Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Historical & Philosophical Inq
Warfare in the twentieth century assumed unprecedented scales in its scope, destruction and effects. Advances in communications, science, technology and industrialisation gave nations and empires hitherto unimagined powers to deploy force and to project it across large portions of the globe. New techniques of propaganda and indoctrination helped to generate enormous armies, while growing state control forced even the unwilling to participate. When combined with racial and ideological hostility, such factors formed a potent mix, resulting in wars that reached new heights of intensity and which plunged depths of depravity. Warfare in the twentieth century was a profound human experience, for men and women of many nationalities, which brought out the best and the worst in the human condition. The wars of the twentieth century also do much to explain the present, at both the international level and at the domestic. This course will survey the major conflicts of the twentieth century, their causes and their effects. It will also explore particular themes that explain the nature, evolution and impact of twentieth-century warfare, such as race hatred, gender ideals, ideological fervour and technological advances.
Welcome to HIST3005 War and Society in the Twentieth Century. In this course we will take you throughﾠsome of the major conflicts of the twentieth century, with a primary focus on the two world wars as exemplars of "total war". Wars in the twentieth century - and the world wars in particular - involved enormous mobilisation, horrific casualties, hatred and atrocities, and reshaped both the international order and domestic societies. Total war has such wide-ranging effects that it demands historians and students of history consider the topic from a multiplicity of perspectives and angles. For this reason, only sections of the course will be devoted to the traditional "stuff" of military history, such as the diplomatic decisions that led to war and the course of battlefield operations. Instead, we will examine a wide range of topics such as mobilisation, atrocity, war crimes, sex and love, veterans, memory-making and commemoration, science and technology, and terrorism and "post-heroic" warfare. Such anﾠapproach gives us a more rounded understanding of the phenomenon of twentieth-century total war and, we trust, will make the course all the more interesting and informative for you.
Course requirements
Restrictions
Minimum of 20 students to run.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Tutor
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
HIST3005 War and Society in the Twentieth Century aims to introduce students to a range of issue and topics related to the practice, impacts and effects of war in the twentieth century across a number of conflicts and in a range of combatant countries. The course will adopt multiple perspectives, including political, diplomatic, military, social, cultural and gender history, exploring the subject of war from a variety of methodological and theoretical perspectives. The course aims to reveal some of the "myriad facesﾠof war" by looking at the experiences of soldiers, civilians, political and military leaders, veterans, peace activists and others.ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand the changing nature of war on the twentieth century
LO2.
Understand the multiple approaches historians and others use to make sense of war
LO3.
Understand the diverse effects and experiences of twentieth-century warfare
LO4.
Formulate and pursue research questions
LO5.
Demonstrate reasoned thought, creativity, and a high quality of written expression
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution |
Tutorial Participation
|
10% | |
| Essay/ Critique | Essay Proposal and Bibliography | 20% |
21/03/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Major Essay | 50% |
30/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Speech Transcript | 20% |
Due Friday 2pm in the relevant tutorial week |
Assessment details
Tutorial Participation
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 10%
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L05
Task description
Tutorials are held weekly and are a key ingredient in the learning process. It is important that you prepare for the tutorial by completing the readings and contemplating the questions for discussion.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Essay Proposal and Bibliography
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
21/03/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L04, L05
Task description
NOTE - DUE TO CYCLONE ALFRED DISRUPTIONS THE ESSAY PROPOSAL AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE NOW DUE ON 28 MARCH
Essay Proposal and Bibliography (20%)
Prior to completing the major essay, students must submit an essay proposal of approximately 500 words plus a bibliography. The proposal and bibliography will constitute 20 per cent of the final mark. The proposal will be marked and returned to you so that there is time to complete the essay based on feedback received on your proposal. The proposal will require an outline of your approach, intended argument, and a preliminary bibliography. The bibliography must include primary sources and secondary sources: monographs, and chapters and journal articles. While digital sources are legitimate (as long as well-chosen), it is unlikely that you can construct your bibliography totally from on-line sources.
Your major essay is on a topic of your choice, though it must be approved in advance, and your approach and progress will be assessed in your essay proposal and bibliography.
You are not confined to any particular war in your choice of topic. Nor, indeed, are you confined to war. You may wish to write, for example, about interwar pacifists, about grief and loss on the home front, or the perceived threat of nuclear armageddon post-World War II, or the anti-nuclear movement, for just some examples. The essay MUST, however, have the idea of "Total War" as a central theme.
Remember that war is part of the broader culture and society, and a good essay will explore the way war has been influenced by, or has influenced and intersected with, other aspects of society. When choosing a topic, ensure that you do not choose something that is too “war bound.” You should be looking for the intersections between total war, society and culture. This need not restrict the topic area you choose, but you should be looking to take a sophisticated approach to the topic area. For example, an essay on the technical developments necessary for the manufacture of an atomic bomb in 1944-45 would not be acceptable, but an essay on how some post-WWII governments sought to satisfy these requirements by funding science and building national industrial infrastructure would. Similarly, an essay on the experience of grief and the public commemoration of loss would be acceptable, but an essay on the battle tactics of trench warfare would not.
Essay proposals are designed to allow the marker to assess student progress well before receiving the final version of the major component of the semester’s work. Essentially, evaluating and discussing a detailed proposal with you will enable us to assist you in producing a better major essay.
A good essay proposal will introduce the historical issue, will outline the questions to be addressed, and will suggest some tentative arguments.
The topic should always be framed as a question so that your essay takes the shape of an answer to a particular historical problem or issue.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submit through Turnitin link on BlackBoard page
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Major Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
30/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
The major essay is to be approximately 2,000 words (+ or – 10%) in length (not counting the bibliography), and is worth 50 per cent of your final mark. It is the major piece of assessment for the course and should be given the commensurate time and attention.
It should build on your essay proposal and the topic must be framed as a question. Any major deviations from the question proposed in your essay proposal must be approved in advance.
The bibliography must include primary sources and secondary sources: monographs, and chapters and journal articles. While digital sources are legitimate (as long as well-chosen), it is unlikely that you can construct your bibliography totally from on-line sources. The major essay is expected to integrate some primary research with judicious use of secondary literature. Bibliographic annotation is not required and bibliographies are not included in the word count.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submit through Turnitin link on BlackBoard page
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Speech Transcript
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
Due Friday 2pm in the relevant tutorial week
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03, L05
Task description
Imagine you are writing and presenting a speech on any of the tutorial topics covered in the course. You can choose your character, you can choose your "angle", and you can choose your audience. You do not have to present the speech, merely write the script. You may, for example, choose to be a pacifist in the interwar years presenting a speech to a disarmament conference. Alternatively, you might choose to be Arthur "Bomber" Harris defending the policy of area bombing German cities in a radio address, or a Black American WWII veteran speaking at a Civil Rights gathering in the 1960s and outlining how black Americans have been mistreated post-war despite their service in wartime.
You are free to choose your character and your audience, but you are not free to invent your facts. The speech must be historically accurate and should be researched and referenced in the same way that you would research a short essay.
The speech itself should be approximately 1000 words in length. It should have a clear title and an explanatory paragraph at the start outlining:
1. your imagined speechmaker (veteran, politician, pacifist, war orphan etc) - be as detailed and specific as you can.
2. the imagined audience and setting (year, place, occasion etc), and
3. a reflective paragraph of 200 words at the end, outlining your thoughts on how the context (your character, the setting, and the audience) affects the rendering of historical reality. In this paragraph, explain what you chose to emphasise and why. What did you have to omit, and why?
The total length of the assignment should be approximately 1200 words.
While the bulk of your research should come from the tutorial readings themselves, you are encouraged to supplement the tutorial readings with additional research sources.
The assignment is due on the Friday of the week in which the relevant topic is covered in tutorials.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submit through Turnitin link on BlackBoard page
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Grade 1, Low Fail (0-24%), is generally awarded in cases where some assessment has been submitted, but it is of wholly unsatisfactory standard or quantity. In work submitted, however, there is no demonstrated evidence of understanding of the concepts of the field of study or basic requirements of the course. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Grade 2, Fail (25-44%), is generally awarded to work that exhibits deficiencies in understanding and applying the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study, and as such, does not satisfy the basic requirements of the course. Often, one or more major items of assessment will not have been completed. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Grade 3, Marginal Fail (45-49%), is generally awarded if a student has submitted work that attempts to meet the knowledge and skill requirements of the course, but is only able to demonstrate a superficial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course. Students will usually have attempted all major pieces of assessment and show that they have an identifiable, emerging ability to apply basic knowledge and skills. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Grade 4, Pass (50-64%), is generally awarded where all major items of assessment have been submitted. An adequate knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study should be demonstrated and a functional skill level achieved. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Grade 5, Credit (65-74%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and a substantial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course and field of study have been demonstrated. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Grade 6, Distinction (75-84%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and substantial knowledge of the deeper and more complex aspects of the course and field of study have been demonstrated. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Grade 7, High Distinction (85-100%), is generally awarded where all items of assessment have been completed and there is evidence that the deeper and more complex aspects of the course and field of study have been mastered. |
Additional course grading information
Referencing
Essays and other written assignments *must* be properly referenced. Essays that use in-text referencing, and which do not provide specific pages, may be penalised and/or returned to students for correction before they are assessed.
Word Length
A word count that is within ±10% of the set length (word limit) is acceptable. Word count does not include footnotes; however, discursive footnotes are included in the word count. A word count that is outside these 10% will receive a proportionate penalty and will be graded against the grading criteria.
Assessment Criteria and Grade Descriptors
Tutorial Participation
Your tutorial participation will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Evidence of participation in discussions.
2. Evidence of preparation for the tutorial, most notably through completing the set readings.
3. Quality of contributions to discussions.
4. Fostering of group discussions, through courteous and respectful interactions with staff and students.
5. Attendance is necessary to fulfill the above criteria, as per the course requirements, but marks cannot be awarded for attendance alone.
To achieve a grade of 7 (High Distinction, 85-100%), your attendance will be flawless and your participation exceptional. This grade reflects exceptional levels of preparation, mastery of course materials, and very high quality contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions. You should be able to engage with your peers very effectively.
To achieve a grade of 6 (Distinction, 75-84) your attendance will be excellent and your participation very substantial. This grade reflects excellent levels of preparation, knowledge of course materials, and high quality contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions. You should be able to engage with your peers effectively.
To achieve a grade of 5 (Credit, 65 – 74%), your attendance and participation will be good. This grade reflects proficient levels of preparation, good knowledge of course materials, and good quality contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 4 (Pass, 50 – 64%) your attendance and participation will be satisfactory. This grade reflects adequate levels of preparation and knowledge of course materials, and an acceptable quality of contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 3 (Marginal Fail, 45 – 49%) your attendance and participation will be unsatisfactory. This grade reflects irregular attendance and/or participation and superficial knowledge of course materials and basic levels of preparation. However, when in attendance, there is evidence of your ability to demonstrate developing achievement in contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 2 (Fail, 25-44%), your attendance and participation will be very unsatisfactory. This grade reflects irregular attendance and/or participation, minimal knowledge of course materials, little evidence of preparation, and mixed to low quality of contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
To achieve a grade of 1 (Low Fail, 0-24%), your attendance and participation will be unsatisfactory. This grade reflects irregular attendance and/or participation, an no evidence of preparation, and little or no evidence of quality of contributions to, and fostering of, group discussions.
Speech Transcript
Your speech transcript will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Ability to construct a well-defined, well-reasoned, and persuasive argument.
2. Depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding of central issues.
3. Critical engagement with academic sources and evidence.
4. Clear and concise written expression, ability to communicate an argument effectively and in the form of a speech transcript, well presented.
5. Provision of a bibliography using discipline conventions.
To achieve a grade of 7 (High Distinction, 85–100%), your speech transcript should demonstrate that you have an exceptional and nuanced knowledge and understanding of the subject in question. Your argument should be clearly defined, sophisticated, and highly persuasive, demonstrating an exceptional level of critical engagement with primary and secondary source materials. Your writing will be very clear and concise and there will be minimal, if any, errors of referencing, expression, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Your writing style and tone will be highly appropriate for an opinion piece.
To achieve a grade of 6 (Distinction, 75–84%), your speech transcript should demonstrate that you have an advanced knowledge and understanding of the subject in question. Your argument should be clearly defined and persuasive, demonstrating an advanced level of critical engagement with primary and secondary source materials. Your writing will be clear and concise and have few errors of referencing, expression, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Your writing style and tone will be appropriate for an op-ed piece.
To achieve a grade of 5 (Credit, 65–74%), your speech transcript should demonstrate that you have a proficient knowledge and understanding of the subject in question. Your argument should be largely well-defined, demonstrating some critical engagement with primary and secondary source materials. Your writing will be largely clear and concise with few/some errors of referencing, expression, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Your writing style and tone will be largely appropriate for a speech transcript.
To achieve a grade of 4 (Pass, 50–64%), your speech transcript should demonstrate that you have a functional knowledge and understanding of the subject in question. Your argument will be reasonably well-defined, demonstrating a basic level of engagement with primary and secondary source materials. Your writing will be adequate with some errors of referencing, expression, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Your writing style and tone will be adequate for an speech transcript.
To achieve a grade of 3 (Marginal Fail, 45–49%), yourspeech transcript should reflect a developing knowledge and understanding of the subject in question. Your argument, while underdeveloped, will have some definition, and demonstrate a superficial level of engagement with primary and secondary source materials. Your writing will be adequate, perhaps poor, with several errors of referencing, expression, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Your writing style and tone will be poor and/or inappropriate for a speech transcript.
To achieve a grade of 2 (Fail, 25-44%), your speech transcript will reflect an inadequate knowledge and understanding of concepts fundamental to the subject in question. Your argument will be unsupported and/or inappropriate and lacking in coherency. It will demonstrate that you have not undertaken adequate research, that you are unable to evaluate evidence, to identify problems and issues, or to offer insights adequately. You writing will be poor with frequent errors of referencing, expression, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Your writing style and tone will be inappropriate for a speech transcript.
To achieve a grade of 1 (Low Fail, 0–24%), your speech transcript will reflect that you have failed to meet the minimum learning requirements and skill acquisition for this course. Your speech transcript will demonstrate an absence of research, evaluation of evidence, and lack of argumentation. Written expression and style will be poor or inappropriate.
Essay Proposal and Bibliography
Your project/essay proposal or plan will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Topic definition and rationale for project.
2. Concise statement of your research question or problem.
3. Outline of research approach, strategy and time plan.
4. Identification of key issues and/or challenges.
5. Evaluation of academic sources and evidence.
6. Presentation and written expression.
To achieve a grade of 7 (High Distinction, 85-100%), your proposal should demonstrate exceptional consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide a nuanced and sophisticated statement of your research question and strategic approach. Project tasks should be identified very clearly, and the evaluation of relevant sources will be very insightful. Your proposal will be very well written, clear and concise, pay strict attention to discipline conventions and have minimal, if any errors in referencing, expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation.
To achieve a grade of 6 (Distinction, 75-84%), your proposal should demonstrate an advanced level of consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide a very effective statement of your research question and strategic approach. Project tasks will be clearly identified, and the evaluation of relevant sources will be insightful. Your proposal will be well written, clear and concise, follow discipline conventions and have few errors in referencing, expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation.
To achieve a grade of 5 (Credit, 65 – 74%), your proposal should demonstrate proficient consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide an effective statement of your research question and strategic approach. Project tasks will be well identified, with good evaluation of relevant sources. The presentation and referencing of your essay will follow/largely follow discipline conventions, have few/some errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively.
To achieve a grade of 4 (Pass, 50 – 64%), your proposal should adequately consider some issues related to topic definition and rationale, and provide a functional or workable statement of your research question and strategic approach. There will be adequate identification of some project tasks, and a basic evaluation of some relevant sources. Your organisation, writing, referencing, spelling and grammar will be adequate and use some of the discipline conventions to communicate appropriately.
To achieve a grade of 3 (Marginal Fail, 45 – 49%), your proposal will consider issues related to topic definition and rationale only superficially, and will provide an attempt that demonstrates developing proficiency but ultimately does not result in a workable statement of your research question and/or strategic approach. Identification of project tasks will be superficial, and relevant sources will be evaluated inadequately. Your organisation, writing, spelling and grammar will be adequate/poor and your referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent.
To achieve a grade of 2 (Fail, 25-44%), your proposal will demonstrate minimal consideration of issues related to topic definition and rationale, will fail to provide a workable statement of your research question and strategic approach. There will be poor or insufficient identification of project tasks, and inadequate evaluation of relevant sources. Your organisation and writing will be poor and/or inappropriate, and referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent.
To achieve a grade of 1 (Low Fail, 0-24%), your proposal will fail to consider issues related to topic definition and rationale, and will not present a workable statement of your research question and strategic approach. There will be no or insufficient identification of project tasks, and no or insufficient evaluation of relevant sources. There will be an unsatisfactory standard of presentation and/or written expression. Use of discipline conventions will be absent, poor or inappropriate.
Major Essay
Your essay will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. Ability to construct a well-reasoned argument.
2. Depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding of central issues.
3. Ability to form a well-structured essay.
4. Engagement with academic sources and evidence.
5. Insight and/or creativity in interpreting texts or constructing a point of view or argument.
6. Capacity to produce a coherent and well-written essay using correct grammar and syntax.
7. Appropriately referenced, as per discipline conventions.
To achieve a grade of 7 (High Distinction, 85-100%), your essay should reflect an exceptional level of achievement. It should demonstrate that you have undertaken extensive, high-level research, that you are able to form a very rigorous, well-organised argument, and that your discussion is original and creative. It should also demonstrate that you are able to evaluate and organise data and/or evidence in a critical manner and that you have a sophisticated and insightful understanding of problems and issues. Your essay should be very well written, clear and concise, pay strict attention to discipline conventions and have minimal, if any errors in referencing, expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation.
To achieve a grade of 6 (Distinction, 75 – 84%), your essay should reflect an advanced level of achievement. It should demonstrate that you have undertaken wide research, that you are able to form a rigorous, well-organised argument, and that your discussion is coherent and convincing. It should also demonstrate that you are able to evaluate data and/or evidence in a perceptive manner, and that your understanding of problems and issues is perceptive and insightful. Your essay should be well written, clear and concise, follow discipline conventions and have few errors in referencing, expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation.
To achieve a grade of 5 (Credit, 65 – 74%) your essay should reflect a proficient level of achievement. It should demonstrate that you have undertaken the expected level of research, that you are able to develop or adapt convincing arguments and justify them adequately, that you are able to evaluate data and/or evidence in a proficient manner, and that you have a proficient understanding of problems and issues. The presentation and referencing of your essay will largely follow discipline conventions, perhaps have some errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively.
To achieve a grade of 4 (Pass, 50 – 64%) your essay should reflect a functional level of achievement. It should demonstrate that you are able to apply fundamental concepts and skills, that you have undertaken a basic level of research and have the basic ability to evaluate data and/or evidence, to identify problems and issues, to offer insights and to develop routine arguments. Your organisation, writing, referencing, spelling and grammar will be adequate and use some of the discipline conventions to communicate appropriately.
To achieve a grade of 3 (Marginal Fail, 45 – 49%), your essay should reflect developing levels of achievement. It should demonstrate that you have a superficial knowledge of fundamental concepts and skills, that you have undertaken a basic level of research, made some attempt to evaluate data and/or evidence, to identify problems and issues, and to offer insights. Your arguments, while underdeveloped, show your emerging ability to apply knowledge and skills. Your organisation, writing, spelling and grammar will be adequate, perhaps poor, and your referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent. Alternatively, your essay may, in part, be well written and suggest human engagement and achievement but (whether actually developed with the help of AI or not) will (a) mostly exhibit the stereotypical and/or superficial understanding characteristic of generative AI text and/or (b) mostly fail, in a manner characteristic of generative AI text, to develop a sustained (multi-layered) argument: This grade is assigned for a total (sum of all the assessment components) in the range 45-49%. See assessment components for specific grading criteria.
To achieve a grade of 2 (Fail, 25-44%) your essay will reflect deficiencies in skill acquisition and in your understanding of the fundamental concepts of the course. It will demonstrate that you have not undertaken adequate research, that you are unable to evaluate data and/or evidence, to identify problems and issues, or to offer insights adequately. Your arguments will be unsupported and/or inappropriate, your organisation and writing will be poor and/or inappropriate, and referencing and use of discipline conventions poor/and or inconsistent. Alternatively, your essay may suggest developing or higher achievement but (whether actually developed with the help of AI or not) will (a) exhibit the stereotypical and/or superficial understanding that is characteristic of generative AI text and/or (b) may fail to develop, in a way that is characteristic of generative AI text, a sustained (multi-layered) argument: This grade is assigned for a total (sum of all the assessment components) in the range 25-44%. See assessment components for specific grading criteria
To achieve a grade of 1 (Low Fail, 0-24%), your essay will reflect that you have failed to meet the minimum learning requirements and skill acquisition for this course. Your essay will demonstrate an absence of research, evaluation of data and/or evidence, and lack argumentation. Use of discipline conventions will be absent, poor or inappropriate, and written expression poor or inappropriate.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
- Failure to submit all major assessment items (those worth 15% and above) will result in a maximum grade of 2 (Fail).
- By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration: ‘I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment’.
- All students must ensure that they receive their Turnitin receipt on every submission of assessment items. YOU MUST CHECK THAT THE RECEIPT CONFIRMS THAT SUBMISSION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
- A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if assessments are missing.
- Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after 7 calendar days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible so that they can confirm the outage with ITS.
- It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they are submitting assessment items on a device that is capable of the task, and that appropriate internet bandwidth and speed is available.ﾠIf you cannot be sure that your device or internet will enable you to complete or submit an assessment task, you must come onto campus and use one of the University Computers in the Library or Computer Labs.
- Plagiarism, and asking or paying someone else to do your work is cheating and constitutes academic misconduct. See ECP Section 6.1
- Feedback against the assessment criteria in the form of comments on your script will be provided through Turnitin or on your script directly.
- For information on assessment remarks see: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
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| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Introduction: Total War and the Twentieth Century Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
World War I and the Clash of Empires Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 2 Tutorial: Colonies and War In many ways, WWI might appear to be a limited war, and certainly not a global conflict. It was, after all, fought largely in Europe, and was principally a conflict between Britain, France and Russia on one hand, and the Germans and Austrians on the other. But this was still the age of Empires, and rather than seeing WWI as a conflict between nation-states, we need to better understand it as a clash between the British, French, German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires. Combined with global communications, the imperial nature of the contending parties turned a local dispute into a global conflict. Hew Strachan's article says it all in its title: its presents World War I as being already a 'global war' long before 'Globalisation.' Christian Koller examines one of the ramifications of this; how a dispute between Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire resulted in Africans fighting each other in Africa and, indeed fighting Germans in France. According to Strachan, what does the term "the Great War" infer? What were the respective aims of the Allies and of the Germans in Africa and in the Pacific? How and why did Germany encourage Islamic revolution and Holy War against the Allies? What were the reasons for the French and the British to use (or not to use) their 'colonial' troops on the Western Front? Were the native troops merely 'cannon fodder'? How can we summarise the impact of fighting and living in Europe for troops from Asia and Africa?
Essential Readings Strachan, Hew. “The First World War as a Global War.” First World War Studies 1, no. 1, (2010): 3-14. Koller, Christian. “The Recruitment of Colonial Troops in Africa and Asia and their Deployment in Europe During the First World War.” Immigrants and Minorities 26, nos 1-2 (2008): 111-133. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Soldiers and the Total War Experience Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 3 Tutorial: Veterans and Anti-War Literature Wilfred Owen's war poetry and Erich Maria Remarque's novel All Quiet on the Western Front became landmarks of the anti-war literature that began to appear even during the Great War itself. It was all the more powerful for having been written by men who had experienced warfare first-hand. However, not all veterans were pacifists and Remarque's novel was not always welcomed or regarded as accurate, particularly in Germany where anti-war feeling achieved less of a hold than in France and Britain. Wilfrid Owen's poem and Remarque’s novel are powerful expressions of the bitterness and cynicism of frontline troops who were expected to die happily for ‘King and Country’ in an absurd and horrific war. Both depict the miseries of the war with a wealth of details that might have seemed nauseating to many readers. Eksteins’ article about the impact of All Quiet in the years following its publication emphasises not only its extraordinary success but also its ambiguities and the variety reactions it created. What is it about Owen’s poetry that marks it out differs from the war literature that was published during the Great War? What elements of the poem could have been perceived as unacceptable by the public - or part of the public - when it was posthumously published in 1921? What could have been perceived as inappropriate in Remarque’s chapters at the time of the publication in 1929, and why? Do you think that these two chapters can be considered as an expression - or a manifesto - of Pacifism? Why is the fact that the book was published in 1929 is significant? What, according to Eksteins, was the real purpose of the book? How can we explain the tremendous success of the book?
Essential Readings Owen, Wilfred. Dulce et Decorum Est, 1917. www.poetrysociety.co.uk 2016. Accessed 20 July 2021. Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on The Western Front. (any edition – there are numerous) chapters 9 and 10. Eksteins, Modris. “All Quiet on the Western Front and the Fate of a War.” Journal of Contemporary History 15 no. 2 (1980): 345-366. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Mobilising for Total War Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 4 Tutorial: British Women at War War has traditionally been regarded as men’s business (albeit with some qualifications). World War I, generally considered as the first "Total War", drastically changed this. European women in WWI were more often than not asked, if not forced, to replace their husbands, brothers, or fathers in the factories, in the shops, in the fields, and in the massively expanded munitions sector. Others joined the armed forces as auxiliaries or served as nurses. Consequently, World War I is often perceived as a watershed for the status of women in the Western nations. The three readings for this week, focusing on British women during the Great War, are particularly interesting for the singularity of their approach. Lucy Noakes evokes the mobilisation of women under a very specific aspect: does war liberate women? Gary Girod demonstrates how Glasgow and Paris' "munitionettes" had to fight for their rights not only against their bosses but also against their male co-workers. Finally, Lucie Whitmore gives an analysis of the cultural changes associated with the evolution of the mourning dress. What does Noakes mean when she refers to "the modernisation thesis," "dilution," and "double helix"? Do you think that WWI was a watershed for British women on their way to emancipation? Were "craft elitism" and "sexism" the only reasons for male opposition to women's factory work? Why did women feel empowered by ammunition factory works, in a way that female servants and shop assistants could not? Why were young war widows instrumental in the changes that occurred with regard to mourning dress? Why was it very important for working-class women to demonstrate their grief through the mourning dress, while this item had been questioned by many for being a waste or even disrespectful?
Essential Readings Noakes, Lucy. “Women's Mobilization for War (Great Britain and Ireland).” In 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, edited by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson, Berlin: Freie Universität Berlin, 2014-10-08. Girod, Gary. “The Women who Make the Guns: The Munitionettes in Glasgow and Paris and their Lack of Interaction with the Far-Left Agitators.” Labour History 61, no. 2 (2020): 203-212. Whitmore, Lucy. “’A Matter of Individual Opinion and Feeling’: The Changing Culture of Mourning Dress in the First World War.” Women’s History Review 27, no. 4, (2018): 579-594. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Never Again?: Making Peace in the Wake of the Great War Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 5 Tutorial: Interwar Pacifism and Militarism French soldiers, the so-called poilus, fighting in the trenches of Northern France or in another theatre of operations, were calling the war la der des ders, that is, la dernière des dernières, whose equivalent in English was 'the war to end all wars'. That locution might have acted as a ritual, the expression of the deep feelings of the soldiers about what they were experiencing. It rapidly became wishful thinking, when 'peace' did not solve all the remaining issues, and those locutions eventually lost their prophetic tone to the point of becoming sarcasms. In fact, Pacifism, a movement of considerable influence in the Interwar period, was not successful everywhere – and eventually failed everywhere. Helen McCarthy, writing about the League of Nation Unions, shows how the most important British organisation for the advancement of peace amongst peoples managed to promote pacifist values while at the same time refusing to antagonise the strong feelings of British men and women about their armed forces and their Empire. Claus-Christian W. Szejnmann's chapter about National-Socialist Ideology demonstrates how the Nazis capitalised on deeply rooted feelings and ideas of the German people, among them ideas about the war that led to extreme militarism soon after their rise to power. In the face of Nazi militarism and aggression, pacifism became untenable. What is 'enlightened patriotism'? What is the difference between 'pacifism' and 'pacificism' - why does the extra syllable matter? Why, in your opinion, did the LNU choose to accommodate some of the deeply held British beliefs about armies and Empire? What has been the evolution of Historiography of Nazi ideology and what does it tell us about our perception of History? What are the core ideas of Nazi ideology and why did they become acceptable for many Germans? What is the fundamental characteristic of National Socialist ideology? Is it utterly incompatible with pacifism? Essential Readings McCarthy, Helen. The British People and the League of Nations: Democracy, Citizenship and Internationalism, c. 1918-1945. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2011, pp. 132-54. Szejnmann, Claus-Christian W. “National Socialist Ideology.” In A Companion to Nazi Germany, edited by Shelley Baranowski, Armin Nolzen and Claus-Christian W. Szejnmann, 77-94. Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell, 2018. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
The Total, Atrocious War Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 6 Tutorial: Targeting Civilians World War I was the rehearsal for aerial bombing, and Zeppelins flying over London gave a different meaning to the expression 'behind the lines.' Only technical limitations stopped both sides from attacking enemy civilians more often and with more force. In WWII the Nazis showed no moral scruple about bombing civilians – and did so with attacks on Warsaw, Rotterdam, London and numerous other British cities. But the Nazis did develop the bomber fleets necessary for sustained strategic bombing: the British and Americans did, with tragic consequences not only for the German and Japanese populations but also for civilians of occupied territories who lived near what were considered military objectives. The debate about the necessity and morality of the Allied strategic bombing campaign has raged since 1945, most particularly regarding what was known as “area bombing”. A.C. Grayling gives a passionate manifesto against the area bombing policy of the Allies, a practice he considers a war crime. Tami Davis Biddle analyses the causes and the effects of the infamous destruction of Dresden in February 1945, while contextualising the event, arguably more than Grayling does, with attention to the specific circumstances of the period. What are the main arguments of Grayling in his discussion of area bombing versus precision bombing? Is Grayling's debate historical or philosophical? Are you convinced by his reasoning? Why did the Allies bomb Dresden? Why did the bombing of Dresden became so controversial over the years (while the deadlier bombing of Hamburg did not get so much attention)? How does Biddle’s article compare with Grayling's chapter? Essential Readings Grayling, A.C. Among the Dead Cities: Was the Allied Bombing of Civilians in WWII a Necessity or a War Crime? London: Bloomsbury, 2006, chapter 7 “the Defence of Area Bombing”. (Note that this book has several editions, so the chapter comes up with different page numbers depending on which one you use). Biddle, Tammi Davis. “Dresden 1945: Reality, History and Memory.” The Journal of Military History 72, no. 2 (2008): 413-449. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Race and War Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 7 Tutorial: War Hate and War Crimes The slaughter of innocents in war is nothing new; but by the early years of the twentieth century there was a consensus about the proper conduct of warfare. One should not target civilians, for example, and surrendering enemy combatants should be spared. World War I, and the conflict between the Allies and Germany and Italy, were *generally* fought in accordance with these norms and international agreements such as the Geneva Convention. But on the Eastern Front, in the Titanic struggle between Germany and the Soviet Union, and in the Asia- Pacific, racial hatred generated new depths of behaviour, particularly (but not solely) from the Axis powers. In his book about Operation Barbarossa, Christian Hartmann dedicates a whole chapter to the numerous crimes committed by the Germans in the Soviet Union, while John W. Dower shows how the 'treacherous' attack on Pearl Harbor triggered an unprecedented level of racial hatred against the 'Japs' that resulted in many atrocities. Dower also brilliantly demonstrates the common theses and paradigms existing in American and Japanese discourses depicting 'the Other.' Why does Hartmann place such great emphasis on the role of the Wehrmacht in the crimes committed in the East? What was the main difference between the Germans’ treatment of Soviet Jews and of Soviet POWs? Was Nazi racial hatred counterproductive to the German war effort? Find the elements that are common to the Japanese and the Americans in their respective propaganda and writings about their enemy? What is fundamentally different between the bombing of Dresden and the bombing of Tokyo, which both occurred in the last months of WWII? What does this demonstrate about the racial element in the US view of the enemy? Do you think that the slaughter of prisoners (or the acquisition of macabre 'souvenirs') by US soldiers could have been carried out as easily on the European front? Essential Readings Dower, John W. War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War. New York: Pantheon, 1986, pp. 33-73. Hartmann, Christian. Operation Barbarossa: Nazi Germany’s War in the East. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 85-108. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
War of Resources - Science, Technology and Industry Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 8 Tutorial: The Wizard War The technological advances of wartime are often staggering, and the side that most effectively combines technology and industry often reaps considerable benefits. The most obvious and famous examples of technological breakthroughs during WWII are the atomic bomb and German missile technology. Neither, however, made a difference to the war’s outcome. In this tutorial we consider some less well-known feats of technology which arguably did make a substantial difference. Winston Churchill, in his chapter, underlines the importance of technology in the air battle that raged in 1940-1941 over Britain, demonstrating that the bravery and skill of the RAF pilots were not the only reason for the successes against the Luftwaffe. R.V. Jones, a scientist, explains how the British discovered and tried to counter the V2 program, while Paul Kennedy looks at the role of technology in allowing the alkies to triumph in the longest-running battle of WWII – the Battle of the Atlantic. Find in Churchill’s text the elements that reveal him writing as a politician as much as an 'historian.' What, according to Churchill, made the difference between the British and the Germans in the air warfare over Britain? How did the British manage the threat represented by the V2 when they discovered its existence? Was the British response rational enough? In general, what do you think of the tone of the chapter and of the attitude of Dr. Jones? What main factors turned the Battle of the Atlantic? Taken as a whole, what do these examples suggest about the importance of science and technology to the outcome of WWII, and the relative effectiveness of Allied vs Axis deployment of new technologies? Note that the readings for this week are long. If you can not manage them all, try to do either the first two, or the third.
Essential Readings Churchill, Winston. The Second World War: Their Finest Hour. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1976, pp. 337-352. (Chapter titled “The Wizard War”). Jones, R.V. Most Secret War. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1978, pp. 332-348. Kennedy, Paul. Engineers of Victory: The Problem Solvers Who Turned the Tide in the Second World War. New York: Random House, 2013, pp. 5-73. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
Gender, Sex and Love in WWII Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 9 Tutorial: Illicit Sex As discussed in lectures, sex in wartime was rampant, and was often problematic. New possibilities for sexual encounters arose, but they were often possibilities that ran counter to the wishes and desires – and rights – of military authorities, moralists, families and, indeed, the other party. How widespread does Gebhardt believe the rape of German women by American forces to be? Was there anything particularly notable about the events in Moosburg an der Isa? Why would American soldiers rape German women when they knew that they could face severe discipline for doing so? How does the nature of the crimes of the GIs question our previous discussions of ideas about “race war” and the way it generates atrocities – or doesn’t it? For gay men in the American military, what aspects of military life opened up new sexual opportunities? Was the extra degree of sexual liberation lasting, or was it shut down – and if so, how?
Essential Readings Gebhardt, Miriam. Crimes Unspoken: The Rape of German Women at the End of the Second World War. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2017, ch3, pp. 69-97. Berube, Allan. Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War II. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2010 (first edition 1990), pp. 201-27 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Lecture |
Cold War Conflicts - Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 10 Tutorial: Anti-Vietnam War Protests The Vietnam War generated enormous protests in the USA, and a significant protest movement in Australia. As with the Vietnam Wat itself, the protest movement has become shrouded in a great deal of mythology. This is partly because of the influence of American popular culture, such as Vietnam war films, have promoted American mythologies to Australian audiences, but there are also deeper forces at play. With regards to the American side of the war, Robert J. McMahon presents several documents showing that the protests against the Vietnam War extended far beyond the “flower people.” He also presents Melvin Small's essay about the impact of the US campuses' anti-war movement on presidential decisions. In the Australian context, Mark Dapin demonstrates that the stories of protesters calling Australian Vietnam veterans “baby killers” stories are unsubstantiated. Thu sis one of several myths that Dapin forensically pulls apart in his book. On of the impressive features of his work is that he tries not to just to expose mythologies as false, but to explain their rise. What were some of the many forms of protest in the US? What were the main, common reasons for opposition to the war? Did the anti-war protests on US campuses have any effect on the national leadership? What are the main features of the ‘baby killer’ stories? How do the various versions of Frank Hunt’s narrative about his experience as a veteran evolve over the years? How does Dapin explain the transformation of ‘anti-rape’ demonstrations into stories of protesters calling veterans ‘baby killers’ accusations?
Essential Readings Various documents from McMahon, Robert J. (ed.), Major Problems in the History of the Vietnam War (4th ed.). Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2008, pp. 401-416. Small, Melvin. “The Peace Movement on the Campuses.” In Major Problems in the History of the Vietnam War (4th ed.), edited by Robert J. McMahon, pp. 416-21. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2008, pp. 416-21. Dapin, Mark. Australia’s Vietnam: Myth vs History. Sydney: UNSW Press, 2019, pp. 170-202. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Week 11 - No Classes this week |
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Memory-Making and Commemoration Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 12 Tutorial: Veterans Veterans were not generally regarded as a state responsibility prior to the beginning of the twentieth century. In most countries 9although there are exceptions) veterans were expected to simply slot back into peacetime life; and if they were disabled, they were to turn to charities, friends and families. But the age of total war produced veterans – healthy, disabled and sick – in unprecedented numbers. This allowed veterans to exert considerable influence within their postwar societies, and to argue (successfully in all but a few cases) that veteran numbers and problems were so extensive that they required state management. Almost all nations, therefore, set up schemes to help soldiers back into civil life, and offered pensions to the disabled and to dependents of the injured and dead. One of the most generous pieces of legislation passed was the USA’s Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, better known as the G.I. Bill. This was an astonishing piece of legislation that intended to facilitate - through financial, social and educational support - the return of millions of veterans. That is, those veterans who had served at least 90 days and were not dishonourably discharged. Michael D. Gambone gives an overview of the G.I. Bill and some of its impacts, and explains how the veteran 'sub-culture' quickly became a force to be reckoned with, creating the mentality that dominated the USA for the next decades. However, not all benefitted equally. Black veterans, and those who were gay, found themselves still on the outer in a society that often racist and homophobic. David H. Onkst demonstrates that, in the "Deep South', African-American could not break the glass wall that separated them from the white society and could not obtain, in most cases, the benefits of the 'G.I. Bill'. Margot Canaday shows that gays and lesbian veterans were eventually excluded from the benefits through administrative decisions even though the GI Bill did not exclude them. Why could the old college system not satisfy the veterans? Did the unions manage to create a bond with the veterans after the war? How and why did veterans become preeminent in post-war US politics? How did white Southerners manage limit the application of the G.I. Bill to African-American veterans? How did the VA (Veteran Administration) interpret the concept of being 'discharged under conditions other than dishonourable', when applied to gay veterans? What was specific in the policy of 'undesirable discharge' applied by the VA to gay veterans? What are the possible explanations given by the author? Note: There is a lot of reading for this week. Please read Gambone and either one of the others.
Essential Readings Gambone, Michael D. The Greatest Generation Comes Home. Austin: Texas A and M University Press, 2005, pp. 63-88. Onkst, David. H. “’First a Negro…Incidentally a Veteran’: Black World War Two Veterans and the G.I. Bill of Right in the Deep South, 1944-1948.” Journal of Social History 31, no. 3 (1998): 517-43. Canaday, Margot. “Building a Straight State: Sexuality and Social Citizenship under the 1944 G.I. Bill.” The Journal of American History 90, no. 3 (2003): 935-957. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
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Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
Conclusions Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Tutorial |
Week 13 Tutorial - No tutorial this week |
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