History 380: Twentieth Century World
Fall 2009
Prof. Dodgen
Course Description and Syllabus
The twentieth century has witnessed both a remarkable expansion of human freedom and daunting repression, great material progress and monumental evil. But could this not be said of any century? What makes the twentieth century unique? How does it differ from the nineteenth century, or the twenty-first? How do the events of this century reflect the legacy of the past and what impact will they have on the future. These are some of the questions we will think about and discuss as we trace the historical events of the twentieth century. We will look at such varied topics as art, technology, philosophy, science, gender, the environment, warfare, economics, politics, and leisure in order to understand the special character of the last century.
Readings:
The text is Duiker, Twentieth Century World History .
Other required readings are Fergal Keane, Season of Blood and Geraldine Brooks, Nine Parts of Desire .
Grading:
I will base your evaluation on two take-home essays and two in-class exams. I will hand out the take-home essay questions several days before the essay is due. The first take-home essay will cover Season of Blood, the second Nine Parts of Desire . On each essay exam, students have the choice of constructing their essay around one of three possible sets of issues raised by the book.
Essays must be 4-5 pages, typed, double-spaced and are due the day of the in-class exam. Students MUST support their arguments with evidence and concise quotes from the book. Page numbers in parentheses must accompany all supporting evidence taken from the book, including pages from which you have taken quotes, ideas, or examples . The point of the essay is to assess

your understanding of the assigned book , not your overall command of the subject. For this reason, students cannot use outside work to support their essays.
The in-class exams will require students to discuss in brief essay format several of the identification items appended to this syllabus. Each exam will cover material from one-half of the semester. Students should use the material from their class notes and any films shown in class in their in-class essays. Blue books are required for all in-class exams and must be unmarked and without missing pages. Cheating will result in a failing grade and be reported for possible discipline by the university.
My office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 10:45-
11:45, Tuesday mornings by appointment. My office is 2066
Stevenson, extension 42462. You can also contact me by e-mail at dodgen@sonoma.edu
Students are strongly urged to take advantage of the opportunity to drop by and talk over the course, papers, or any other school-related issues.
Syllabus
Day Topics and Assignments
8/26
8/31
-Introduction: Why study a century?
* Reading assignment: Twentieth Century (TC), chapters 1, 2; Season of Blood, Prologue and chapter 1.
--Africa and colonial power.
9/2
9/7
* Reading assignment: Season of Blood, chapter 2.
--The imperial U.S.
Labor Day Holiday—no class.

9/9 * Reading assignment: TC chapter 4; Season of Blood , chapter 3.
- World War I
9/14 * Reading assignment: TC chapter 4; Season of Blood , chapter 4.
-Oil creates the Middle East.
9/16 * Reading assignment: TC, chapter 4; Season of Blood , chapter 5.
--Socialism and the revolution in Russia.
9/21 chapter 6.
* Reading assignment: TC, chapter 6; Season of Blood ,
--Fascism and totalitarianism.
9/23 * Reading assignment: TC chapter 3, chapter 5; Season of Blood , chapter 7.
--
China’s civil war.
9/28 * Reading assignment: complete Season of Blood discussion. The following link is to an interview with
,
Fergal Keane: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/inter
9/30 views/keane.html
* Reading assignment: TC chapter 4.
10/5
--The Global Depression.
* Reading assignment: TC chapter 3, chapter 5, chapter
10/7
6.
-The rise of militarism in Japan.
* Reading assignment: TC chapter 5.
-Latin America before WWII.

10/12
10/14
No class. Furlough.
* Reading assignments: TC, chapter 6, pages 128-9.
--Anti-Semitism and the Shoah.
10/19
10/21
10/26
Review for Midterm exam.
MIDTERM EXAM.
* Reading assignment: TC chapter 8, begin Nine Parts of Desire.
--The Soviet Union after Stalin.
10/28 * Reading assignment: TC chapter 15, pages 292-95; continue Nine Parts of Desire .
-Occupied Japan.
11/2 * Reading assignment: TC chapter 7, 10; continue Nine
Parts of Desire .
--Containment in Europe and Asia.
11/4
Desire .
*Readings: TC, chapter 14; continue Nine Parts of
--Africa after WWII.
11/9 * Reading assignment: TC Chapter 15; continue Nine
Parts of Desire .
--The Post-War Middle East
11/11
No class, Veteran’s Day.
11/16 discussion.
* Reading assignment: Complete Nine Parts of Desire ,

11/18 *Reading assignment: TC chapter 11.
-Latin America Since WWII
11/23
11/25
11/30
Furlough * Reading assignment: TC chapter 14.
Thanksgiving Holiday—no class.
*Reading assignment: TC chapter 9.
--Utopian Socialism in China .
12/2 * Reading assignment: TC chapter 13.
--India and Southeast Asia .
* Reading assignment: TC chapters 15 and 16. 12/7
--The Japanese Model and the New Capitalisms.
* Reading assignment: TP chapter 17.
--
China’s Environmental Nightmare
12/9 Review for final exam.
Terms, names and events for in-class exams:
Terms for exam 1:
1. Herero 11. Balfour Declaration
2. Free Trade
3. Mahatma Ghandi
4. Economic nationalism
5. Congo Free State
6. Patrones
7. George Dewey
8. Benito Mussolini
9. Emilio Aguinaldo
10. Anglo-Persian Oil Co.
12. U-boat
13. Bolsheviks
14. Meiji Restoration
15.
Kulaks
16. Boxer Rebellion
17. Mustapha Kemal (Ataturk)
18. Lusitania
19. Billy Mitchell
20. Ito Hirobumi

Terms for exam 2 :
1. Jacobo Arbenz
2. Thought reform
3. “Containment”
4. Sunni and Shia
5. Kim Il Sung
6. Mikhail Gorbachev
7. Nuremberg Trials
8. S.C.A.P.
9. Great Leap Forward
10. Ho Chi Minh
11. Zhou Enlai
12. Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC)
13. “Battle of Algiers”
14. Dien Bien Phu
15. Bay of Pigs
16. Emile Zola
17. Apartheid
18. Khmer Rouge
19.
20.
Sputnik
Kamikaze
Please note that, pursuant to section 5(b) of the Agreement on furlough days I am required to certify that I will not work on furlough days. This means that I will not be teaching, advising, reading essays, preparing for class or responding to phone or email on those days. Also note that this does not mean that the resources listed for class periods that I do not meet because of furlough days is dropped from the course. It is important material that is integral to the course and may be important to your essay topics. http://www.sonoma.edu/dav/users/d/dodgen/syllabi/380/fall09/hist ory_380_fall_09.doc