Revolution and Reaction: The History of American
Foreign Relations
HIS3800
Dr. Edmund F. Wehrle
Spring 2007
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Revolution and Reaction: The History of American
Foreign Relations
HIS3800
Dr. Edmund F. Wehrle
Spring 2007
“All the lessons of history in four sentences: Whom the gods would destroy,
they first make mad with power. The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly
small. The bee fertilizes the flower it robs. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. “
-Charles Beard“Goodness, armed with power, is corrupted; and pure love without power is destroyed”
-Reinhold Niebuhr
Dr. Edmund F. Wehrle
2576 Coleman Hall
581-6372
efwehrle@eiu.edu
Office hours: 10-11 MWF and by appointment
Paterson, Major Problems in American Foreign Policy
Ambrose, Rise to Globalism
White, Missiles in Cuba
Doenecke and Wilz, From Islationism to War, 1931-1941
Cobbs-Hoffman, All You Need is Love
And other material as assigned
This course will survey America’s increasingly complex and increasingly important relations with the outside world. Several test cases will be examined in detail with the expressed aim of understanding not only the events and individuals involved but also the forces propelling American foreign policy. In particular, sudents will gain an appreciation for the major schools of thought and debates among historians about those forces shaping U.S. international relations. Students will write several papers, culminating with a term paper, treating in detail American relations with one particular country.
Class Meetings:
Week One (January 8-12)
The Forces Behind American Foreign Policy
Readings: Paterson, Chapter 1Week Two (January 17-19)
Revolution and Manifest Destiny
Approaching the Study” essays due (January 19)Week Three (January 22-26)
The Crisis of the 1890s and an Imperial Adventure
Readings: HandoutsWeek Four (Jan 29-Feb 2):
European Crisis and American Reaction: WWI
Readings: Paterson: Chapters 2 and 3Week Five (Feb 5-9)
The Winds of War
Readings: Doenecke and Wills book (all); Paterson, Chapters 4 and 5Week Six (Feb 12-14)
Origins of the Cold War
Readings: Paterson, Chapter 6; Ambrose, Chapters 4 and 5Week Seven (Feb 19-23)
America and China: A Special Relationship?
Readings: Paterson, Chapter 7Week Eight (Feb 26-28)
Korea and the New Look
Readings: Ambrose, Chapters 7 and 8; Paterson, Chapter 8March 2—MIDTERM
Week Nine (March 5-9)
Missiles in Cuba
Readings: White book; Ambrose, Chapters 9 and 10; Paterson, Chapter 10Week Ten (March 19-23)
Entering Vietnam
Readings: Herring, Chapters 1-4; Paterson, Chapter 11Week Eleven (March 26-30)
Leaving Vietnam and Détente
Readings: Herring, Chapters 5-7; Ambrose, Chapter 12; Paterson, Chapter 12Week Twelve (April 2-6)
The Middle East
Readings: Paterson, Chapter 13; Ambrose, Chapter 13Week Thirteen (April 9-13)
Human Rights and Hostages in Iran
Readings: Ambrose, Chapter 14Week Fourteen (April 16-20)
Reagan in Latin America
Readings: Ambrose, Chapter 15Week Fifteen (April 23-27)
A New World Order? & Clinton and the Balkans
Readings: Paterson, Chapter 15; Ambrose, Chapter 16
Students will write a mid-term and a final. In addition, there will be three written papers: two position papers and a term paper. The first paper will involve a description of one of the general approaches treated in the first week’s readings (due). The second short paper will treat one of the books to be read. The final paper (your term paper) will treat a particular topic (chosen by yourself in conjunction with the instructor) related to American international relations.**The instructor reserves the right to modify the syllabus as the semester progresses as he thinks it necessary.
| Paper 1 | 10% |
| Paper 2 | 10% |
| Term Paper | 30% |
| Midterm Exam | 10% |
| Participation | 10% |
| Final Exam | 30% |