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HIS/PLS 330
The Cold War
Saint Martin’s College
Course Syllabus
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Dr. Richard
L. Langill |
Spring, 2007 |
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email:
rlangill@stmartin.edu |
Office: Old
Main #333 |
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Phone: (360)
438-4588 (Office) |
(360)
943-3258 (Home) |
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Office
Hours: MWF 8:30-10am |
TR 9:30-11am |
Purpose of the Course
The purpose of the course is to
describe and evaluate American foreign policy from WW II to the end of
the Cold War. This period was dominated by the Cold War, a period
of intense competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. Within a
relatively short period of time, US-Soviet relations underwent a
profound metamorphosis- from one of wartime collaboration to post-war
fear, competition and hostility. Most foreign policy issues were
increasingly seen through the prism of the Cold War.
In this course we
will trace the origins of the Cold War, its impact on the foreign and
domestic policy, the role of perception and misperception on the part of
decision-makers in both countries. We will examine the assumptions that
each administration made with respect to US-Soviet relations. By the end
of the course, students should be able to critically evaluate the
US-Soviet relations. They should be able to understand the underlying
factors that led to competition between the US and USSR around the
world. They should be able to critically evaluate the factors that led
to the demise of the Soviet empire.
Course
Requirements
This course will be
a lecture/discussion course with discussion strongly encouraged. The
instructor expects students to keep up with the reading so they will be
able to participate more actively in these discussions. The instructor
will also use a variety of AV tapes from the CNN Series, “The Cold War”
to highlight various aspects of this course. The AV tapes are an
integral part of the course, not entertainment. Students should be
prepared to take notes on these topics. Questions from the tapes may be
raised on examinations. Transcripts of these programs are available on
line at
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/
Grading
Policy
There will be
THREE EXAMINATIONS in this course. Each examination will count 25%
of you total grade. Class participation and class discussion will count
for the remaining 25% of the final grade.
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First Exam |
=100 points (25%)
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A= 400-360 |
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Second Exam |
=100 points (25%)
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B= 359-320 |
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Final Exam |
=100 points (25%)
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C= 321-280 |
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Class Discussion |
=100 points (25%)
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D= 279-240 |
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F= 239-200 |
Examinations
The examination for
this course will consist of broad essay questions drawn from the
lectures and textbooks. A study guide for each examination will be
provided by the instructor to help focus your study. Students will also
be expected to answer short identification questions focusing on the
major personalities, historical events, and concepts of the course.
Attendance
I consider
attendance to be an important part of this course. Excessive absences
will be penalized. Students who miss more than 3 classes for any reason
will be penalized one letter grade.
Required
Textbooks
Stephen Ambrose
and Douglas Brinkley. The Rise of Globalism, 8th Ed.
Penguin, 1997
Jeremy Isaacs and Taylor Downing. Cold War: An Illustrated
History,
1945-91. Little, Brown and Co,
1998
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1/16 |
Introduction |
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| 1/18 |
Origins of the Cold War |
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Ambrose and Brinkley, Chpt 1-2, pgs 1-34 |
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Isaacs and Downing,
“Comrades”
pgs 2-21 |
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Lecture Outline: The Beginning Cold War |
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| 1/23 |
Containment Doctrine |
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Ambrose and Brinkley, Chpt 4, pgs 52-74 |
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Isaacs and Downing,
“Iron Curtain” pgs 22-41 |
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Lecture Outline: Containment Policy of US
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| 1/25 |
Film: CNN Cold
War Series "Iron Curtain" |
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| 1/30 |
Marshal Plan and
Berlin |
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Ambrose and Brinkley, Chpt 5-6gs 75-113 |
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Isaacs and Downing, “Marshall Plan”
and "Berlin"
pgs 42-81 |
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Lecture Outline: Marshall Plan, Berlin, and NATO |
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| 2/1 |
Film: CNN Cold War
Series “Marshall Plan” |
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| 2/6 |
China and Korea |
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Ambrose and
Brinkley, “Chpt 3 and 7 pgs 35-51/ pgs 114-126 |
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Isaacs and Downing, “Korea” pgs 82-105. |
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Lecture Outline: Korean War |
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| 2/8 |
Film: CNN Series
“Korea” |
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| FEB 13 |
FIRST EXAMINATION |
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| 2/15 |
Eisenhower and the Military Balance |
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Ambrose and Brinkley, Chpt 8, pgs
127-150 |
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Isaacs and Downing, “Reds”and
“After Stalin” pgs. 106-143 |
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Lecture Outline: Eisenhower and the Military Balance
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| 2/20 |
Sputnik and
Berlin Wall |
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Isaacs and Downing,
“Sputnik and the Bomb” pgs 144-163 |
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Isaacs and Downing,
“The
Wall” pgs 164-183 |
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Lecture Outline: Sputnik and the Decline of American Confidence |
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| 2/22 |
Film:
CNN Series “Sputnik” |
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| 2/27 |
Cuba and Guatemala |
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Ambrose and
Brinkley, Chpt 9-10, pgs 151-189 |
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Isaacs
and Downing,
“Backyard: Guatemala and Cuba”
pgs 1844-203 |
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Lecture Outline: Guatamala and Cuba |
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| 3/1 |
Film: CNN Series
“Cuba” |
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| 3/6 |
Vietnam |
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Ambrose and
Brinkley, Chpt 11, pgs 190-223 |
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Isaacs and Downing,
“Vietnam” pgs. 203-229 |
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Lecture Outline: Kennedy, LBJ and the Vietnam War |
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| 3/8 |
Film: CNN Series
“Vietnam" |
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| 3/20 |
Prague Spring and
Eastern Europe |
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Isaacs and Downing,
“Culture Wars” pgs. 246-267 |
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| 3/22 |
Nixon, Détente and the
USSR |
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Ambrose and
Brinkley, Chpt 12 and 13, pgs 224-280 |
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Isaacs
and Downing,
“Surrogates” pgs 270-309 |
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Lecture Outline: Nixon, Détente and the USSR |
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| 3/27 |
Film: CNN Series
“Détente |
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| 3/29 |
Nixon and
China |
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Isaacs and Downing,
“Détente” pgs
270-289 |
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Lecture Outline: Nixon and China |
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| 4/3 |
Film: CNN Series "China" |
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| APR 5th |
SECOND EXAMINATION |
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| 4/10 |
Carter and Human Rights |
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Ambrose and Brinkley, Chpt 14, pgs 281-302 |
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Isaacs and Downing, “Freeze” pgs 310-331 |
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Lecture Outline: Jimmy Carter and World Order Politics |
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| 4/12 |
Iranian Hostage Crisis and
Afghanistan |
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Lecture Outline: Iranian Hostage Crisis and
Afghanistan Invasion |
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| 4/17 |
Film: CNN Series
“Soldiers of God” |
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| 4/19 |
Reagan and the Evil Empire |
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Ambrose and
Brinkley, Chpt 15, pgs 303-351 |
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Isaacs and Downing, “ Reagan”
pgs 332-353 |
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Lecture Outline: Reagan and the Evil Empire
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| 4/24 |
Gorbachev and Soviet Reforms |
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Ambrose and Brinkley, Chpt 16, pgs
352-380 |
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Isaacs and Downing, "Gorbachev"
“People Power, and
“Endings” pgs 354-422 |
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Lecture Outline:
Gorbachev and the Demise of the USSR
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| 4/26 |
Film: CNN Series
"The Wall Comes Down” |
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| 5/1 |
Reflections on the Cold War |
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FINAL EXAMINATION MAY 9th 8-10 am |
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