HST 353 - Warfare in the Modern West, 1494-2017

War. The word evokes a powerful response. It conjures up a multitude of negative associations: cruelty, violence, ruthlessness, destruction, pain, death, and the suffering of innocents. At the same time, war has also inspired some of the most admirable of human traits and behaviors: courage, determination, innovation, and self-sacrifice. For these and other reasons, war fascinates historians and the general public alike. Moreover, interest in the subject has only intensified due to the recent military conflicts provoked by the response of the United States to terrorist acts carried out by groups following a particular vision of Islam. Although academic historians have devoted more attention to warfare over the last two decades, war and military organizations have played a decisive role throughout the history of Western civilization. Wars and the armies and navies that fought them shaped the countries and peoples of the West in profound and fundamental ways. Military might also allowed Western states to extend their control over numerous lands and populations throughout the world during the modern era, and this very domination generated new armed struggles that continue to affect events around the globe today. In this course, we will study these trends by examining the military history of the West from the late fifteenth century to the present day.
Lecture
Credits: 3
ENG 120 or Honors Program Status
Offered in Fall Semester, Alternate Years
Offered in Spring Semester, Alternate Years