Introduction:
As we approach the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, scholars are beginning to reassess their ideas. Once dominant images of a senseless war fought with pointless tactics by idiotic generals have yielded to a view of the war as an astonishingly complex series of events that impacted the entire world. This course will study the war in all of its complexity. We will not be looking for simple answers nor will we merely see the First World War as a protracted dress rehearsal for the Second World War. Instead, we will seek to understand why the world went to war in 1914 and why citizens of the most “civilized” nations on earth killed one another at unprecedented rates for four years. I hope that by the end of this course you will share some of my interest in and endless fascination with the “war to end all wars.”

Books:
John Ellis, Eye Deep in Hell: Trench Warfare in World War I (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1976).

Paul Fussell, The Great War and Modern Memory (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1975).

Michael Neiberg, Fighting the Great War: A Global History (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005).

Andrew Wiest, Haig: The Evolution of a Commander (Dulles, Va.: Potomac Books, 2005).

Recommended Web Sites:
http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/

http://members.aol.com/TeacherNet/WWI.html

http://www.worldwar1.com

http://www.history.sfasu.edu/BaylorExhibit.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/war/wwone/index.shtml

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/games/western_front/index.shtml

http://www.1914-1918.net/

http://www.gwpda.org

For good maps:

http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web03/atlases/atlas%20home.htm

http://www.westernfront.co.uk/thegreatwar/maproom.php

Assignments:
Midterm exam (25%): 11 October
Paper Prospectus (15%): 1 November
Paper (25%): 6 December
Comprehensive Final Exam (35%): TBD

Paper Prospectus: You will turn in a 1,000-word paper that tells me what you wish to write your final paper on, what thesis you plan to prove, and what materials you will use to support that thesis.

Paper: The paper should be roughly 2,500 to 3,500 words, exclusive of footnotes, bibliography, etc. You should feel free to write on any aspect of the war that interests you. You can write on military aspects if you wish, but art, culture, gender relations, music, and literature are all perfectly acceptable.

Ten Tips for Better Writing:

1. Buy and read William Strunk and E. B. White's The Elements of Style. It remains the best short and cheap book on how to improve your writing.

2. Make sure that you know how every word, every sentence, and every paragraph of your paper supports your main ideas.

3. Make the paragraph your primary unit of composition. Focus each paragraph on one main idea connected to your larger thesis.

4. Write in the active voice as often as possible. Example: “Islamic terrorists attacked the World Trade Center” instead of “The World Trade Center was attacked.” The second sentence leaves the actor vague. Writing in the active voice forces you to make critical choices in your writing.

5. Be specific in your language. Avoid weak or useless words like "very" and "thing."

6. Omit unnecessary words.

7. Use the positive form as often as possible. Example: “He was often late” instead of “He did not often show up on time.”

8. When discussing events that occurred in the past, use the past tense. Example: “The Americans entered World War I in 1917” instead of “The Americans would enter World War I in 1917.”

9. Write with nouns and verbs as the basis of your sentences. Adjectives and adverbs support nouns and verbs, not vice versa.

10. Revise and rewrite! Do not be content with your first (or even your second) draft.

A Military Order of Battle:

The sizes and terms of military units change over time. In peacetime, units tend to be much smaller. What follows is a typical World War I order of battle from smallest to largest:

Squad: 8-11 men commanded by a sergeant
Platoon: 30-50 men commanded by a lieutenant
Company: 100-200 men commanded by a captain or major
Battalion: 600-1,000 men commanded by a lt. colonel
Regiment: 2,000-3,000 men commanded by a colonel
Brigade: 4,000-5,000 men commanded by a brigadier (one-star) general
Division: 12,000-20,000 men commanded by a major (two-star) general
Corps: two or more divisions commanded by a lieutenant (three-star) general
Army: two or more corps commanded by a (four-star) general
Army group: two or more armies commanded by a five-star general or field marshal

Battalions usually formed the basic tactical unit of an army, regiments the basic social units of an army, and divisions the basic administrative units of an army.

Notes:
I do expect you to come to class, in large part because I have no intention of using my lectures simply to replicate the readings. I expect you to take notes, be prepared to answer any questions I might pose, and to ask questions if something is unclear. Please turn off all pagers and cell phones in class and have the courtesy to come to class on time. Be prepared to accept serious deductions in grades for work turned in late and be prepared to give me an electronic version of your written work if I ask you for it. I will be available for office hours, but if these hours are not convenient for you, please email me or see me after class to arrange another appointment. Please also let me know if there are any special circumstances that will require you to be absent or late.

Academic Dishonesty: Scholastic dishonesty will not be condoned under any circumstance. See the current Undergraduate Bulletin for a good definition of such behavior. Cheating on an exam or demonstrated plagiarism on a paper will automatically lead to a grade of “F” for the course and can result in dismissal from the college. The instructor reserves the right to use electronic resources, such as turnitin.com, to detect plagiarism. If you have questions or concerns about this policy—please see the instructor during office hours.

Students with Disabilities: If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities Covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders. Students can contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability qualifies. Mailing address: 118 College Drive # 8586, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001; Telephone: (601) 266-5024; TTY: (601) 266-6837; Fax: (601) 266-6035 or at:
http://www.ids.usm.edu/ODA/default.asp