America and the World Wars

Catalog description

As America emerged on the stage as a world power, it is not surprising that increased involvement in international affairs followed. America's participation in the world wars of the twentieth century brought about profound changes related to international diplomatic relations, the expanding role of the state in economic and military policy, cultural and ideological shifts domestically and globally, and technological innovations in weaponry, transportation, and manufacturing. While the consequences of warfare on the greater world stage are central to this course, students also will examine the myriad ways in which social, political, and cultural life transformed in the United States during this era. Students contend with how historians have, both implicitly and explicitly, inserted value judgments into their interpretations of the methods of war, political regimes, human rights issues, and geopolitical reorganizations of the era.