ankHI 454

WAR AND AMERICAN SOCIETY

Professor McConville: Room 503, 226 Bay State Road

Office Hours: Tuesday 2:30-3:30, Thursday 1130-1220, or by appointment.

The course requirements are: two papers and participation in discussion. Timely attendance at lectures and discussions is required. If you engage in any form of academic dishonesty, you will fail the course and be referred to the department or the dean’s office for further disciplinary action as dictated by the university guidelines. All work must be handed in on time, be appropriately documented, and ALL WORK MUST BE YOUR OWN. ALL grades are given at the discretion of the instructor, are non-negotiable, and are final. Cell phones are not allowed in class, please either leave them at home or turn them off.

Week of September 6th: INTRODUCTION: WAR AND AMERICAN SOCIETY

PART I: THE REVOLUTION

Week of September 13th: THE WESTERN WAY OF WAR

Victor Hanson, The Father of Us All

Andrew Bacevitch, The Limits of Power, 15-66

Week of September 20th: WAR AND THE --ORIGINS

Fred Anderson, The War that Made America

David Hackett Fischer, Paul Revere’s Ride, 3-43.

Andrew O’Shaughnessy, The Men Who Lost America, 17-46

Week of September 27th: SOCIETY AND WAR

David Hackett Fischer, Paul Revere’s Ride, 44-260.

John Shy, A People Numerous and Armed, 1-42, 117-162, 181-192.

Week of October 4th: REVOLUTION, REPUBLICANISM AND LEADERSHIP

Gordon Wood, The Radicalism of the American Revolution, 95-228.

Joe Ellis, His Excellency, preface, 40-276.

PART II: CIVIL WAR

Week of October 11th: ORIGINS OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

NO CLASS MEETING: CONTINUE READING

James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, 3-143. Harry Stout, Upon the Altar of the Nation, 1-60.

Week of October 18st: THE MORALITY OF WARFARE

James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, 234-368, 490-(read as far as you can).

Harry Stout, Upon the Altar of the Nation, 1-60. FIRST PAPER DUE

Week of October 25th: WAR, SOCIETY AND DEATH

Allen Guelzo, Redeemer President, 3-63, 185-351, 439-464.

Drew Faust, The Republic of Suffering, 3-101

Week of November 1st: CONFEDERATE LEADERS, CONFEDERATE DEFEATS

Eric Foner, A Short History of Reconstruction, Preface, 82-217.

James McPherson, Embattled Rebel, 1-244

PART III: WORLD WAR

Week of November 8th: MODERN WAR, MODERN SOCIETY

Paul Kennedy, Freedom From Fear 1-42, 323-464.

Studs Turkel, The Good War, 1-55, 105-162.

Week of November 15th: COMBAT IN THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Studs Turkel, The Good War, 185-296

Stephen Ambrose, Citizen Soldiers, 17-155, 210-217, 251-289, 444-473.

Week of November 29th: LEADERSHIP IN THE ERA OF MASS CASUALTIES

Jonathan Jordan, American Warlords

Studs Turkel, The Good War, pages TBA

Week of December 6th: THE LIMITS OF WAR

Andrew Bacevitch, The Limits of Power, 15-66 FINAL PAPERS ARE DUE IN CLASS