The United States and World War II Europe: Memory and Memorials

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1 The United States and World War II Europe: Memory and Memorials A Study Abroad Program by Dr. Jeff Charnley Department of Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures Course Credit Options Required: Undergraduate AMS 265 (3 Cr.) Transcultural Perspectives and IAH 231B (4Cr.) Human Conflict and Moral Issues The United States and WWII Europe Summer 2008 IAH231B Syllabus Human Conflict and Moral Issues The United States and World War II Europe Course Description This course considers the key role that moral issues have played in the course of human conflict with a particular focus on the United States and Europe during World War II. The class will combine an on-campus phase of intensive study followed by four weeks in Europe where students will visit locations where some of the critical decisions were made and the actual events happened during World War II. Other issues to be studied and considered will be the relationship between history and memory and to assess the role of moral issues as they developed and changed during World War II. Understanding how eyewitness testimony concerning moral issues has shaped history will be an additional focal point for study in the course. Course Objectives 1. Students will learn to identify and analyze five major moral dilemmas associated with World War II in Europe including: a. The development from tactical bombing to strategic bombing of civilian populations. b. War crimes committed by soldiers against soldiers and soldiers against civilians. c. Violations of the Geneva Convention on battlefields and in POW camps. d. Crimes against Humanity as defined during the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials and carried out in the Holocaust as represented by the concentration camp at Buchenwald and the use of slave labor in war production and Nazi medical experimentation along with other issues of genocide. e. Collaborators versus Rescuers when confronted with Nazi totalitarianism. 2. Through a journal keeping exercise, students will record instances at World War II sites visited where issues of moral dilemmas were prevalent and analyze the choices involved for the participants.

2 2 3. Students will learn to differentiate between just and unjust wars and be able to identify specific instances of each. 4. Students will develop an understanding of the relationships and differences between memory, history, and memorialization. IAH 231B Course Readings Abzug, Robert. Inside the Vicious Heart: Americans and the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps. New York: Oxford University Press, Brink, Cornelia. Secular Icons: Looking at Photographs from Nazi Concentration Camps. History & Memory 12.1 (2000) Samuel, Wolfgang W.E.. The War of Our Childhood: Memories of World War II. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi, [An Oral History of 27 German Children Survivors of World War II]. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five or The Children s Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death. New York: Dell Publishing, Wiesel, Elie. After the Darkness: Reflections on the Holocaust. New York: Schocken Books, Excerpts From: Freedman, Jean. Whistling in the Dark: Memory and Culture in Wartime London. Lexington, KY: The University of Kentucky Press, LeGoff, Jacque. History and Memory. New York: Columbia Univ. Press, Nora, Pierre, Arthur Goldhammer, and Lawrence D. Kritzman. Realms of Memory. New York: Columbia University Press, Portelli, Alessandro. The Order Has Been Carried Out: History, Memory, and Meaning of a Nazi Massacre in Rome. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, Writing Assignments Writing assignments will be a key component in the course and a variety of writing exercises will be used including analytical reader response journals, on-site analysis of monuments and museum exhibits, film critiques and book reviews. Students will conduct written primary research exercises at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, at the Imperial War Museum in London and at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. Examinations will be essay format.

3 3 Evaluation and Grading Standards Reader Response Journal Entries 20% Site Visit Journal Entries 20% Film Critiques and Book Reviews 10% Primary Research Exercises 20% Final Examination 30 % % Teaching Plan Phase I On Campus at Michigan State University (May 12-May 22) Class meets on campus Monday through Friday from 9-12 Noon and 1-4 PM Two field trips will be included in this phase. One is a tour of the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan and the other will be to tour a World War II memorial on the campus of Michigan State University. Phase II Overseas Study (June 15-July 10) [Leave Michigan for London Sunday 15 June with local orientation in London on arrival followed with the start of the program on Monday, 16 June 2008] Week I In Great Britain mainly in London and ending in Dover Week II In France mainly in Normandy and ending in Paris Week III In Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany ending in Berlin Week IV In Germany concluding in Berlin with return to U.S on 10 July 2008 Primary instruction will be Monday through Friday each week with weekends free for student research, personal interest local travel and readings. There may be some evening programs scheduled along with time during the week designated for reading, writing, and reflection. Daily Class Guide Monday, 12 May 9AM 12 Noon Course Introduction Origins of Nazi Ideology and Totalitarianism Moral Issues and Attempts to Limit Warfare Readings: Overview of Readings Media: Excerpts from Triumph of the Will

4 4 Tuesday, 13 May 9AM-12 Noon Hitler and the Nazi Rise to Power in Germany The Theory of Aggression Readings: Abzug, Inside the Vicious Heart: Americans and the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps, 3-60 Media: The Blitz and The Battle of Britain Wednesday, 14 May 9AM-12 Noon Attempts to Limit Warfare through Conventions The Geneva Convention of 1929 Noncombatants and Human Rights Readings: Media: Conspiracy Thursday, 15 May 9 AM-12 Noon War Dilemmas The Nature of Combat and Rules of War Neutrality and National Defense Evolution from Strategic Bombing of Military Targets to Population Centers and Civilians New Weaponry and the Rules of War Readings: Freedman, Whistling in the Dark: Memory and Culture in Wartime London, 1-14, [Optional text] Media: Mrs. Miniver Friday, 16 May 9 AM-12 Noon Responsibility for Crimes Against Humanity Moral Issues and the Holocaust Collaborators versus Rescuers Readings: Wiesel 1-46 Media: Weapons of the Spirit Writing Assignment Due film critique of Mrs. Miniver [400 words]

5 5 Monday, 19 May 9 AM-5 PM Documenting Crimes against Humanity Field Trip to the Holocaust Memorial Center Farmington Hills, Michigan Group will hear testimony of a Holocaust Survivor Readings: Complete Abzug, Brink, Cornelia. Secular Icons: Looking at Photographs from Nazi Concentration Camps. History & Memory 12.1 (2000) Tuesday, 20 May 9 AM-5 PM Media: The Malmedy Massacre Writing Assignment Due film critique of Weapons of the Spirit [400 words] Wednesday, 21 May 9 AM-12 Noon Guest Speaker: Dr. Inge Steglitz Cross-Cultural Issues and Study Abroad Thursday, 22 May 9 AM-12 Noon Defining Just and Unjust Wars Media: Downfall Writing Review I of Student s Reader Response Journal Writing Review I of Student s Site Visit Journal End of on-campus phase of the program ************************************************************** Students arrive in London 16 June 2008 and begin class again at University of London classroom on Tuesday 17June. Readings assigned for 22 May-15 June Complete Samuels

6 6 Tuesday, 17 June 9 AM-12 Noon Churchill s Wartime Headquarters and Allied Relationships Bomber Command and issues of target selection in Germany Hitler s Revenge Weapons the V-1 and V PM Tour Churchill s Wartime Headquarters and the Churchill Museum in London Readings: Handouts provided Wednesday, 18 June 9 AM-12 Noon St. Paul s Cathedral and the East End Blitz Walking Tour The Myths of the Blitz and Moral Issues and Culture in the Wartime UK 1-4 PM H.M.S. Belfast study tour on the Thames River Thursday, 19 June 9-5 PM Imperial War Museum Special Exhibits on the Holocaust, D-Day and the British Homefront Propaganda, Deception and Espionage Air Warfare against Civilians A Comparison between the Experiences in Great Britain and Germany Preparing for the Cross Channel Invasion Readings: Review Samuels, Friday, 20 June 9 AM-5 PM [Class time open for review, reflection and writing]. Evening Student Personal Time Saturday, 21 June and Sunday 22 June AM in London Student Personal Time Sunday afternoon travel from London to Dover, England, Evening Personal Time. Monday, 23 June Early AM Ferry from England to Calais, France and Bus to Normandy Course Issues: Allied Bombing of German Occupied France Civilian Casualties in the Normandy War Zone Allied heavy bombing of Caen German retaliation against French resistance fighters and French civilians cooperating with the Allies

7 7 Tuesday, 24 June Ste. Mere Eglise, Carentan, and Utah Beach of D-Day Invasion, Point du Hoc French Civilians hiding and protecting wounded Allied Paratroopers Nazi SS troops massacre 82 nd Airborne wounded troops, French priests and French civilians in a small French village near Carentan. Wednesday, 25 June 9-12 noon Omaha Beach, Impact of special Normandy terrain and geographic factors on military operations that affected both soldiers and civilians. 1-5 PM Study at the Normandy U.S. Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer: Treatment and Internment of War Dead Thursday, 26 June AM in Bayeux student time for reading, reflection, and research PM Issues of Operation Cobra and friendly fire U.S. soldier deaths and what the soldiers remembered. Late PM Travel to Avranches for study at Patton Memorial Group Dinner at Mont St. Michel, Normandy Friday, 27 June AM Travel to Paris via the Route of Liberty used by Allied Troops in the Liberation of Paris in PM Paris orientation and Evening Tour of the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde, Unknown Soldier Memorial Saturday, 28 June AM Tour Memorial in Paris of the Deportation of French Jews near Notre Dame Cathedral Course issues: Crimes against Humanity and French collaborators and rescuers during the Holocaust and discussion of French collaboration and resistance during the war as well as the liberation of Paris, 25 August 1944, Hotel de Ville

8 8 PM student personal time in Paris and Sunday, 29 June student personal time in Paris Monday, 30 June Travel to Luxembourg via Epernay and Verdun, France Evening in Luxembourg City student personal time Provide overview of the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) Course issues: The Skorzeny Operations and violations of the Geneva Convention German treatment of large numbers of U.S. POWs captured in battle and reprisal killings of Belgian civilians Tuesday, 1 July Travel to St. Vith, Malmedy, and Bastogne, Belgium Course Issues: Malmedy Massacre of U.S. prisoners by Nazi S.S. troops Allied Christmas Eve Bombing of Civilians in Malmedy German bombing of civilians in Bastogne German retaliation against Belgian civilians The U.S. defense of Bastogne Wednesday, 2 July AM Tour American Military Cemetery at Luxembourg City burial site of Gen.George S. Patton and many of his 3 rd Army Soldiers Noon travel into Germany toward the Rhine River to Koblenz PM Evening cruise on the Rhine River Thursday, 3 July AM Travel to Weimar, Germany location of the Weimar Republic and Buchenwald Concentration Camp PM in Weimar--Student Personal Time Friday, 4 July Tour Buchenwald in AM. PM study at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp Course Issues: The Holocaust and Crimes against Humanity Nazi Medical Experimentation at Buchenwald Slave Labor and Genocide U.S. troops and the liberation of the camp Documenting the Evidence of Crimes against Humanity photographs and radio broadcasts of eyewitnesses. Writing Assignment based on study at Buchenwald.

9 9 Saturday, 5 July AM complete study at Weimar and noon travel to Berlin PM Late Afternoon S-Bahn Tour in Berlin and Tour Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the new Holocaust Memorial, and the Soviet War Memorial General overview of Berlin and Allied Bombing Campaign against It Effects on civilians and on the historic buildings of Berlin Evening in Berlin Student personal time Sunday,6 July Student personal time in Berlin Monday, 7 July AM Issues of Nazi totalitarianism guided tour of Topographie of Terror at the site of the former Gestapo Headquarters in Berlin, and location of Hitler s Bunker PM Nazi retaliation for German resistance and the attempted assassination of Hitler in July 1944 tour Memorial at Ploetzensee Tuesday, 8 July AM Travel to Wannsee via S-Bahn PM Crimes against Humanity study tour of the Museum at the House of the Wannsee Conference noted for the development of the Final Solution The Final Battle for Berlin, Unconditional Surrender and Allied Occupation Wednesday, 9 July AM Course Summary and Conclusion PM Final Review of Reader Response Journal and Final Review of Site Analysis Journal Final Examination Due Thursday,10 July AM leave Berlin to return to the U.S. End of Program