Post World War II U.S. Foreign Policy in Asia

Text Books:
• Ronald McGlothlen, Controlling the Waves: Dean Acheson and U.S. Foreign Policy in Asia
• Truong Nhu Tang, A Vietcong Memoir: An Inside Account of the Vietnam War and its Aftermath
• Stanley Karnow, In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines
• Robert J. McMahon, ed. Major Problems in the History of the Vietnam War, Second Edition
• There is also material on reserve in the library which will be part of your assigned readings.

This class will have a combination lecture/seminar setting. Every week there will be at least a one hour lecture followed by a "round table" discussion regarding the assigned readings for the week. Every individual will participate in these discussions. A major portion of your grade will be based on your analytic contribution to these discussions.

As you read the assignments for the week, I wish you to take notes on the readings. At the beginning of every class, I would like to have a copy of the notes that you have taken for that particular week. These comments will not be graded, but these notes will be an indicator of what you are getting out of the readings.

For the graduate students in the class, in addition to the copy of your notes, I wish you to type a two page essay on your response to the week's readings.

Your final grade in this class will be based on three criteria: class attendance, class participation, and a historiographical research paper. Since we meet only once a week, each student is allowed just one absence. Any absence beyond the one allowed will affect your final grade (absences due to emergencies will be dealt with on a case by case basis).

Grading:
Weekly Seminar Participation (class attendance)-50%
Historiographical Paper - 50%

For those of you making use of this internet site I will include some things that might be helpful in understanding the course material.
There are various resources on internet that deal with the U.S. State Department, international affairs, resources for international affairs, selected international studies, and current events.

January 25: America and the Cold War: Topics include the role of Dean Acheson in U.S. foreign policy; post war rearrangement of allies; priorities in Europe and Asia; the Chinese Civil War; Chiang Kai-shek -- America's hope in China; the "loss of China." READINGS: McGlothlen, Chapters One and Two; Library Reserve: Major Problems in American Foreign Relations, Volume II: Since 1914, Chapter Six "The Origins of the Cold War" pp. 235-313; Chapter Seven "Mao's China and the Chances for Sino-American Accommodation," pp. 318-364.

There is a good site that deals with the Cold War on the internet. A map of China is also available on the web. It is also helpful to understand the the broader aspect of China's history in order to put in context their relation to the U.S. after World War II. Most believe the foundation for China's poltical and social structures can be traced to Confucius.

February 1: America and China/Korea: Topics include the rise of the People's Republic of China; the Korean War; Truman's policies in relation to Taiwan and Korea; READINGS: McGlothlen, Chapters Three and Four; Library Reserve: Michael Schaller, The United States and China in the Twentieth Century, Chapter Six "The Red and Yellow Perils" pp. 127-154; Major Problems in American Foreign Relations, Volume II: Since 1914, Chapter Eight "The Korean War" pp.366-414. (***Paper Topic Due)

A map of Korea helps in understanding the pendulum swings during the Korean War.

February 8: Post Korean War and U.S. foreign policy: Topics include Korea in the future; Sino-American Detente; recognition of the People's Republic of China; Nixon goes to China; READINGS: McGlothlen Chapters Four to Seven; Library Reserve: Nicholas Eberstadt, "Can the Two Koreas be One?" Foreign Affairs, pp. 150-165; Schaller, The United States, Chapter Eight, "The Long Journey: Sino-American Detente" pp. 169-194 and Chapter Nine, "The Politics of Normalization" pp. 195-213.

February 15: China Today and its Future: Topics include the rise of China; China's growing pains; U.S. foreign policy in the future. READINGS: Arthur Waldron, "Deterring China," Commentary, October 1995, pp. 17-21; Schaller, The United States, Chapter Ten "Toward the Twenty-First Century" pp. 215-234; Nicholas Kristof "The Rise of China" Foreign Affairs November/December 1993, pp. 59-74; Barber Conable and David Lampton, "China: The Coming Power" Foreign Affairs pp. 133-149; Nayan Chanda and Kari Huus "The New Nationalism" Far Eastern Economic Review, Nov. 9, 1995 pp. 20-28; John Naisbitt "Dawn of the Dragon Century" Far Eastern Economic Review, Nov. 16, 1995, pp. 80-83; "Foreign Minister Candidly Addresses Issues," Beijing Review, March 20-26, 1995 pp. 19-21; Shelton Woods, "China's Future Role in Southeast Asia," Asian Studies on the Pacific Coast, 1995, pp. 6-30.

February 22: America and the Philippines: Topics include Philippine/American War; America's empire in Asia; "benevolent assimilation." READINGS: Karnow, Chapters One to Eight.

Most people are not aware of the Philippine/American War. In fact, at the turn of the century few Americans knew where the Philippines was.

February 29: America and the Philippines: Topics include America and the Pacific War; America's new role of advisor in Asia; the new problem of Communism in Asia. READINGS: Karnow, Chapters Nine to Thirteen.

March 7: America and the Philippines: Topics include America and Marcos; The assassination of Benigno Aquino and President Reagan's Response to corrupt elections; future Philippine/U.S. relations. READINGS: Karnow, Chapters Fourteen and Fifteen. (***Bibliography is due)

March 14: America and Vietnam: Topics include the roots of U.S. involvement in Vietnam; Ho Chi Minh; the French and Vietnam; immediate Post War policy toward Indochina. READINGS: Major Problems in the History of the Vietnam War, Chapters One to Three.

There are a host of sites that deal with the many aspects of the Vietnam War. As always it is important to know Vietnam's geography in order to understand the region's history.

March 21: America and Vietnam: Topics include the "Domino Theory"; Edward Landsdale and Vietnam; Diem and the Buddhists; The "Tonkin Gulf Resolution"; McNamara and escalation. READINGS: Major Problems in the History of the Vietnam War, Chapters Four to Six.

April 3: America and Vietnam: Topics include U.S. military strategy in Vietnam; the limits of technological warfare; the Vietminh and the Vietcong. READINGS: Major Problems in the Vietnam War, Chapters Seven, Eight and Ten; Truong Nhu Tang A Vietcong Memoir, entire book.

April 10: America and Vietnam: Topics include the "Tet Offensive"; Clark Clifford's assessment of the war; Nixon and Kissinger plan a way out; public opinion and the Vietnam War; the media and the war. READINGS: Major Problems in the Vietnam War, Chapters Nine, Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen. (***Paper outline is due)

April 17: America and Cambodia: Topics include the role of Sihanouk in Cambodia; the rise of the Khmer Rouge; Lon Nol. Readings: Library reserve: Excerpts from The Vietnam Experience: Pawns of War, Vol. 22; Haing Ngor, A Cambodian Odyssey, Chapter 21 "The King of Death" pp. 239-250; For the graduate students Craig Etcheson, The Rise and Demise of Democratic Kampuchea, Chapter Six "The Late Revolutionary Stage (1968-1975)" pp. 75-136.

April 24: The End of the War: Topics include the Paris Peace Accords; exchange of POWs; lessons from the war; U.S. recognition of Vietnam. READINGS: Major Problems in the Vietnam War, Chapters Fourteen and Fifteen.

May 1: Paper Presentations (***Papers are due)

Internet Resources for the Study of China

Internet Resources for the Study of Korea

Internet Resources for the Study of the Philippines

Internet Resources for the Study of VietNam

These pages last modified 25 April 1996