Writing Wars in the Twentieth Century
Dr. Heather P. Daly
hdaly@usc.edu
Office Hours: T: 1:00-3:00; Th: 2:00-3:00
Fall 2014/VKC 210
T/Th: 3:30-4:50
Office: SOS 265
“War is part of the intercourse of the human race.”
General Karl von Clausewitz
Revised Syllabus 09/02/2014
Course Description and Overview:
This course examines the interrelations between the wars in the twentieth century and the
participants who were involved and documented their experiences in World War I, World War
II, and the subsequent Cold War. The wars of the twentieth century both on the battlefields and
within governments radically altered established empires, civilizations, cultures, and ethnic
identities. The repercussions of these changes persist in the twenty-first century. Throughout the
duration of this class, we will be reading narratives by the individuals who experienced the wars,
non-fiction and fiction, but relevant nonetheless. We will also watch movies relevant to the
time-period in question to elaborate on the themes of the class. Writing Wars in the Twentieth
Century is a course intended to develop your critical thinking, writing, and discussion skills. It
involves the utilization of some primary sources and oral histories of soldiers, citizens, and
reporters and demonstrates how these events changed individual lives and societies during this
pivotal time in American History.
Core Requirements:
Attendance and Participation
Paper #1
Paper #2
Paper #3
Research Paper
20%
15%
15%
15%
35%
100%
Ongoing throughout Semester
Due September 25, 2014
Due October 30, 2014
Due December 2, 2014
Due December 16, 2014
Your grade is based on attendance, class participation, oral presentations, demonstration of the
readings, and quizzes (announced and unannounced).
Attendance and Active Participation is required in this course and makes up 20% of your overall
grade. Missing three (3) or more classes will result in a failing grade. Successful students will
do the assigned readings on time, come to lecture, and participate in classroom and group
discussions, and be prepared to present in class. Classroom discussions on readings and will
help students prepare for the courses major assignments.
Papers: There will be three papers based on class readings and movies and a research paper
based on readings and outside research. Paper #1, #2, and #3 are 15 percent each and for a total
of 45 percent of your grade. A final research paper will make up the remaining 35 percent of
your grade. LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
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RESEARCH PAPER: Students may write on any aspect of the Wars in the early and mid-twentieth
century. Each paper should include references to at least three primary sources (letters, newspaper
articles, trial excerpts, etc.) and three secondary sources. Citations for the research paper must follow
the style sheet attached to this syllabus. All papers will be submitted through turnitin.com.
Participation means constructively engaging in class discussions. Participation includes being
considerate of both your classmates and instructor. This means arriving on time and staying for
the duration of the class. It requires you to be respectful when someone else is speaking. Please
avoid interrupting or ignoring others who are speaking, and please treat people whose opinions
differ from yours with the same respect that you would like them to accord you. Sensitive
material will be discussed, emotionally charged topics, wars is such a topic, which includes
discussions of race, class, and gender. We aim to foster an atmosphere in which we all feel free
to express our ideas without fear of judgment, and we can discuss the issues in an open arena.
Therefore, personal attacks and offensive language WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
Academic Integrity and Honesty
Plagiarism and cheating is not acceptable and academic dishonesty is NOT TOLERATED.
Please refer to the University’s position on Academic Integrity on the USC Student Judicial
Affairs and Community Standards site.
Email and Classroom Conduct
Please turn off smart phones, tablets and other electronic devices prior to section. Surfing the
internet while in class is prohibited and you will be asked to leave class!
Make sure your email is correct so that I may contact you by email. Course assignments will not
be accepted via email. Questions about assignments, readings, and lectures should be raised in
class or in office hours.
Required Readings:
Hall, Margaret. Letters and Photographs from the Battle Country: The World War I Memoir of
Margaret Hall (Massachusetts Historical Society, 2014)
Luz Sáenz, Jose . The World War I Diary of José de la Sáenz. (Texas A&M University Press,
2014)
Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel. (various publishers) This is the
English translation of the classic WWI novel, written by a German veteran and titled in German
Im Westen, Nichts Neues, which translates , “Nothing new in the West.”
Hemingway, Ernest. Hemingway on War. (Scribner, 2003)
Steinbeck, John. Once There Was a War. (Penquin, 1958, 2007)
Nez, Chester with Judith Schiess Avila. Code Talker The First and Only Memoir by one of the
Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII. (Berkeley Books, 2011)
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Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki . Farewell to Manzanar. (Houghton Mifflin, 1973, 2006)
Wiesel, Elie. Night. (Hill and Wang, 1958)
Burdick, Eugene and Wheeler, Harvey. Fail-Safe (Harper Collins, 1962)
Fink, Carole K. Cold War: An International History. (Westview Press. 2014)
Additional journal articles and book excerpts will be assigned during the semester.
Books can be purchased via Amazon.com or bn.com.
Weekly Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments: (Subject to Change)
Week 1:
Welcome to Writing Wars in the Twentieth Century
August 26:
Introduction to the Course
August 28:
Introduction to World War I
Movie: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Part I
Week 2:
World War I
September 2:
Movie: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Part II
Readings:
All Quiet on the Western Front Chapters 1-6
September 4:
Readings:
All Quiet on the Western Front Chapters 7-12. (Finish the Book)
Discussion about the book and movie
Week 3:
World War I
September 9:
Hemingway Fact v. Fiction
Readings:
Hemingway on War
“Soldier’s Home” pp. 17-23
“Self-Inflicted Wounds” A Farewell to Arms pp. 62-64
“At the Front” A Farewell to Arms pp. 65-69
“The Retreat from Caporetto” A Farewell to Arms pp. 70-86
“A Natural History of the Dead” pp. 43-50
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September 11:
Fact? A Nurses Tale
Readings:
Letters and Photographs from the Battle Country: The World War I
Memoir of Margaret Hall
Selected Chapters TBD
Week 4:
World War I
September 16:
Voice of a Soldier
Readings:
The World War Diary of José de la Sáenz
Selected Chapters TBD
September 18:
Mexican Americans in WWI
Readings:
The World War Diary of José de la Sáenz
Selected Chapters TBD
Movie: The Last Voices of WWI
Week 5:
World War 1/World War II
September 23:
Overview of World War I
Movie: The Last Voices of WWI
September 25:
World War II: The Drumbeats of War
Readings:
Once There Was a War. pp. 1-70
Hemingway on War. pp. 215-233
Paper #1 Due!
Week 6:
World War II
September 30:
Steinbeck’s War
Readings:
Once There Was a War. pp. 71-187
October 2:
United States Enters the War…
Movie:
Tora, Tora, Tora
Readings:
“Russo-Japanese Pact.” Hemingway on War. pp. 310-313
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Week 7:
World War II
October 7:
Native Americans in World War II
Readings:
Code Talker. pp. 1-21 and 84-146
October 9:
Code Talker. pp. 147-227 and pp. 249-266
Week 8:
World War II
October 14:
Japanese Americans
Readings:
Farewell to Manzanar. Part I. pp. 3-94
October 16:
Japanese Americans
Readings:
Farewell to Manzanar. Part II. pp. 95-141
Week 9:
October 21:
Japanese Americans
Readings:
Farewell To Manzanar. Part II. pp. 142-208
October 23:
Japanese Americans in War
Movie: Beyond Barbed Wire/Go For Broke
Week 10:
World War II
October 28:
The Final Solution
Readings:
Night. pp. vii-46
Movie: Conspiracy
October 30:
Overview of World War II
Readings:
Night. pp. 47-120
Hemingway on War. pp. 314-341.
Paper #2 Due
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Week 11:
The Cold War
November 4:
Introduction to the Cold War
November 6:
A Different Kind of War
Readings:
Cold War: An International History pp. TBD
Movie: Atomic Cafe
Week 12:
The Cold War
November 11:
Readings:
Cold War: An International History pp. TBD
November 13:
Mistakes Happen.
Readings:
Cold War: An International History pp. TBD
Fail-Safe pp. 13-100
Week 13:
November 18:
No one is Safe
Readings:
Fail-Safe pp. 101-164
November 20:
Readings:
Fail-Safe pp. 165-284
Week 14:
November 25:
Prepare for Research Paper—No Class
November 27:
Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 15:
December 2:
Movie: Fail-Safe
Paper #3 Due
December 4:
Research Paper Prep.
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Finals Week
December 16
Take Home Final Research Paper Due 2:00-4:00 pm on Turnitin
Papers will not be accepted after 4:00 pm.
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