HIST391.02 Fall 2009,
S. Coulibaly, , ext:, Seitz 7
Office hours: Tuesday: 4-6PM, Thursday:4-7PM and by appointment
US FOREIGN POLICY, 1898 TO THE PRESENT
Course description:
Since 1776 the US has taken part into several conflicts, both at home and abroad, that have helped shape its national identity as well as its borders. The history of the US and of its people has been shaped by an unrelenting quest for expansion John O’Sullivan called “Manifest Destiny” in his 1845 call for the annexation of Texas and of Oregon. By the turn of the 19th century, historian Frederick Jackson Turner developed his frontier theory as the basis of American exceptionalism.
This course will identify the key characteristics of American foreign relations between the Spanish American War and present day. We shall focus on the ideological foundations of American foreign policy on its characters, forms and challenges. We will pay particular attention to the guiding principles of US foreign policy through the ages and how national politics have shaped and been shaped by American foreign relations. We will attempt to answer such questions as:
Does the US need a foreign policy?
How do Americans see themselves in relation to the world and why?
How does foreign policy affect Americans at home and abroad?
Are the founding principles of the US compatible with the conduct of foreign affairs?
Neutrality, economic and cultural expansion, the nuclear age and Cold War relations will be of special interest to help us understand the majors actors and trends that have defined both formal and informal US relations with the world and how, in turn, the world has reacted to America.
Requirements
Students shall attend class on time and prepared to engage in the discussion of the material.
Students shall turn in their assignments on time unless they have an excuse from the Dean of Academic Advising and Support.
Students shall complete three assignments:
1. One book review (book reviews are due on the day books are discussed at the beginning of class.)
2. Document analysis
3. Final paper: December 14 before 5PM.
Students will receive guidelines for each assignment.
All assignments are of equal value
Academic Honesty
Student must consult the Student Handbook to get familiar with the rules about academic honesty and plagiarism. When in doubt, ask the instructor. All cases of academic dishonesty will be reported to the appropriate body.
Special needs
Students with special needs will contact Ms. Erin Salva asap. ()
Required texts:
William Applegate William, The Tragedy of American Democracy
Jean-François Revel, Anti Americanism
Michale Krenn, The Color Of Empire
Laura Wexler, Tender Violence
Odd Arne Westad, The Global Cold War
Robert Mc Namara, In Retrospect
Victoria De Grazia, Irresistible Empire
Melani McAlister, Epic Encounters
Schedule
WEEK 1 Introduction to the course
WEEK 2 THE FOUNDATIONS OF US FOREIGN POLICY
Alexis De Tocqueville, Democracy in America (eres)
Alexander Hamilton, The Republican Principle and Pacificus (eres)
James Bryce, Democrary and Foreign Policy (eres)
Thomas J. Mc Cormick, “The World-System, Hegemony and Decline” (eres)
David, Ryan, Us Foreign Policy in World History, part 1 (on reserve)
Anders Stephanson, Manifest Destiny: American Expansion and the Empire of Right, chap. 1 & 2 (on reserve)
Jack P. Greene, “Colonial History and National History: Reflections on a Continuing Problem,” (historycooperative.org)
Frederick Merk and Lois Merk, Manifest Destiny and Mission in American History, A Reinterpretation, chap. 9, 10 & 11. (on reserve)
WEEK 3 BUIDING AN OVERSEAS OF EMPIRE
Michael L. Krenn, The Color of Empire
Platform of the Anti Imperialist league, 1899 (HistorySourceBook: Fordham.edu)
Ruyard Kippling, “The White Man’s Burden,” (HistorySourceBook: fordham.edu)
Jose Marti, “Our America,” El Partido Liberal, Mexico City, March 5, 1892, (historyofcuba.com)
WEEK 4 THE WHITE WOMAN’S BURDEN
Laura Wexler, Tender Violence
WEEK 5 THE RISE OF THE AMERICAN CENTURY
George Washington, The Farewell Address
John Coogan, “Wilson’s Unneutrality and its Costs” (eres)
Arthur s. Link, “Woodrow Wilson’sPerspective” 9eres)
William C. Widenor, “Henry Cabot Lodge Perspective”
William Applegate William, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, intro to chap. 5
WEEK 6 THE WWII ERA
Robert A. Divine, “Roosevelt the Isolationist” (eres)
Robert Dallek, “Roosevelt’s Leadership, Public Opinion, and Playing for Time in Asia” (eres)
Jonathan Utley, “Roosevelt’s Failure of Leadership, Bureaucracy, and War with Japan” (eres)
Gary Hess, “Roosevelt as Practical Idealist” (eres)
William Applegate William, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, chap. 6
Documentary: The Good Fight
WEEK 7 THE WW2 ERA cont.
Walter Lipman, “Democarcy and Leadership”
Rafael Medoff, Racelle Wyman, Bat-Ami Zucker, “Whitewashing FDR’s Holocaust Reccord, An Analysis of Robert N. Rosen’s Saving the Jews: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Holocaust,” part 3 & 4, David S. Wyman Institute, (washingtonpost.com)
Documentary: America and the Holocaust, Indifference and Deceit
WEEK 8 THE COLD WAR ERA and NUCLEAR DIPLOMACY
Documentary: Atomic Café
John Foster Dulles on Liberation (eres)
Dwight Eisenhower Explains the Domino Theory (eres)
Odd Arne Westad, The Global Cold War, Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times, Intro to chap 7
WEEK 9 REGIME CHANGE
William Applegate William, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, chap. 7
Film: The Quiet American
WEEK 10 FAILURE AND TRAGEDY
Robert McNamara, In Retrospect
WEEK 11 “ I’d LIKE TO BUY THE WORL A COKE”
Victoria de Grazia, Irresistible Empire
WEEK 12 IS DEMOCRACY AT HOME and THE DEFENSE OF AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST SUSTAINABLE?
Melani Mc Alister, Epic Encounters, Culture, Media & US. Interests in the Middle East since 1945
Odd Arne Westad, The Global Cold War chap. 8-10
WEEK 13 “HATING AMERICA”
Jean –François Revel, Anti Americanism
WEEK 14 WHERE ARE “WE” NOW?
Film: Body of Lies
Arne Westad, The Global Cold War, chap. 8-10
Stephen Kinzer, Overthrow, part 2 & 3
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