AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY
SYLLABUS AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Dr. Lee Bruce Kress
Fall 2008
History Department
Robinson Hall
Office Hours: M, W 12:13-1:30,
5:00-6:00, and by appointment
(856) 256-4500, ext 3987
Lbkress@rowan.edu
PROCEDURES:
This course presents a summary of American military history from before the Revolutionary War
to near the present. Its purpose is to foster an understanding of the role of the military in American life
over time. Among the issues to be covered are the formation and growth of the American military
services as institutions, the strategies, tactics, and weaponry of leading conflicts, the personalities and
contributions of American military leaders, and the social and economic role of the military in national
development. Since this is an upper division course, you are assumed to have a prior knowledge of
general American history as well as an awareness of the causes and results of leading military events.
This background should have been obtained in the general survey courses in the history of the United
States. It may be necessary, therefore, for you to review your notes or textbooks from those earlier course
in order to be prepared.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ATTENDANCE POLICY
The requirements for this course include a mid-term examination and a research term paper, each
worth approximately 30 percent of your semester grade, and a final examination which will count about
40 percent. Examinations will consist largely of identification items and essays. There also will be
opportunities for extra credit. Class sessions will consist of lectures, discussions, and some videos. You
are expected to prepare the assigned readings in advance of class, to participate in all class dialogues, and
to give brief reports on the progress of your research. Consistent attendance is expected, and attendance
will be taken in every class. You are allowed two absences for any reason; you will lose a point from
your final average for every absence beyond two. In addition, failure to take part adequately in classroom
activities will affect your grade.
Unless verifiable evidence of an emergency excuse is presented, such as a physician’s note
testifying to illness, all examinations and written assignments must be completed at the time stated on this
syllabus or you will automatically received a grade of a zero for that exercise or test.
Please feel free to come in to see me in my office hours or at other times that are mutually
agreeable if I can help you in any way with this course. If you have any disabilities or other personal
circumstances that may affect your studies in this course, please make me aware of it so I may assist you
with our work.
Final grades will not be posted and cannot be obtained by calling the History Department.
However, they can be obtained from the Registrar by the Touch Tone line at 1-800 816-1606 or by the
Student View System (http://www.rowan.edu.webforstudents). See the Rowan Schedule booklet for
details. Additionally, at the time of the final examination if you will provide me with a stamped, selfaddressed business-sized envelope I shall mail your exam to you along with your semester grade.
Alternately, if you provide a stamped postal card, I will just indicate your semester grade.
TEXTBOOKS:
Millett, Alan R. and Peter Maslowski. For the Common Defense: A Military History of
the United States of America. Revised and Expanded. New York: Free Press, 1994.
Chambers, John Whiteclay, III, and G. Kurt Piehler, eds, Major Problems in American
Military History: Documents and Essays. New York, Houghton Miffin, 1999.
Allison, William T., Jeffrey Gray, and James G. Valentine, American Military History: A
Survey from Colonial Times to the Present. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall,
2007.
ASSIGNMENTS: (by week)
In your reading, please keep up with all the assignments as given and not with the pace of the
class work. When it comes time for examinations, you will be tested on all the information assigned on
this sheet, even if we are not at that chronological point in the lectures.
I.
Introduction and Colonial Period
Millett, Chapter 1
Chambers, Chapters 1, 2
Allison,
2.
Term Paper Topic Due: September 17
American Revolution
Millett, Chapter 2
Chambers, Chapter 3
Allison
3.
There will be no class on October 1.
American Revolution and Early Military Establishment
Millett, Chapter 3
Chambers, Chapter 4
Allison,
4.
Preliminary research Bibliography of Term Paper due: October 15
War of 1812
Millett, Chapter 4
Allison
5.
Mexican-American War
Millett, Chapter 5
Chambers, Chapter 5
6.
Civil War
Millett, Chapter 6
Chambers, Chapter 6
Allison,
7.
Civil War
Millett, Chapter 7
Allison
8.
Mid-term Examination: October 29
9.
Term Paper Outline Due: November 12
Spanish-American War
Millett, Chapter 8, 9
Chambers, Chapters 7, 8
Allison,
10.
World War I
Millett, Chapters 10, 11
Chambers, Chapter 9
Allison,
11.
Extra Credit Exercise Due: November 26. Late submissions will not be accepted.
World War II
Millett, Chapters 12, 13
Chambers, Chapter 10
Allison,
12.
Term Paper Due: December 3. Late papers will not be accepted.
World War II
Millett, Chapter 14
Chambers, Chapters 11, 12
Allison,
13.
Extra Credit Report Due: December 5
Korean and Vietnam Wars
Millett, Chapters 15, 16
Chambers, Chapter 13
Allison,
14.
Vietnam and After
Millett, Chapters 17, 18, Epilogue
Chambers, Chapter 14, 15
Allison,
15.
Final Examination: Thursday, December 18