History 434 - U.S as a World Power, Fall 2015 Dr. E. Langill
Mon, Wed. 12:30-1:45, Holton 190; Office: Holton #383, email:Langill@UWM.edu
Books: Crucible of Power, Jones (SR Books); Major Problems in American Foreign
Policy by Paterson (DC Heath)- see documents to analyze and discuss below.
SelectOne: Paterson, Contesting Castro; Weiner,Legacy of Ashes; Lippman, Madeleine
Albright;Berman, No Peace, No Honor; Reich & Laqueur, Origins of Terrorism;
Wallach, Desert Queen (see below)
Course Requirements: Class attendance(absences of 10% or more will lower grade),all assigned readings, group work and presentation; 3 exams, one analytical paper(late papers willnot be accepted).Exams =30% each,Paper=20% In-class paper=10%; Group
Work & Presentation are mandatory . Instructor may make changes, if needed. Special needs will be accommodated. Discussion of selected documents in class is also a major factor.
Week I –Sept. 2-Introduction to world of 1900; Jones #1,
Week II –Sept. 7 & 9 – Spanish American War & Debate over Empire, Era of
Teddy Roosevelt – Jones #2, c.f. documents on T. Roosevelt
Wed.- select book for paper & group work. Continue as above
Week III – Sept. 14 & 16 -Wilson's crusade and the Great War; Jones #3,4
Wed. “The Great War” -Paterson Docs= Lusitania, Wilson’s War Message, Lansing,
Zimmerman, and LaFollette
Week IV – Sept. 21 & 23 -The League, Postwar retreat, new isolationism, Jones #5,
Docs: Kellogg-Briand, Nye, Neutrality Acts, Washington Conference
Wed.– Docs = 14 Points, Article 10, Lodge & Arthur Link - The great debate

Week V – Sept. 28 & 30 - FDR, the 1930s, and Diplomacy of WWII, Jones #s 6,7
Wed. Planning War’s End: Yalta & Potsdam. Read: Docs: War
Message, FDR & Tehran, FDR vs. Stalin, Yalta, Baldwin & Ambrose.
Week VI –October 5 & 7-Class Discussion of key turning points 1899 – 1945
Wed: FIRST EXAM:– 1895-1945 *********
Week VII– Oct. 12 & 14 - Cold War, Truman & Containment, Jones #s 8,9
Wed. Berlin Airlift, Truman & Korea, Atomic Spy Hunts, Kennan, NSC68
Week VIII Oct. 19 – Election of 1952 – Legacy of Truman, Enter Ike
Wed.***** First Book Group Meetings – complete group forms
Week IX Oct. 26 & 28 – Eisenhower & Containment – Jones #10, 11
Wed. - Effects of McCarthyism; Ike’s 2 nd Term. “Army vs. McCarthy”
Week X – Nov. 2 & 4 – Kennedy as Cold Warrior, Jones #12, Docs: Castro,
Khruschev, JFK on T.V., Discuss Kennedy as Cold Warrior
Wed. – Background of Vietnam: Jones #13
Week XI – Nov. 9 & 11 – LBJ & Vietnam to 1969, Jones #14, Docs: Vietnamese
Independence, Geneva Conf.,Tonkin Gulf Resol.,Ball’s Dissent,
Clifford, My Lai,
Wed. Nov. 11- *** Second Exam, 1945-1969 ****
Week XII – Nov. 16 & 18 finish reading chosen book, Second Book Group ****
Wed. - Nixon & Vietnam, “Peace with Honor”? “Decent Interval”
Read: Jones #15, and Docs.
Week XIII Nov. 23 – From Gerald Ford to Jimmy Carter, Jones #16
Wed. no class, Thanksgiving Break–Reagan,Bush I, & end of Cold War.
Week XIV - Nov. 30 & Dec. 2 – Clinton, Balkans, Near East, Ruwanda, N. Ireland
Wed. – no class,UWM Thanksgiving Break,prepare final papers, due: Dec. 14
Week XV – Mon. Dec. 7 & 9 – 21 st Century Patterns: Bush II, Afghanistan, Iraq,
Wed. Dec.9 – First Book Group Presentations: Papers Due: Dec. 14 **
Week XVI – Mon. Dec. 14 – Book Group Presentations: Papers due.
** Final Exam – Monday, Dec. 21 (format to be announced)
*** Papers must present your analysis of how your chosen book highlights course themes (do not summarize the book) and a discussion of author, his or her viewpoint, thesis, and use of evidence. Typed, Hard copy, no emailed papers. NO
LATE PAPERS OR EXAMS ACCEPTED.
***** Students who wish to declare a History major should see instructor and/or visit the History Dept. Office,
Holton Hall, 3 rd Floor.