Revised 8/2023

HIS 267 - The Second World War (3 CR.)

Course Description

Examines causes and consequences of the Second World War. Includes the rise of totalitarianism, American neutrality, military developments, the home fronts, diplomacy, and the decision to use the atomic bomb. Lecture 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

Explain how and why the Second World War had such a stunning impact on the lives of millions of people and on the actions of their leaders and governments, both democratic and totalitarian, across the globe in the middle of the 20th century as well as its continuing significance today.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

No prerequisites. Preferable, but not mandatory, that students complete HIS 102 and HIS 122 prior to enrollment.

Course Objectives

• Identify and analyze the factors behind the rise of post- First World War dictatorships that brought about the aggression leading to the Second World War.
• Understand the nature and scope of the responses to totalitarian aggression by the major allied nations, 1931-1945, leading to their ultimate victory in the war.
• Comprehend the enormity of totalitarian crimes, including the Holocaust, and the responses to these crimes.
• Develop a deeper understanding of the war’s legacy since 1945.
• Reinforce and enhance students’ basic skills.

Major Topics to Be Included

• First World War legacies
• The 1930s (interwar era)
• U.S. entry into the war
• Creating a global allied strategy
• Home fronts
• The impact of science, technology, and intelligence
• The Holocaust
• Allied diplomacy for war and postwar peace
• The atomic bomb and the end of the war
• History and memory: legacies of the war