The Diplomacy of Global Conflict, 1890-1945
A HIS 455/555 (9980/9981), Fall 2015
Tu/Th 2:45-4:05 (HU-114)
Instructor:
Dr. H. Peter Krosby, Professor of History (SS-145G)
Office hours: Tu/Th 9:00-10:00, 1:00-2:30
E-mail: hkrosby@albany.edu
The chief aim of this course is to make you reasonably familiar with great power relations from the
demise of the Bismarckian alliance system in 1890 to the defeat of the Axis powers in 1945. The main
theme is the causes and issues of the two world wars of the first half of the 20th century, which will be
examined through the prisms of the international crises preceding them and the worldwide problems
left unresolved – or even created – by the various peace treaties concluded after World War I.
The course is open to juniors and seniors as HIS 455, and to graduate students as HIS 555. Interested
sophomores with a sufficient background of relevant courses and a high GPA (3.0 and up) will also be
accepted.
Readings
HIS 455 & 555
HHH Herwig, Holger H. (ed.). The Outbreak of World War I: Causes and Responsibilities, 6th ed.
(Lexington. MA: D.C. Heath, 1997).
SM
Marks, Sally. The Ebbing of European Ascendancy: An International History of the World,
1914-1945 (London: Arnold; New York: Oxford University Press, 2002).
RO
Overy, Richard, with Andrew Wheatcroft. The Road to War, 2nd ed. (London & New York:
Penguin Books, 1999).
NR
Rich, Norman. Great Power Diplomacy, 1814-1914 (Boston: McGraw Hill, 1992), pp. 218-465.
ESR
Rosenberg, Emily S. Spreading the American Dream: American Economic and Cultural
Expansion, 1890-1945 (New York: Hill & Wang, 1982).
DOCS Documentary sources, mostly Wikipedia articles, on the Internet. Google them as listed.
HIS 555 Only
AI
Iriye, Akira. The Origins of the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific (London & New York:
Longman, 1987).
Tests
The only exams in this course are four 30-minute essay tests, each worth 20% of the final grade. The
grading considers factual knowledge, comprehension of issues, and effective writing. A list of questions
will be distributed in advance of each test, three will appear on the test, and you answer one. A makeup
test is given if you miss a scheduled one for reasons beyond your control, but you must take it before
the next scheduled test or lose it. The lowest test grade will be dropped – unless you duplicate it; the
total value of the remaining three tests is still 80%. A grade of Incomplete may be recorded if you have
completed at least three of the five assignments. Extra work for improved grades is prohibited. A
student with learning or performance disabilities need to register immediately at CC-137, bring me the
letter provided, and the appropriate test conditions will be implemented.
Research Paper
A research paper is required. Worth 20% of your final grade, its optimum length – exclusive of notes
and bibliography – is 3,500 words for HIS 455 and 5,000 words for HIS 555. Papers must be typed,
double spaced, and carefully proofread. The Happy Footnoter, a rather personalized style manual, will
be distributed as a model for you to follow.
Report your tentative choice of topic by Sept. 24, and submit a preliminary bibliography by Oct. 6. Your
paper is due on Nov. 19, but may be submitted any time before that. The bibliographies in your
textbooks are good starting points for finding literature on your topics. I’d be glad to discuss your
research and ideas with you as your work progresses.
General Rules
ATTENDANCE is expected, and a roster is circulated for your signature most of the time. Excessive
avoidable absences (5 or more) will have a negative effect on your final grade. Please arrive on time and
stay until the end. Coming and going as you please during class is a disturbance as well as a violation of
the Student Code of Conduct. If you must leave early for good reason, let me know at the start of class.
CHEATING in this course means failure in the course, not just the assignment involved, and will in the
case of undergraduates be reported to the office of the Vice President for Undergraduate Studies, which
will produce a notation on the student’s transcript and may lead to suspension. Graduate students may
expect to be expelled. Note this History department warning:
Plagiarism is taking (which includes purchasing) the word and ideas of another and
passing them off as one’s own work. If in a formal paper a student quotes someone,
that student must use quotation marks and give citation. Paraphrased or borrowed
ideas are to be identified by proper citations. Plagiarism will result, at the minimum,
in the student failing the assignment.
Schedule of Topics
Aug 27: Bismarck’s Europe, 1871-90: Stability through Balance of Power.
READ: NR pp. 218-50; DOCS: “The Dual Alliance between Austria-Hungary and Germany
(World War I Document Archive),” “The Three Emperors League (Avalon Project),”
Triple Alliance (1882)”, “The Reinsurance Treaty (World War I Document Archive).”
Sep 1: The Breakdown of Bismarck’s Alliance System.
READ: NR pp. 251-62.
3: The Legacy of Imperialism.
READ: NR pp. 263-68; SM pp. 2-16.
8: The Scramble for Africa.
READ: NR pp. 269-99; DOCS: “Berlin Conference”, “Scramble for Africa”.
10: Focus on China: Annexationist Scramble or ‘Open Door’?
READ: NR pp. 300-28; DOCS: “Treaty of Shimonoseki”, “Anglo-Japanese Alliance”.
NOTE: Classes suspended 9/13 (Rosh Hashana); resume 9/15 at 12:35.
15: Weltpolitik, Splendid Isolation, Triple Entente, 1894-1907.
READ: NR pp. 329-46, 364-407; DOCS: “Franco-Russian Alliance”, “Entente Cordiale”,
“Anglo-Russian Entente”, “Triple Entente”, “Bosnian Crisis”, “First Moroccan Crisis”.
“Algeciras Conference”.
17:
Uncle Sam Flexes his Muscles, 1895-1914.
READ: ESR pp. 3-62; NR pp. 347-63: DOCS: “Monroe Doctrine”, “Roosevelt Corollary”,
“Yellow Journalism: A Timeline”, “Propaganda of the Spanish-American War”. And
choose one of the following Internet articles: “American Imperialism, 1890-1914”, “Age
of Empire: American Foreign Policy, 1890-1914”, “Protectionist Empire: Trade, Tariffs &
U.S. Foreign Policy, 1890-1914” (by Benjamin O. Fordham; use text version, not video).
NOTE: Classes suspended 9/22 at 2:35 (Yom Kippur); resume 9/24 at 12:35.
TEST #1: Assigned readings and class coverage, 8/27 – 9/17.
24:
The Bosnian Annexation Crisis, 1908-09.
READ: NR pp. 408-18; DOCS: “Bosnian Crisis”.
NOTE: Deadline for choosing tentative research paper topic.
29:
The Second Moroccan Crisis and the Tripoli War, 1911-12.
READ: NR pp. 418-22; DOCS : “Agadir Crisis”, “Treaty of Fez”, “Italo-Turkish War”.
Oct 1: The Balkan Wars and their Aftermath, 1912-14.
READ: NR pp. 423-37; DOCS : “Balkan League”, “Treaty of London (1913)”, “Treaty of Bucharest (1913)”.
6: The July Crisis of 1914.
READ: NR pp. 437-61; SM pp. 19-30; HHH pp. 15-117.
NOTE: Preliminary bibliography due.
8: The Question of War Guilt.
READ: NR pp. 461-65; SM pp. 31-36; HHH pp. 1-13, 119-159.
13: Wartime Diplomacy, 1914-18.
READ: SM pp. 38-61; ESR pp. 63-86; DOCS: “Treaty of London (1915)”, “Sykes-Picot
Agreement”, “Treaty of Brest-Litovsk”, “Conditions of an Armistice with Germany”,
“President Wilson’s Fourteen Points—World War I Document Archive”.
Nov
15:
A 20-Year Armistice: The Settlement of 1919.
READ: SM pp. 81-119; DOCS: “The Versailles Treaty (Avalon Project),” articles 42-45, 49,
51, 81, 87, 102, 119, 141-42, 159-60, 164, 173, 180-91, 198, 231; “Treaty of SaintGermain-en-Laye (1919)”, “Treaty of Sevres”, “Treaty of Trianon”, “Treaty of Neuilly-surSeine”, “Treaty of Lausanne”, “US Peace Treaty with Germany”, “US Peace Treaty with
Austria”, “US Peace Treaty with Hungary”.
TEST #2: Assigned readings and class coverage 9/24 – 10/15.
20:
Aftermath: Settling Outstanding Issues.
READ: DOCS: “World War I Casualties”, “Zone rouge”, “Bavarian Soviet Republic”.
22:
Imperial Slippage: Problems in Africa and the Middle East.
READ: SM pp. 123-200.
27:
Imperial Slippage: Problems in Latin America.
READ: SM pp. 225-52.
.
29:
Europe in the 1920s: Recovery, Diplomacy, Depression.
READ: SM pp. 272-98, 303-16; DOCS: “Protocol for the Pacific Settlement of Disputes
(Geneva Protocol),” “Locarno Pact (Avalon Project),” “Kellogg-Briand Pact (Avalon
Project).”
3:
Embittered Powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan, 1919-39.
READ: RO pp. 25-72, 164-209, 258-97; SM pp. 202-23; DOCS: “Treaty of Rapallo (1922)”,
“Anti-Comintern Pact (Avalon Project),” “The Pact of Steel (May 22, 1939).”
5:
Exhausted Powers: Britain and France, 1919-39.
READ: RO pp. 73-163.
10:
Reviving Power: Soviet Russia, 1918-39.
READ: RO pp. 210-57; SM pp. 62-77 & passim.
TEST #3: Assigned readings and class coverage 10/20 – 11/10.
.
12:
Reluctant Power? The United States, 1919-39.
READ: RO pp. 298-343; ESR pp. 87-186; SM pp. 254-70; DOCS: “Neutrality Acts of 1930’s”,
“Stimson Doctrine”, “Quarantine Speech (October 5, 1937)”.
17:
The Betrayal of Collective Security, 1931-37.
READ: SM pp. 317-40; AI pp. 1-39; DOCS: “The Versailles Treaty (Avalon Project),” articles
1-26; “WW 2 Ships: The 1935 Anglo-German Naval Agreement.”
19:
The Road to War in Europe, 1937-41.
READ: SM pp. 349-67; RO pp. 1-24, 344-66; DOCS: “The Hossbach Memorandum,” “The
Munich Agreement,” “The Nazi-Soviet Pact.”
NOTE: Research paper due.
24:
The Road to War in Asia and the Pacific, 1931-41.
READ: SM pp. 345-49, 363-64, 367-72; AI pp. 41-185; DOCS: “Mukden Incident”, “Lytton
Report”, “Modern History Sourcebook: Pearl Harbor Attack Documents, 1941”.
NOTE: Classes suspended 11/25 (Thanksgiving); resume 11/30.
Dec 1: Triumph and Tragedy: The Trichotomous Grand Alliance.
READ: SM pp. 374-404; ESR pp. 186-234; DOCS: “List of World War II Conferences”
“Atlantic Charter,” “Agreement between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics, July 12, 1941 (Avalon Project),” “Twenty-Year Mutual Assistance
Agreement Between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
May 26, 1942 (Avalon Project),” “Molotov’s Report on Ratification of the Anglo-Soviet
Treaty (June 19, 1942).”
3: From Teheran to Potsdam, 1943-45.
READ: SM pp. 387-88, 395-96, 398-99, 407-24; DOCS: “Percentages Agreement”, “Yalta
(Crimea) Conference,” “Potsdam Declaration (Potsdam Protocol, Potsdam Agreement).”
8: World War II Roots of the Cold War.
READ: DOCS: “Origins of the Cold War”.
TEST #4: Assigned readings and class coverage 11/12 – 12/8.