WOH 2040H - Honors The Twentieth Century

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Fall 2019 (565)

Requisites

(Prerequisite Admission into the Honors College or
Prerequisite Approval of the program director) and
(Prerequisite IDS 1101H or
Prerequisite ENC 1101H)

Course Description

This course is a study of world history surveying the cultural, political, social and economic transitions of the 20th century. Emphasis is placed on historic trends and movements as well as a chronological study beginning with the turn-of-the-century dominance of Europe, the competitiveness and militarism that led to World War I, and the effects of the peace settlements. Attention is given to the Soviet Revolution, the rise of fascism, Nazism, Asian neo-imperialism, and the malaise of the democracies; the Depression and its consequences; aggression, appeasement and World War II; the Cold War, communist China, the rise of the "Third World" and conflicting issues and values in contemporary society. This course partially satisfies the writing requirements as outlined in the General Education Requirements. (Note: Credit is only given for WOH 2040H or WOH 2040).

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will apply the principles of historical research and scholarship to the study of the 20th Century, documenting how extraordinary developments in new social values, science, economics, and communication created a global and interdependent world by:
    1. interviewing a person about an historic event or topic relevant to the class about which he or she might have first-hand information or can recall as a significant event of the 20th century.
    2. conducting independent research on the subject in preparation for a panel presentation leading to a general discussion on the subject.
    3. preparing a research paper using American Psychological Association (APA) style no less than six (6) pages in length and a short written response to the readings of the week.
    4. evaluating reading material relevant to the topic or theme of the week.
  2. The student will demonstrate critical reasoning skills, international and interdisciplinary perspectives in writing assignments and oral presentations in class by one or more of the following methods:
    1. research, analysis, outline, evaluation or other types of papers completed outside of the direct classroom experience.
    2. research, analysis, outline, journal, evaluation or other types of essays completed during the direct classroom experience.
    3. any type of expository, evaluative, persuasive or personal response writing as described in the college publication entitled " A Resource Manual for Writing Across the Curriculum."
  3. The student will discuss and explain significant historical trends and themes which have brought changes to societies and nations throughout the 20th century by:
    1. identifying political movements and ideologies, and global conflict.
    2. surveying human rights progress and failures.
    3. examining the rise of the mass media.
    4. recognizing the rise of the consumer society and popular culture.
    5. describing technological advancements.
    6. describing technological advancements.
    7. evaluating religious movements and changes, as well as economic and demographic trends.
  4. The student will understand and discuss the commanding position of Europe at the conclusion of four centuries of phenomenal expansion and the world-wide impact of western civilization by:
    1. recognizing the apogee of European influence 1900-1914 in technology, science, economics imperialism, culture, and Fine Arts.
    2. examining the resources, military power, expansionism, and political and social problems of Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Imperial Russia, the Hapsburg and Ottoman Empires, and the smaller states of Europe.
    3. identifying new giants on the horizon and the emergence of the United States, Japan and British self-governing dominions in foreign affairs.
  5. The student will understand and discuss the concepts of balance of power, international national rivalries and world war and their disruption of any orderly or peaceful progress, understanding, unity of interest and cooperation among modern nations by:
    1. examining World War I, the alignment of powers, the conduct of the war and its statement, the Russian Revolution of 1917 and its influence, American entry into the war and ultimate triumph of the Allies.
    2. evaluating the political, social and economic results of the war with reference to its casualties and costs, war aims and peace programs, appearance of triumph of democracy in Germany and remnants of the disintegrated former Austro-Hungarian Empire, dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, and the Soviet triumph in Russian Civil War.
  6. The student will understand and discuss the challenge to older global powers and positions by new industrial grants such as the United States and Japan by:
    1. describing problems of peace settlement in the Versailles and other treaties, unrealistic reparations demands, intergovernmental debts and defaults, and attempts of international organizations for peace.
    2. explaining the successes and failures of the League of Nations.
    3. identifying the eclipse of liberalism, democracy and parliamentary government in Italy, Germany and smaller states with the rise of fascism and Nazism.
    4. examining the United States' path from prosperity to depression.
    5. recognizing the insecurity in Great Britain and France.
    6. assessing the formation and growth of power of the Soviet Union, its transformation of Russian society and the five-year plans.
    7. comprehending problems and characteristics of the smaller states of Europe, the changing British Commonwealth, the former Colonial world, China and Japan.
  7. The student will understand and discuss the clashing political and economic ideologies in the Soviet Union, Italy, Germany and Japan that stimulated hostility between nations struggling for dwindling national and global resources by:
    1. describing the collective security agreements and the international impact of the Great Depression.
    2. explaining the decision to resort to aggression by Japan in China, Italy in Ethiopia, Nazi Germany in Europe, and Civil War in Spain.
    3. examining the road to the Second World War in the futile efforts at appeasement, annexation of Austria, Munich Conference-inspired dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, German-Italian, Japanese ''Axis” and the German-Russian nonaggression pact.
  8. The student will understand and discuss the aggressions, appeasements, and misunderstandings that led to World War II, and the conduct of total war by:
    1. assessing the status of civilization in science, technology, culture, religious and fine arts at that moment in history.
    2. describing the global showdown between totalitarianism and democracy.
    3. examining early "Blitzkrieg" successes of the Axis war machine, the collapse of France, Britain's "Finest Hour," Russian retreat and defense, and growing American involvement.
    4. explaining events leading up to Pearl Harbor, and the entry of the United States into the conflict.
    5. comprehending the concept of total war with its massive mobilization of resources, population, and production.
    6. recognizing allied strategy, counter-offensive in invasions of North Africa, Italy and Germany, Soviet conquest of Eastern Europe, American offensive in the Pacific and the collapse of the Axis war machines.
    7. evaluating political, social, and economic results of the war with reference to costs and casualties, the decline of European and growth of American and Soviet influence, and revolt in the colonial world.
  9. The student will understand and discuss the demise of Western European power in post-World War II and the emergence of the hostile superpower states, the Soviet Union and the United States by:
    1. recognizing the problems of peace settlements, the Soviet policy of expansion and “satellitization,” the beginnings of the United States' policy of containment in the Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, and NATO.
    2. examining the aftermath of World War II in Asia with attention to the collapse of Nationalist China, victory for Mao Zedong and communism, the Korean War, and the partition of Indo-China.
    3. reviewing the collapse of British and French influence in the Middle East, the new state of Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflicts.
    4. comprehending American prosperity and production, defense, foreign aid and involvement in the years since World War II.
    5. assessing the struggle, success and failures, of economic recovery in Western Europe, and the Common Market.
    6. evaluating basic problems of population, economic development, political organization, and international recognition among the smaller nations of Europe, British Dominions, and Latin America.
  10. The student will understand and discuss the results of a new China under communism, the end of colonialism and obsolete imperialism on formerly subjugated areas of Asian, African, and Middle Eastern "Third World" nations and peoples, and the subsequent struggles for recognition national independence and economic security by:
    1. recognizing the status of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellites in economics, politics, social and cultural attitudes, defense, armament and scientific progress to include outer space.
    2. examining the Chinese drive for world parity in industrialization, science and technology.
    3. describing the march of independence in Asia and Africa, the rise of oil diplomacy and power in the Middle East, and the American frustration in Vietnam.
  11. The student will understand and discuss the factors which led to the end of the Cold War and the “New World Order” which emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the final decade of the 20th Century by:
    1. recognizing the end of détente and the effect of the space-race, arms race, and economic factors which led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union under Gorbachev.
    2. evaluating the re-emergence of an integrated and economically unified Europe.
    3. examining growing militant Islamic fundamentalism in the last quarter of the 20th century and the first Persian Gulf War.
    4. assessing of American economic, cultural, political and military hegemony at the end of the century.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful conclusion of the course the student, with minimum 70% accuracy, demonstrated mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual classroom instructors.

History of Changes

3 Year Review 2007. C&I Approval: 05/22/2004, BOT Approval: 06/22/2004, Effective Term: Fall 2004 (340).
C&I Approval: 02/14/2019, BOT Approval: 03/19/2019, Effective Term: Fall 2019 (565)