U.S. Diplomatic History
History 65
Pols 44
Spring 1999
Carol Hunter X-1216 Mon/Thurs 1:00
TH 112 e-mail carolh www.earlham.edu~carolh
Purpose: This course is a chronological survey of U.S. diplomatic history, with emphasis on understanding the values and choices that have shaped U.S. decisions, and the consequences of those decisions. We will examine a diversity of viewpoints in explaining and interpreting U.S. policy, including sources outside the U.S. Our overall goal is to discover and understand policy formation, the complexity of major problems in American foreign relations and the dilemmas posed by economic and military involvements abroad.
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify how U.S. policy is made, understand how the process of decision making itself shapes both the policy and the outcome, and evaluate the results produced, both intended and unintended.
2. Students will understand the key characteristics of U.S. foreign relations and how they have changed over time.
3. Students will develop reasonable paradigms for evaluating the multiplicity of factors--political, strategic, economic, defensive, cultural, domestic setting and international context, to name a few--that affect diplomatic decisions.
4. Students will make connections between current events and past events and develop a more
informed basis for both interpreting current policy and events and making their own evaluations.
Texts
Walter Lafeber, Inevitable Revolutions
Michael Hunt, Ideology and U.S. Foreign Policy
Stephen Valone, Two Centuries of US Foreign Policy: The Documentary Record
Paterson, Clifford, Hagan, American Foreign Relations: A History Since 1895
Ralph Levering, The Cold War
handouts and reserve readings
Requirements
20% Discussion and participation; homework sheets, quizzes
10% Group current events project (Inside Washington, Latin America, Middle East, Asia, Africa, former Soviet Union)
15% Midterm
15% Final Essay
40% Your choice of 4 from the following assignments:
(You may do two of any one assignment). Due dates are Jan 28th, Feb 18th, Mar 25th, and Apr 15th
1.10% debate of issues 3-5 pages typewritten discussion of various positions expressed in American Foreign Policy: Opposing Viewpoints or the essays in Major Problems in American Foreign Relations (on reserve). Conclude with the argument you find most persuasive and why.
2. 10% chronology and map of US policy in any given country with a brief (2 page) discussion of how that policy has affected that country and its relationship with the U.S.
3. 10% primary source report: 3-5 typewritten pages giving the context and origins of a particular primary source we have read and a discussion of its use, significance and legacy.
4. 10% write a 3-5 page biography of someone you've encountered in your reading, examining their contributions/influence on foreign policy issues.
5. 10% write a book review (modeled on NY Times Book Reviews) of any book in your texts' bibliographies or a relevant book of your choice with your professor's approval.
6. 10% Investigate a current policy issue of concern to you and write an editorial or a
policymaker. Submit a copy to me.
Schedule
Jan 14 Introduction: Approaching the Study of American Foreign Relations
Constitutional Foundations; Valone: Washington's Farewell Address, Jefferson's Inaugural
Jan 18 King Day
Read, Race and US foreign policy Hunt, 1-18; 46-91
Jan 21 Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny
Read Hunt 19-45
Primary Sources (from Valone): Monroe Doctrine, Indian Removal Act, "Manifest Destiny" Suspension and Reassertion of the Monroe Doctrine
Jan 25 Climax of Early U.S. Foreign Policy: Civil War?
Read Lafeber 130-187
Jan 28 Foundations of a Super Power
Read: Paterson, 1-35
Primary Sources: Alfred Thayer Mahan, "Influence of Sea Power," McKinley's War Message, The Open Door Notes
First Assignment Due
Feb 1 Dollar Diplomacy
Video: Crisis in Central America: The Yankee Years
Read Lafeber, 8-46
Feb 4 Managing, Policing and Extending the Empire, 1900-1914
Read: Paterson 37-78
Primary Sources: Platform of the Anti-imperialist League (handout) and from Valone: The Teller Amendment, The Platt Amendment, Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, Wilson and Latin America; Wilson Renounces Dollar Diplomacy
Feb 8 World War I and the perils of revolution
Read Hunt 92-124
Paterson 70-104
Feb 11 New World Order: Take 1
Read Paterson, 105-128
Primary Sources: Wilson's Fourteen Points, Covenant of the League of Nations,
Kellogg-Briand Pact, Washington Conference Treaties, Stimson Doctrine, Good
Neighbor Policy
Feb 15 Rise and Fall of the American Structure for World Order (1920-1933)
Read Lafeber, 47-86
Patterson, 79-126
Feb 18 FDR and Entry into World War II
Read Paterson 129-166
Primary Sources: Valone #33, 34,35,36,37,38
Chamberlain on Munich and FDR Inaugural (CD in class)
Second Assignment Due
Feb 22 Asia, Latin America and the Vagaries of Power, 1920-1939
Paterson 167-204
Lafeber 87-149
Feb 25 World War II: Rise and Fall of the Grand Alliance (1941-1945)
Read Patterson 205-262
Primary Sources: Roosevelt's Declaration of War (CD and in alone) Atlantic Charter, Yalta Agreement
Mar 1 The decision to use the bomb
Paterson 265-271
Alperovitz handout
Primary Sources: Truman on the bomb (CD)
Mar 4 The Cold War Begins
Welling
Read Paterson 272-292 and Levering Chapter 1 pp. 15-53
Truman Inaugural (CD), Kennan Long Telegram, Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine
and Molotov, "The Task of Our Time" (handout)
Mar 8 Video: Global Rivals
Primary Sources: North Atlantic Treaty Organization, China White Paper, NSC-68
Mar 11 Midterm
Mar 13-21 Spring Break!
Mar 22 Korean War and Eisenhower
Read Paterson, 315-370
Primary Sources: The Korean War, "Fall of Dien Bien Phu" (CD) Eisenhower on
Guatemala, Eisenhower Farewell (CD) Lewis Mumford, "On American Foreign
Policy"
Mar 25 Cold War and Latin America
Read Lafeber, 150-267
Third Assignment Due
Mar 28 Cold War and Cuba
Read Levering Chapter 2: pp 54-98
Cuban Missile Crisis (CD and Valone) Bay of Pigs
Mar 29 Video: Vietnam: America's Mandarin
Apr 1 The Vietnam Years
Patterson 371-407
Primary Sources: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution,, Fulbright "Arrogance of Power"
(handout),Clark Clifford, LBJ's Post-Tet Address to the Nation
Apr 5 Just Give Peace a Chance
Patterson 409-24
Mennonite General Conference, "Communism and Anti-communism"
Apr 12 Nixon-Kissinger Years (1969-1977)
Read Lafeber 197-270; Levering chapter 3: 99-134
Fourth Assignment Due
Apr 15 Detente
Read Patterson 425-478; Lafeber 271-324
Primary Sources: Nixon Doctrine, End of Vietnam (CD) Kitchen Debates (CD) Agnew on Vietnam Protestors (CD) Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
Fourth Assignment Due
Apr 19 Back to the Future: Carter-Reagan Years
Read Paterson 479-542 and Levering 135-180
Primary Sources: Carter's Human Rights Foreign Policy, Camp David Accords, Panama Canal Treaty, Carter Doctrine, Reagan Doctrine, Reagan and the Soviet Union, Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Video: The Secret Government
Apr 22 New World Order: Take 2 Bush and Clinton
Read Lafeber 328-368 and Levering 181-190
Primary Sources: New World Order, The End of the Cold War, Bush's orders to bomb Iraq (CD)
Apr 26 End of the Cold War
Welling Hall
April 29 Review, Reflect and Respond
Websites
US diplomatic history resource index (searchable)
Diplomatic History (abstracts from the journal)