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 AMERICAN REVOLUTION--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