1500 words. There will be a choice of topics handed out well 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 485…

 

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. Excessive absences will put you in jeopardy of failing the course, regardless of your grades on the written assignments.

 

No Laptops or Tablets

I do not allow you to use a laptop or tablet in my classroom unless you have a medical note stating that you must have one. This is not an arbitrary or capricious policy. Nearly all of the research – excluding that funded by Apple and Microsoft – suggests that using a laptop or tablet in class is more of a distraction than an aid. A recent study concludes, for example, that taking notes by hand is far more beneficial than typing them on a computer. I trust that you have the mental discipline to stay off your computer or your phone for 75 minutes. Please don’t prove me wrong.

 

Common Courtesy

You are at a university among professional people. Act like you belong here. Do not embarrass yourself by acting disrespectfully. Please turn off and put away all cell phones, headphones, and other electronic gadgets while you are in class. Texting or playing with your phone during class is rude, reflects poorly on you, and annoys the people around you. Hiding your phone between your legs or on the floor just makes you look stupid. 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. Do us all a favor and go to the bathroom before or after class rather than climbing over your classmates in order to leave during class. Do not distract others by beginning to gather up your things before the end of 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. Nobody likes to listen to excuses – even semi-legitimate ones. If you want to score points with me, hand me the late assignment, apologize, grin sheepishly if need be, and leave it at that. Admitting you screwed up takes guts, and I respect people who own up to their mistakes. The chronic excuse makers, on the other hand….  Do not cheat on quizzes or tests. 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 a zero. Plagiarized assignments will receive a grade of zero and put you in jeopardy of failing the course. If you are unsure what plagiarism is, please consult with me or the teaching assistant BEFORE you hand in an assignment. Get in the habit of being honest with others and with yourself.

 

Problems

I appreciate that many CSUN students are stretching themselves quite thin, often working full time while taking a full load of classes. 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 know. I am more than willing to work with you to insure you “survive,” but you need to tell me you are having difficulties. Do not wait until the end of the semester when it will be too late. Either come to see me or send an email as soon as a problem arises and we can work something out.  If you are struggling academically, I will gladly give you extra help.

 

 Schedule of Topics & Assignments

 

The reading assignment listed for each day should be completed BEFORE you arrive at class.

 

Mon. 24 Aug.            Introduction: An explanation of course objectives, mechanics, and procedures.

                                   

                                    World Leaders Quiz

                                   

Wed. 26 Aug.           “The Professor’s Long Shadow”: Wilsonianism and its Legacies

                                    Reading: Walter A. MacDougall, “Wilsonianism, or Liberal Internationalism (so called)”

                                                      John W. Coogan, “Wilsonian Diplomacy in War and Peace”

                                                      Erez Manela, “A Man Ahead of His Time? Wilsonian Globalism and the Doctrine of Preemption”

 

                                                      STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Mon. 31 Aug.            “The Progressives go to War” – Domestic Politics and American Entry into World War I

 Reading: Melvin Small, “Woodrow Wilson and U.S. Intervention in World War I” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 25-39]

Robert Dallek, “The Progressive Style of Foreign Policy: Woodrow Wilson”

Randolph Bourne, “The War Diary”

 

           

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Wed 2 Sept.              “To End All Wars”: Wilson and the Struggle for the League of Nations

Reading: William C. Widenor, “The United States and the Versailles Peace Settlement” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 41-60] NOTES

Lloyd Ambrosius, “Woodrow Wilson and the Culture of Wilsonianism,” pp. 21-29

Willliam R. Keylor, “The Peace of Paris and the New International Order,” pp. 65-83

 

LISTEN TO HENRY CABOT LODGE SPEAK AGAINST THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

 

DIG #1 – The League of Nations: Opposing Views

 

Mon. 7 Sept.             LABOR DAY – NO CLASS

 

Wed. 9 Sept.             “Isolationism or Independent Internationalism?” U.S. Economic Diplomacy during the Interwar Years

Reading: John M. Carroll, “American Diplomacy in the 1920s” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp 61-79] NOTES

                  Joan Karoline Vieth, “The Diplomacy of the Depression” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 81-99] NOTES

                  Thomas N. Guinsburg, “The Triumph of Isolationism”  NOTES

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Mon. 14 Sept.           “A New Global Perspective”: FDR “Educates” the Public

Reading: Reynolds, From Munich to Pearl Harbor, chapters 1-4 NOTES

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Wed. 16 Sept.          “The Approaching Conflict”: The Lead-up to U.S. Intervention in World War II

                                    Reading: Reynolds, From Munich to Pearl Harbor, chapters 5-7 NOTES

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Mon. 21 Sept.           “Chameleon on Plaid”: FDR’s Wartime Diplomacy

Reading: Jonathan G. Utley, “The United States Enters World War II” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 101-116]

                  Justus D. Doenecke, “The Roosevelt Foreign Policy: An Ambiguous Legacy”

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

QUIZ #1 – Reynolds, From Munich to Pearl Harbor

 

Wed. 23 Sept.          “World War to Cold War” – The Breakdown of the Big Three Alliance

Reading: Robert L. Messer, “World War II and the Coming of the Cold War” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 117-135]

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Mon. 28 Sept.           “Containing the Soviet Threat:” U.S. Perceptions of the Origins of the Cold War

Reading: Levering, Debating the Origins of the Cold War, part 1

 

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

 

Wed. 30 Sept.          “‘Who Lost China?’ and other Ill-Conceived Questions:” The Cold War in Asia

Reading: Marc Gallicchio, “The Cold War in Asia” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 161-185]  NOTES

Vladislov Zubok and Constantine Pleshakov, “Korea: Stalin’s Catastrophe” NOTES

 

Mon. 5 Oct.               “One Hell of a Gamble:” Kennedy, Khrushchev, Castro and the Origins of the Cuban Missile Crisis

                                    Reading: Mark J. White, Missiles in Cuba, Chapters 1-3

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Wed. 7 Oct.               “At the Brink:” The Cuban Missile Crisis and Its Legacy

                                    Reading: Mark J. White, Missiles in Cuba, Chapters 4-6

 

QUIZ #2 – White, Missiles in Cuba

                                   

Mon. 12 Oct.              “Oil, Sand, and Aggravation:” The U.S. Confronts Nationalism and Neutralism in the Middle East

Reading: Peter L. Hahn, Crisis and Crossfire, Chapters 1, 2 NOTES

David Farber, Taken Hostage, pp. 50-59

[Farber provides a short summary of the 1953 coup in Iran.]

                                   

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

 

Wed. 14 Oct.             “Battling for the Horn” – The Cold War in Africa

                                    Reading: Thomas J. Noer, “New Frontiers and Old Priorities in Africa” NOTES

 

 

Mon. 19 Oct.             MIDTERM EXAMINATION

 

 

Wed. 21 Oct.             “Flirting With Disaster:” U.S. Involvement with Vietnam to 1965

Reading: Mark Atwood Lawrence, “Explaining the Early Decisions: The United States and the French War, 1945-1954”

Michael H. Hunt, Lyndon Johnson’s War, chapters 1-3

 

STUDY QUESTIONS – HUNT CHAPTERS 1-3

 

Mon. 26 Oct.             “That Bitch of a War:” U.S. Intervention in Vietnam, 1965-1975

                                    Reading: Michael H. Hunt, Lyndon Johnson’s War, chapters 4-5  

George C. Herring, “The Vietnam War” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 205-222]

 

STUDY QUESTIONS – HUNT CHAPTERS 4-5

 

QUIZ #3 – Vietnam Readings

 

 

Wed. 28 Oct.             Continue discussion of the Vietnam War          

 

 

Mon. 2 Nov.              “From Shuttle Diplomacy to Camp David”: The U.S. in the Middle East, 1961-1982

Reading: Peter Hahn, Crisis and Crossfire: The United States and the Middle East Since 1945, Chapter 4

                  James W. Harper, “The Middle East, Oil, and the Third World” [Modern American Diplomacy, pp. 243-263]

 

                  STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Wed. 4 Nov.              U.S. in the Middle East, 1961-1982 Continued

 

 

Mon. 9 Nov.              Cold War Crisis: The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Reading: David Reynolds, One World Divisible, pp. 363-368.

Document #1

Document #2

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

                 

Wed. 11 Nov.           VETERAN’S DAY – NO CLASS

 

Mon. 16 Nov.            “Renewing the Cold War” – Reagan’s First Term Diplomacy

                                    Reading: Michael Flamm, Debating the Reagan Presidency, pp 101-142.

 

                                    STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Wed. 18 Nov.           “Tear Down This Wall!” – Reagan, Gorbachev, and the End of the Cold War

Reading: Michael Flamm, Debating the Reagan Presidency, pp. 142-182.

 

Mon. 23 Nov.            “New World Disorder” – Bush, Clinton, and the Crises in the Balkans

 

                                    Reading: David H. Bennett, “Foreign Challenges in a Post-Cold War Environment: Bosnia”

 

QUIZ #4 – Flamm, Debating the Reagan Presidency

 

Wed. 25 Nov.           “Witness to Genocide?” – Ethnic Conflict in Rwanda

                                    Film: “Ghosts of Rwanda” 

 

Mon. 30 Nov.            “A Whole New Ball Game?” – Change and Continuity in Post-9/11 U.S. Foreign Policy

Reading: Kaplan, Daydream Believers, Introduction, chs. 1-2

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Wed. 2 Dec.              “Overreach?” – Waging War in Iraq and Afghanistan

Reading: Kaplan, Daydream Believers, chs. 4-6

 

                                    Optional Reading: H-Diplo Roundtable on Michael MacDonald’s Overreach: Delusions of Regime Change in Iraq

 

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

 

 

 

QUIZ #5 – Kaplan, Daydream Believers

 

Mon. 7 Dec.              “Descent into Chaos?” – The Arab Spring, The Syrian Civil War, and the Rise of the “Islamic State”

Reading: Robert Westbrook, “Bourne Over Baghdad”

 

FINAL EXAMINATION  DECEMBER 9, 2015 10:15-12:15