History 131C: In the Shadow of War

Pause
In this Spark presentation, a student from History 131C discusses the moral views and acts of David How, a private in Colonel Sa

David How: Disciplinarian or not so much?

In this Spark presentation, a student from History 131C discusses the moral views and acts of David How, a private in Colonel Sargent’s Regiment of the Massachusetts Line.

Vietnam Veterans After the War

Vietnam Veterans After the War

A look into the after effects on soldiers after the Vietnam War.

An independent Philippines did not come warmly with the promised benefits of military service after the war.

Filipinos in WWII

An independent Philippines did not come warmly with the promised benefits of military service after the war.

Over the course of the semester, students in History 131C, In the Shadow of War: A Social History of the U.S. Military, investigate together how the military shaped and was shaped by the experiences of African American, indigenous American, Mexican American, Asian American, and white American soldiers, officers, and their families. Alongside race, ethnicity, and national origin, the course considers how personnel policies and exigent circumstances of war rendered gender, sexuality, class, religion, and disability visible and invisible, acceptable and problematic, honorable, and shameful. By paying close attention to the conditions of military life, including food rations, uniforms, and dog tags, as well as the developing technologies of photography, radio, television, and the internet that journalists used to convey military life to the homefront, the course has students think through what participation--be it voluntary enlistment or forced conscription--in the armed forces meant for those in uniform and their communities at home. Finally, the course explores the aftermath of war through the changing status and needs of veterans. 

Instructional Materials

Traditionally ... you take your notebook and take notes. But in this class ... what you were doing was taking all that that you're writing down if you will, and putting that into an actual product.
Student

Examples of Student Projects

David How: Disciplinarian or not so much?

In this Spark presentation, a student from History 131C discusses the moral views and acts of David How, a private in Colonel Sargent’s Regiment of the Massachusetts Line.

Filipinos in WWII

A commonwealth with the promise of independence, soldiers fighting and training alongside Americans for the United States but denied naturalization and rights, Filipinos found themselves in a unique circumstance. Even after the US pulled out of the Philippines, the resistance against Japanese occupation continued, extending to the trained, the regular citizens, and the women seeking to contribute their part beyond traditional roles. These groups played a crucial role in the regaining of the Philippines. Sadly, an independent Philippines did not come warmly with the promised benefits of military service after the war.

Vietnam Veterans After the War

In August 1964, the Gulf of Tonkin incident occurred, in which a U.S. destroyer was alleged to have clashed with North Vietnamese fast attack craft. In response, the U.S Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authorization to increase U.S. military presence. He ordered the deployment of combat units for the first time and increased troop levels to 184,000. Within the U.S, the war gave rise to what was referred to as Vietnam Syndrome, a public aversion to American overseas military involvements, which together with the Watergate scandal contributed to the crisis of confidence that affected America throughout the 1970s.

Ronit Stahl

Ronit Stahl

Assistant Professor, Department of History 

Topics

[T]he class ... gave everybody an opportunity to find their strengths and to work with one another again, and to digest the material slowly because we were taking our time with it because we were formatting into a project.
Student

More Case Studies
In their final reflections, many of my students spoke about the diary they read early in the class in great depth -- far more depth than I typically see about sources they read only for class, and I think that’s because of the nature of the creative project led to deeper engagement.
Ronit