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History 4360.001 Europe Since 1945 Spring 2012
Mo 18:30-21:20 WH 215
Alfred C. Mierzejewski
I. Introduction. The second half of the twentieth century saw Europe occupy a subordinate position below the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. This represented a dramatic change from the situation of European dominance that had prevailed for the preceding two centuries. This course will provide an overview of how the Europeans dealt with this new situation. It will address the rebuilding and political restructuring of Europe after World War II, the drive for European unity, the return of prosperity and influence to Europe in the latter part of the century and the realignments necessitated by the collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe in 1989-1991. The course will focus on political, diplomatic and economic developments and place Europe in world context.
II. Accommodation Statement: Any person with special circumstances covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act should register with the Office of Disability Accommodation, Suite 322, University Union Building, are responsible for obtaining verifying information from the Office of Disability Accommodation and should also inform the professor during the first week of class. Reasonable adjustments will be made to accommodate the special needs of students with disabilities where such adjustments are necessary to provide equality of educational access. Students who have registered with the ODA should make an appointment to discuss their disabilities accommodation requests with the instructor. Students with special circumstances covered by ADA may also consult the History Department’ s ADA Liaison, Professor Pommerleau in WH 234..
III. Grading.
First Examination28. Feb25% of the final grade
Second Examination17. Apr25% of the final grade
Paper24. Apr25% of the final grade
Final08. May25% of the final grade
IV. Office Hours. My office is located at Wooten Hall 236. My office hours will be held on Mondays and Tuesdays from 17:30 to 18:30. Appointments may be arranged at other times. My office telephone number is 940-369-8928. My e-mail address is .
V. Reading. The books listed below are available at the bookstore and on line. They are an integral component of the course and should not be considered as substitutes for the lectures.
Harold James, Europe Reborn. A History 1814-2000. Harlow, UK: Pearson Longman, 2003.
Anthony Seldon and Daniel Collings, Britain under Thatcher. Harlow, UK: Longman, 2000.
Andrew Shennan, De Gaulle. London: Longman, 1993.
Robert Skidelsky. The Road from Serfdom. New York: Penguin, 1995.
Charles Williams, Adenauer. New York: Wiley, 2001.
VI. Class Schedule.
24. JanIntroduction: Europe in 1945. The Exhaustion of Europe and the New Equilibrium. 1945-1948. Read James, 223-236.
31. JanInterim Answer to the German Question, 1945-1949. Britain from 1945 to 1963. Read, James 236-274.
7. FebFrance from 1945 to 1958. The France of Charles De Gaulle, 1958-1969. Read, Shennan, De Gaulle.
14 FebThe Federal Republic of Germany, 1949-1966. The Soviet Union from 1945 to 1964. Read James, Chapter 8; Williams, Adenauer.
21. FebThe Initial Steps toward European Unity, 1945 to 1963. Read James, 268-274.
28. FebExamination.
6. MarThe Revolution of 1968. French Fifth Republic, 1969 to the Present. Read James, Chapter 9.
13. MarThe Federal Republic of Germany, Economic Locomotive of Europe, 1966-1989. The Regeneration and Decay of the USSR, 1964-1985. Read James, Chapter 10.
27. MarBritain from Stagnation to Revival, 1963-1979. The Eastern Bloc: Poland. Read James, Chapter 11; Seldon and Collings, Britain under Thatcher.
3. AprThe Eastern Bloc: Czechoslovakia. European Integration 1963-1991. Read James, 371-381.
10. AprEurope between the Superpowers, 1963-1989.
17. AprExamination.
24. AprEuropean Intellectual and Cultural Trends. Gorbachev's Attempt to Transform the USSR. Read James, 381-385, Skidelsky, The Road from Serfdom. Paper Due.
01. MayThe Reunification of Germany. The Conflict over the Disintegration of Yugoslavia. Post-Cold War Europe.Read James, Chapter 13.
08. MayFinal.