Studies in European Military/Diplomatic History
The Age of Enlightenment and Revolution
HIST 5240 Dr. Michael V. Leggiere
W 6:30-9:20 Office: WH 240
WH262 Office Hours: 10:00-12:00 MW
Fall 2010 Phone: 565-2690
Course Description:
It is the intent of this course to explore the relationship between war and society in the Western World in the Eighteenth-Century. Examining the conflicts of this era will demonstrate the vital impact that war has had upon the evolution of Western society and the institutions that govern it. Within the realm of military conflict, the varying influence of strategy, tactics, and technology in the attainment of victory will be assessed. Thus, the course will examine the interconnected development and evolution of war, warfare,and society duringthe Eighteenth-Century through a review of the historical literature. Readings willfocus on the evolution and development of military thought, the art of waging war on the operational, strategic, and tactical levels, and the transformation of the combatant from professional soldier to citizen-soldier. Class meetings will focus on topics within a simple chronological framework ranging from 1715 to 1799. The class will be conducted in seminar format with emphasis on discussion.
Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to analyze and explain the influence of diverse political, cultural, social and economic factors on armed forces in order to understand why states wage war in diverse ways. Students also will be able to assess the significant developments in warfare in the Age of Enlightenment to include the causes, conduct, and results of selected conflicts. Finally, students will understand the evolution of military doctrine, organization and technology from 1715-1799 and understand the effects of reform and theories of the late eighteenth century and the French Revolution on the French military system.
Course Texts:
The general texts for the course are:
M.S. Anderson, War and Society in Europe of the Old Regime
Jean-Paul Bertaud, The Army of the French Revolution: From Citizen Soldiers to Instrument of Power
Christopher Duffy, The Military Experience in the Age of Reason
Paddy Griffith, The Art of War of Revolutionary France
Samuel Scott, From Yorktown to Valmy: The Transformation of the French Army in the Age of
Revolution
John Lynn, Bayonets of the Republic: Motivation and Tactics in the Army of Revolutionary France
Denis Showalter, Wars of Frederick the Great
Stephen Brumwell, Redcoats: The British Soldier and War in the Americas
Allan Forrest, Soldiers of the French Revolution
The bookstore cannot provide the Bertaud, Duffy, Griffith, and Showalter books, but copies are available for very reasonable prices at abebooks.com and amazon.com. The most recent editions are preferable, but not necessary. These books are to be read by all participants in this course according to the below timeline.
Course Requirements:
Each student is required to write nine scholarly reviews (one for each course text), present five oral book reviews, write one historiographic essay on a course subtopic of their preference, and make one oral presentation of their historiographic essay. Students are expected to attend class, participate actively in discussions, complete weekly reading assignments, and relate the information to the class.
The reading expectation for this course will be heavy. The professor has selected nine core texts that all students will read. According to below schedule, nine class meetings will be devoted to thorough discussions of these works. The remaining seven classes will be devoted to student presentations(around twenty minutes in length) of works chosen from the subtopic reading lists provided below. Instead of a final exam, students will make a verbal presentation of their historiographic essays.
Grading:
Assignments will be graded on a point scale. The total points earned will be divided by the total possible points, and the resulting percentage will determine the final course grade. Course grades will be determined as follows: As: 90-100; Bs: 80-89; Cs: 70-79;
Ds: 60-69; Fs: 59-0. The point values of the course requirementsare the following:
Historiographic Essay:300
Discussion Participation: 450 (9 @ 50 points each)
Oral Presentations:600 (6 @ 100 points each)
Scholarly Reviews:900 (9 @ 100 points each)
Total Possible Points:2,250
Scholarly Reviews:
Reviews are to be 1,500 words in length—no less. The reviews are to be in proper academic style (no first person or contractions), and will be graded for grammar and spelling as well as content. Any quotations must be accompanied by a proper citation (Chicago Manual of Style). Each review will discuss the author's thesis and scope, the evidence presented, and the effectiveness of the work. Reviews should answer basic questions such as: Why did the author write the work? What were his/her motives? inspirations? what [if any] cause is he/she championing? At least half of the paper should be spent identifying and describing the major themes and ideas. The other half should consist of critical analysis. What did you think of the work? How do your views and those of the author compare? Did the author adequately state and defend his position? Evaluate the sources that the author used to support his/her argument. Relate your feelings toward the book - did you like it? do you regret reading it? could you improve it? Again, papers will be graded one-half content (did you follow directions and write a complete review as specified above), and one-half grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style (did you write well-structured paragraphs and sentences). Reviews of the course texts are to be submitted on the day each topic is discussed, and you must be prepared to present that review in discussionat that time.
Historiographic Essay:
Students will research and write one3,500-wordhistoriographicessay addressing the selectedsubtopic. The essay will examine the historiography of the selected subtopic by identifyingthe major works, the most recent works, how the interpretation has changed over time, and the traditional and the revisionist perspectives. Again, papers will be graded one-half content (did you follow directions and write a complete essay as specified above), and one-half grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style (did you write well-structured paragraphs and sentences). Students will present their findings at the end of the semester and be prepared for roundtable question and answer.
Oral Presentations:
Students will make a total of six oral presentations during the course of the semester. Five of the presentations will be oral scholarly reviews of works selected from the below lists of subtopics. The presentations should be around 20 minutes in length and should consist of a discussion of the book’s thesis as well as a critical evaluation of the author’s methodology and sources. Like the written Scholarly Review, the Oral Presentation should evaluate the author's thesis and scope, the evidence presented, and the effectiveness of the work. The sixth oral presentation will be anexplanation of the historiographic essay. For all Oral Presentations outlines or a note card may be used, but reading prepared statements is unacceptable.
Discussion Participation:
The nine grades that will be earned in this category concern student participation in the discussion of the six course texts. Nine class meetings will be devoted to evaluations of these texts. The professor expects students to be able to participate in discussions that address the same issues that are addressed in a Scholarly Review. The professor will randomly call on students to answer specific questions related to the issues that should be addressed in a Scholarly Review. The professor may ask students (individually or in groups) to address themes that are related to the assigned text. The grades for Discussion Participation will be determined by the student’s ability to contribute to the class activity.
Written Assignments:
All papers must be typed, double-spaced, source citations when appropriate (Chicago Manual of Style), and bibliography. Encyclopedias and/or internet sources will not be accepted. Students should be critical of the sources used. Conscious or unconscious plagiarism will be dealt with harshly. I want your thoughts, expressed in your words. All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, on standard white paper with dark ink. Margins must be around one inch on all four sides. Spacing between paragraphs must be double-spaced rather than quadruple-spaced. The font should be standard such as Courier or Times Roman and the point must be 12 for text and 10 or 11 for notes. Footnotes are preferred. All written assignments must be paginated and contain a cover sheet with your name, date, course, and term on it. All written assignments must be stapled in the upper left-hand corner. Do not place your paper in any type of binding or plastic cover. For each infraction of the above stipulations five points will be deducted from the paper. All written assignments are due at the beginning of the class hour on the assigned date. An assignment turned in after the class period upon which it is due is considered late unless the student makes prior arrangements with the professor. If the student is absent on the day the written assignment is due, then the absence will be reviewed according to the guidelines listed below in order to determine whether the absence is excused or unexcused. For each day the assignment is late for an unexcused reason, the grade will drop by one letter grade. Please remember this policy as you plan your semester. All papers will be worth 100 points each. Consult The Chicago Manual of Style for proper formatting. Please keep the papers interesting and remember the definition of plagiarism.
Absences:
This is a graduate course. Your absence will directly affect your grade for participation. Late papers will be penalized a letter grade for each day that you delay submission, unless other arrangements have been made with the instructor. Missed classes only will be excused by documented proof. Please notify the professor of any valid, verifiable excuse for missing class and present DOCUMENTATION. Valid excuses to miss class include certain required or approved university activities, illness requiring medical care that can be documented appropriately, and an extreme but verifiable personal emergency or a death in the “immediate” family. If you miss class, please, if possible, contact the professor the day of the absence. If this is not possible, please contact the professor as soon as possible. The professor reserves the right to judge each request for an excused absence individually, and to determine if the supporting documentation is valid. Once an excuse has been granted, the professor will determine when the missed assignment can be made up. It is your responsibility to be aware of the class schedule. Documented proof of the reason for your absence will be required in order to obtain an excused absence. Students who miss class due to work, including military personnel, will be asked for verification from their employers in order to be granted an excuse.
Courtesy:
Class will begin promptly at 6:30 P.M. so please arrive on time. The professor expects the classroom to maintain an environment and atmosphere for learning at all times that is conducive to the free exchange of ideas and information. This requires students to refrain from talking and disturbing the class. If you must use the rest room, please exit and re-enter the classroom quietly. Students who have to leave early are asked to sit near the exit so they do not disturb the class when they exit. If a student has a question they are to raise their hand and wait to be recognized. In classroom discussions, please honor the right of others to express their opinion by remaining considerate at all times. PLEASE TURN-OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND MP3 Players. Do not be late for class since participation is vital to the graduate school experience. Tardiness is not an excuse to postpone an oral presentation. Please treat everyone with kindness, consideration and respect.
Disability Statement:
Any student with special circumstances covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act should register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA), Suite 322, UniversityUnionBuilding, and also inform the instructor of the class. Reasonable adjustments will be made to accommodate the special needs of students with disabilities where such adjustments are necessary to provideequality of educational access.Students who have registered with the ODA should make an appointment to discusstheir disabilities accommodation requests with the instructor. The ODA liaisonfor the Department of History is Dr. Pomerleau (WH 234, 565-4214).
Honor:
Cheating is a serious offense and will be dealt with in accordance with the Student Conduct Code. It is your responsibility to know the definition of plagiarism. Any form of collaboration is strictly prohibited. Collaboration not only includes cheating, but also passively or actively helping another cheat or plagiarize. All instances of academic misconduct (e.g., cheating, plagiarism) will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. If a student is found guilty of academic misconduct, he or she could face loss of credit for the work and/or course involved, probation, and/or separation from the university as determined by the university.
Class Schedule
Topic I: 18th Century Warfare in Europe
Sept.1Anderson’s War and Society in Europe of the Old Regime
Sept.8Duffy’s The Military Experience in the Age of Reason
Sept.15Showalter’s Wars of Frederick the Great
Sept.22Subtopic A: War and Society
Sept.29Subtopic B: Prussia
Oct.6Subtopic C: Mid-Eighteenth Century Wars
Topic II: Colonial Wars and the American Revolution
Oct.13Brumwell’s Redcoats
Oct.20Subtopic D: Colonial Era
Topic III: The French Revolution
Oct.27Scott’s From Yorktown to Valmy
Nov.3Lynn’s Bayonet’s of the Republic
Nov.10Bertaud’s Army of the French Revolution
Nov.17Forrest’s Soldiers of the French Revolution
Nov.24Griffith’s Art of War of Revolutionary France
Dec.1Subtopic E
Dec.8Historiographic Presentations
Reading List
Topic I: 18th Century Warfare in Europe
Subtopics:
A) Military Revolution/War and Society
B) Prussia
C) Mid-Eighteenth Century Wars
Course Texts:
M.S. Anderson, War and Society in Europe of the Old Regime
Christopher Duffy, The Military Experience in the Age of Reason
Dennis Showalter, The Wars of Frederick the Great
Reading List for Subtopic A: The Military Revolution/War and Society:
The Military Revolution and Political Change by Brian Downing
The Military Revolution Debate ed. by Clifford Rogers *
European Warfare 1600-1815 by Jeremy Black
Armies and Warfare in Europe, 1648-1789 by John Childs
Warfare in the Eighteenth Century by Jeremy Black *
The Sinews of Power: War, Money, and the EnglishState, 1688-1783by John Brewer
Fit for Service: The Training of the British Army, 1715-1795 by J.A. Houlding
German Armies: War and German Society, 1648-1806 by Peter Wilson
War and Society in Württemburg, 1677-1793 by Peter Wilson
Armies and Societies in Europe, 1494-1789 by Andre Corvisier trans. by Abigail Siddall
War in the Age of Enlightenment, 1700-1789 by Armstrong Starkey
The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo by Russell Weigley
The Anatomy of Victory: Battle Tactics, 1689-1783 by Brent Nosworthy *
“The Armed Forces and the Art of War” by Eric Robson in The New Cambridge Modern History, vol. 7, The Old Regime, ed. by J.O. Lindsay, 163-89
“The Military Revolution and the European Nobility, c. 1600-1800,” by Christopher Storrsand Hamish M. Scott in War in History 3, no. 1 (January 1996): 1-41
“War on a New Scale: Professionalism in Armies, Navies and Diplomacy” by John R. Western, Chapter 6 in The Eighteenth Century: Europe in the Age of Enlightenment, ed. by Alfred Cobban, 182-216
Reading List for Subtopic B: Prussia:
The Potsdam Führer, Frederick William I, Father of Prussian Militarism by Robert Ergang
The Politics of the Prussian Army, 1640-1945 by Gordon Craig, Chapters
History of the German General Staff, 1657-1945 by Walter Görlitz, Chapters
Frederick the Great and the Making of Prussia ed. by Thomas Barker
Frederick the Great: The Magnificent Enigma by Robert Asprey
The Army of Frederick the Great by Christopher Duffy
Frederick the Great: A Military Life by Christopher Duffy
Frederick the Great: A Historical Profile by Gerhard Ritter, trans. by Peter Paret
Frederick the Great: King of Prussia by David Fraser *
Military System and Social Life in Old Regime Prussia, 1713-1807: The Beginnings of Social Militarization of Prusso-German Society by Otto Büsch, trans. by J.G. Gagliardo *
“Hubertusberg to Auerstädt: The Prussian Army in Decline?” by Dennis Showalter in German History no. 12 (1994): 308-33
“German Military Preparedness at the Eve of the Revolutionary Wars” by Peter Wilson in Selected Papers of the Consortium on Revolutionary Europe (2004):1-16
Reading List for Subtopic C: The Wars of the Mid-Eighteenth Century:
The Army of Maria Theresa: The Armed Forces of Imperial Austria, 1740-1780 by Christopher Duffy
The War of the Austrian Succession, 1740-1748 by M.S. Anderson
The War of the Austrian Succession by Reed Browning *
The Seven Years’ War in Europe, 1756-1763 by Franz A.J. Szabo *
The French Army during the Seven Years’ War by Lee Kennett
Instrument of War: The Austrian Army in the Seven Years’ War by Christopher Duffy *
The French Navy and the Seven Years’ War by Jonathan Dull
Losing a Continent: France’s North American Policy 1753-1763 by Frank Brecher
Russia and the Outbreak of the Seven Years’ War by Herbert Kaplan *
The Seven Years’ War and the Old Regime in France: The Economic and Financial Toll by James Riley*
The Seven Years’ War: A Study in British Combined Strategy by Julian Corbett *
1759: The Year Britain became Master of the World by Frank McLynn
His Britannic Majesty’s Army in Germany during the Seven Years’ War by Reginald Savory
The Bells of Victory: the Pitt-Newcastle Ministry and the Conduct of the Seven Years’ War, 1757-1762 by Richard Middleton