DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

H I S T 3 3 5 1 H

O n l i n e

( W i n t e r

2 0 1 4 )

THE ERA OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Instructor:
Dr. Jim Wood
E-Mail:
jameswood2@trentu.ca
Home Phone: (778) 436-9811
Office Hours: MWF, 9:00-1:00. Available
by phone during these times.
Other times available by
appointment.

Secretary:
E-Mail:
Office Tel.:
Office Loc.:

Christine Quigley
cquigley@trentu.ca
(705) 748-1011 x. 7706
Lady Eaton College S101.3

This is an online half-course that examines the history of the First World War from a global
perspective, studying the nature of the conflict and its impact on the societies that waged it. This
course is designed to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the causes, conduct, and
consequences of the war of 1914-18. Over the course of the semester, students will become
familiar with the political, military, social, economic and cultural aspects of the Great War,
beginning with an explanation of why the war began in 1914 and why it proved so hard to stop.
Upon the outbreak of war, the peoples of Europe expected their soldiers to be home by
Christmas, but over the next four years some ten million people died in a catastrophic war that
shattered four empires and ended the era of European dominance in world history.
Issues explored by this course will include military operations in all the major European and nonEuropean theatres, from the Western Front in Belgium and northern France to the campaigns in
Mesopotamia and Africa. Political and social upheavals will receive attention, most notably the
Russian Revolution and the French Army mutinies of 1917, as will the consequences of
economic and industrial mobilization on the European and North American home fronts. The
format of the course is intended to provide students with: 1] a general knowledge of the major
events of the First World War; 2] a special awareness of those occurrences that left an enduring
mark on the present, thereby helping to shape the world we live in today; and 3] the critical skills
necessary to understand the role of historians in discussing these events.
L e a r n in g O b je c tiv e s
Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
(1) place the major events of the First World War into a historical context;
(2) identify the major shifts in global power, economics, politics, society, and culture
which occurred as a result of this conflict;
(3) analyze historical sources;
(4) learn solid research techniques and apply them to the writing of a research paper;
(5) demonstrate the effective use of writing skills in all the written assignments;
(6) display effective communication skills in the online discussion forum;
(7) demonstrate the effective use of critical thinking skills in the online discussion
forum.

C o u r s e T e x ts
T e x t:

Beckett, Ian F.W. The Great War, 1914-1918. Second Edition. Toronto:
Pearson Education Limited, 2007.

Reader:

Grayzel, Susan. The First World War: A Brief History in Documents.

New York: Bedford Books, 2012.

DVD Series:

The First World War. Produced and narrated by Jonathan Lewis. A 10part documentary based on the book by Hew Strachan. Channel 4 Video,
2003. Note: This is probably the best documentary series on the First
World War produced to date. Students are encouraged to either purchase
or locate this series on Youtube and view the recommended segments in
conjunction with the assigned readings. Episodes from this series may
then be used as a point of reference in the online discussions.

Journal Articles:

All other course material is accessible online via the digital databases on
the Trent Library website.

C o u r s e R e q u ir e m e n ts
Activity

Due Date

Weight

Discussion Forum
Participation

Two discussion posts for each module of the

course, with due dates as follows:
1. Module 1 due 19 January.
2. Module 2 due 2 February.
3. Module 3 due 23 February.
4. Module 4 due 9 March.
5. Module 5 due 23 March.
6. Module 6 due 4 April.

30%

Article Review

End of Module 2 (2 F e b ru a ry ).

15%

Document Analysis

End of Module 4 (9 M a rc h ).

25%

Comparative Review

End of Module 6 (4 A p ril).

30%

Total

100%

D IS C U S S I O N F O R U M P A R T I C I P A T I O N (3 0 % ) T w o P o s ts P e r M o d u le
This assignment will consist of commentaries posted in the online discussion forums. For each
module of the course, the instructor will post a series of questions for you to consider as you
complete the assigned readings. After careful consideration of the required readings and the
contributions of your classmates, each student will post two discussion comments that draw
together the concepts, interpretations, and examples covered in that module.
Each of your two posts should be approximately 300 words in length. Links to book reviews,
illustrations, or other attachments are encouraged, but are not considered in the word count. Each
of these discussion posts should be carefully considered and formally composed. The best

discussion posts will draw connections between more than one assigned reading, such as a short
commentary that draws connections between a chapter from the textbook and a segment from the
video documentary series or a selection from World War I: A History in Documents. Another
option is to post follow-up comments on another students discussion posts, or to discuss your
reactions the weeks readings as a whole. In short, the intent of this assignment is to demonstrate
thoughtful reflection on the course material and to engage constructively with the work being
posted by your peers.
Each student will be responsible for making at least two posts to the discussion forum for each
module of the course, to be contributed no later than the due dates listed above in the
assignments summary. Ideally, your comments will be posted during the week when this material
is being discussed, and you can rest assured that active participation and early posting of your
discussion comments will be recognized in your grades for this assignment. At the same time,
habitual lateness in posting your comments, posting overly brief responses, and/or failing to
contribute any comments at all will exert downward pressure on your grade for this assignment.
In assessing the quality of these posts, the instructor will consider how each posting demonstrates
the students 1) understanding of the course material, 2) ability to present ideas clearly in writing,
3) use of relevant examples to support a point of view, 4) abilities to detect strengths or
weaknesses in an argument, and 5) active and constructive engagement with the work being
posted by your classmates.
A R T I C L E R E V I E W (1 5 % ) D u e a t th e E n d o f M o d u le 2 (2 F e b r u a r y )
The purpose of this assignment is to have you:
a) Read an article or textbook selection critically, paying particular attention to the authors
main argument(s) and approach to the subject matter.
b) Provide a brief summary of the supporting evidence and arguments used to substantiate the
thesis.
c) Reflect on the ideas and arguments raised in the reading and, if possible, relate them to
other course readings.
d) Express your ideas clearly in writing.
Instructions
Choose ONE of the following articles/readings that relates to material from Modules 1-3 of the
course:
Michael Howard, Men Against Fire: Expectations of War in 1914, International Security 9, no.
1 (1984): 41-57.
Marc Trachtenberg, The Meaning of Mobilization in 1914, International Security 15, no. 3
(1990-1991): 120-150.
Horne, John, and Alan Kramer. German Atrocities and Franco-German Opinion, 1914: The
Evidence of German Soldiers Diaries. Journal of Modern History 66, no. 1 (1994): 1-33.
Philippa Levine, Battle Colors: Race, Sex, and Colonial Soldiery in World War I, Journal of
Womens History 9, no. 4 (1998): 104-130.
Stevenson, David. The Failure of Peace by Negotiation. Historical Journal 34, no. 1 (1991):
65-86.
A.E. Ashworth, The Sociology of Trench Warfare, British Journal of Sociology 19, no. 4
(1968): 407-423.
Write a 4-page essay in which you identify the subject of the reading, the authors thesis (or main
argument) and the kinds of evidence used to substantiate that thesis. You will then assess the
reading in two ways. First, explain whether or not you found the argument convincing, and why
3

(or why not). Second, try to relate what you learned from the reading to other materials you have
read or viewed as part of your course assignments.
Enclose any passages you cite in quotation marks (if quoted word for word) and indicate the
source of the reference (authors name, title, and page number) in a footnote or endnote. You will
find more information in the Chicago Style Citation Guide link on the course site.
Present your essay in typed, 12-point font, double-spaced format. Avoid exceeding the specified
length. Your essay will be graded on content (your understanding of the reading/article),
presentation, and writing (grammar, syntax, etc.). Your essay should be submitted in a single file,
in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format, sent to the instructor by email on or before the due date. Please
format the document title so it includes the course code, your surname, and the assignment
number. For example: 3351Smith1.doc
D O C U M E N T A N A L Y S I S (2 5 % ) D u e a t th e E n d o f M o d u le 4 (9 M a r c h )
In the first assignment we had the opportunity to hone our analytical skills with respect to a
secondary source. In the Document Analysis Assignment, we will go one step further, by
completing an analysis of a primary historical document from the First World War period.
Primary evidence is the basic building block of historical interpretation. History as we know it,
can be understood as a construct built up by historians and other commentators. The shape and
character of the construct will depend on the evidence from which it was derived, just as the
nature of a building is a function of the materials used in its construction. It almost goes without
saying, then, that historians must be expert interpreters of primary evidence.
The objective of this assignment is to select and evaluate a primary source from the documents
provided in the collection, The First World War: A Brief History in Documents. There is no
simple formula for this task, because evidence comes in many forms. However, students should
consider the following questions:
How primary is the primary source? In other words, how close in time to the actual event
was the source created?
Who created the source? Why was the source created? Is it official or personal? Was it
classified or public?
Can the creator be taken at face value? In other words, should we believe what it says?
What is the meaning or significance of the evidence?
What questions can we use this source to help answer? Or, to put it another way, what does
the source tell us?
What other primary or secondary sources are required to help interpret this one? (Hint:
You will want to draw upon relevant secondary sources to help inform your analysis of
the primary source, starting with the course textbook and scholarly journal articles.)
As you craft your analysis, remember that evidence does not necessarily speak with a single
voice. Rather, the impact of the evidence is often a function of the historian who handles it. One
source can be interpreted in many different ways depending upon which questions the historian
asks. This explains, in part, why no historical narrative is set in stone. It is always possible that
another historian may come along and reinterpret the evidence entirely differently than his or her
predecessors. Remember: do not use up valuable space with extended summary of the sources
content focus instead on analysis and interpretation.

While the primary sources provided for this assignment may vary in length from one page to
about four or five pages, do not assume that shorter sources are easier to interpret. Sometimes
the less a document says, the more difficult it can be to interpret. As much care is need with the
shorter sources as with the longer ones.
Once you have selected your document, write a 4-page essay that addresses the questions listed
above. Whenever possible, try to relate your selected document to other materials you have read
or viewed as part of your course readings. As always, enclose any passages you cite in quotation
marks (if quoted word for word) and indicate the source of the reference (authors name, title,
and page number) in a footnote or endnote. You will find more information in the Chicago Style
Citation Guide link on the course site.
Present your essay in typed, 12-point font, double-spaced format. Avoid exceeding the specified
length. Your essay will be graded on content (your understanding of the reading/article),
presentation, and writing (grammar, syntax, etc.). Your essay should be submitted in a single file,
in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format, sent to the instructor by email on or before the due date. Please
format the document title so it includes the course code, your surname, and the assignment
number. For example: 3351Smith2.doc
C O M P A R A T I V E R E V I E W (3 0 % ) D u e a t th e E n d o f M o d u le 6 (4 A p r il)
This assignment will apply the concept of historiography in an essay that examines some
controversial aspects of the First World War. To complete the assignment, you must first read all
of the articles on one of the assigned topics listed below:
Topic 1: War by Timetable?
Marc Trachtenberg, The Meaning of Mobilization in 1914, International Security 15,
no. 3 (1990-1991): 120-150.
Jack S. Levy, Mobilization and Inadvertence in the July Crisis, International Security
16, no. 1 (1991): 189-194.
Thomas J. Christensen, Mobilization and Inadvertence in the July Crisis, International
Security 16, no. 1 (1991): 194-197.
Marc Trachtenberg, Mobilization and Inadvertence in the July Crisis, International
Security 16, no. 1 (1991): 197-203.
Topic 2: The German Atrocities Debate.
John Horne and Alan Kramer, German Atrocities and Franco-German Opinion, 1914:
The Evidence of German Soldiers Diaries, Journal of Modern History 66, no.
1 (1994): 1-33.
Margaret Lavinia Anderson, A German Way of War? German History 22, no. 2
(2004): 254-258.
John Horne and Alan Kramer, German Atrocities in the First World War: A Response,
German History 24, no. 1 (2006): 118-121.
Margaret Lavinia Anderson, How German Is It? German History 24, no. 1 (2006):
122-126.

Topic 3: Germanys Stab-in-the-Back: Myth or History?

Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson, What Manner of Victory? Reflections on the
Termination of the First World War, Revue Internationale d'Histoire Militaire
72 (1990): 80-96.
M.E. Occleshaw, The Stab in the Back Myth or Reality? Journal of the Royal
United Services Institute for Defence Studies 130, no. 3 (1985): 49-54.
Wilhelm Deist, The Military Collapse of the German Empire: The Reality Behind the
Stab-in-the-Back Myth, War in History 3, no. 2 (1996): 186-207.
Instructions
Write a 6 to 8-page essay in which you compare and evaluate the manner in which these articles
approach the topic. In your essay, you should begin by clearly identifying and comparing the
theses, or main arguments, presented in the selected articles. The remainder of your essay will
then compare and evaluate the arguments presented by the authors, commenting on the
respective strengths and weaknesses of each article and the arguments being presented by their
authors. As with any history paper, be sure to cite all references.
Questions to consider:
1. Are the authors interpretations different?
2. If so, how and why have they come to differing conclusions?
3. What types of sources or references did they use?
4. What is their methodology?
5. What kind of audiences do the authors have in mind when they are writing?
6. Do the three foregoing aspects of their work affect the interpretations they take and the
conclusions they draw?
7. Which of the two interpretations do you find the most persuasive and why? (This last point
should be the focal point of your essay.)
Present your essay in typed, 12-point font, double-spaced format. Avoid exceeding the specified
length. Your essay will be graded on the content, written presentation, structure, grammar, and
quality of your argument. Your essay should be submitted in a single file, in .doc, .docx, or .rtf
format, sent to the instructor by email on or before the due date. Please format the document title
so it includes the course code, your surname, and the assignment number. For example:
3351Smith3.doc

Important Notes
1. Late Penalties: Please hand your work in on time. Failing to do so without prior authorization
from the instructor will result in a late penalty of 2% of the assignment grade per day, including
weekends. Documentation is required for extensions due to serious illness or a real emergency
involving yourself or a close family member, but upon receiving such documentation I will
normally waive the late penalty for overdue assignments. Please note, however, that My
computer wouldnt start, or I have another assignment due the same day are not legitimate
excuses.
2. Back-Up Your Work: Students must retain a copy of their written work and research notes
until after their assignment has been graded and returned. These documents must be produced in
paper and/or electronic format upon request by the instructor.

3. Academic Integrity: Academic dishonesty, which includes plagiarism and cheating, is an

extremely serious academic offence and carries penalties varying from a 0 grade on an
assignment to expulsion from the University. Definitions, penalties, and procedures for dealing
with plagiarism and cheating are set out in Trent Universitys Academic Integrity Policy. You
have a responsibility to educate yourself unfamiliarity with the policy is not an excuse. You are
strongly encouraged to visit Trents Academic Integrity website to learn more:
www.trentu.ca/academicintegrity.
Please note that it is the students responsibility to be familiar with this policy.
It is Trent Universitys intent to create an inclusive learning environment. If a student has a
disability and/or health consideration and feels that he/she may need accommodations to succeed
in this course, the student should contact the Disability Services Office (BH 132; (705) 7481281; disabilityservices@trentu.ca) as soon as possible.

Course Schedule
The following schedule provides an outline of the required textbook readings and optional film
segments, primary documents, and journal articles for each week. These required and optional
readings are divided into the following components:
1. Required Readings are to be completed by all students in the course. These required
readings are drawn from the course textbook, The Great War, 1914-1918, by Ian F.W.
Beckett. Material from these readings will be the focus of each modules forum
discussions, but students are advised to supplement them with material from the reader,
the documentary film series, and/or journal articles. In short, you should read as much or
as little beyond these core readings as you wish, but keep in mind that the best
contributions to the discussion forums will be those that draw connections between the
core and optional readings. As a minimum, you should read at least one other document
and/or view the relevant documentary film segment in each week of the course.
2. Suggested Documents are found in the course reader, The First World War: A Brief
History in Documents. In addition to the suggested documents for each topic, students
are encouraged to explore other sources in the reader and to incorporate relevant
material into their discussion posts.
3. Film Segments are all to be found in The First World War video series. Students are
encouraged to view the relevant film segment for each week as a valuable supplement to
the material in the course textbook.
4. Journal Articles are drawn from among the many scholarly journals that may be
accessed in electronic format via the digital databases on the Trent Library website.
These articles will be the basis of the Comparative Review assignment and may also be
used in the Take-Home Exam and/or as a supplement to the course text in writing your
discussion comments. Reading these articles will allow you to come away from this
course with an advanced understanding of the deeper issues surrounding each weeks
readings.
Module 1 (6-19 January): Origins and Outbreak of the First World War.
Required Readings: Beckett, Ch. 1-2.
Suggested Documents: Grayzel, Docs 1-6.
Film Segment: Origins of the Crisis, Death of an Emperor, Mobilisation, and
Britain Goes to War, The First World War, Episode 1, Chapters 2-4.

Journal Articles: Michael Howard, Men Against Fire: Expectations of War in 1914,
International Security 9, no. 1 (1984): 41-57; Marc Trachtenberg, The
Meaning of Mobilization in 1914, International Security 15, no. 3
(1990-1991): 120-150.
Module 2 (20 Jan. - 2 Feb.): Opening Moves and Widening Horizons, 1914-15.
*** ARTICLE REVIEWS DUE AT THE END OF MODULE 2 ***
Required Readings: Beckett, Ch. 3-4.
Suggested Documents: Grayzel, Docs. 7-8, 17-19, 24-25.
Film Segments: To Win a Quick Victory, A New Germany, and Battle of the
Marne 1914, The First World War, Episode 2, Chapters 1-3; for
comparisons to the Horne and Kramer article, see Life Under German
Rule, The First World War, Episode 2, Chapter 4; Gallipoli The Soft
Underbelly, The First World War, Episode 4, Chapter 4; The Conflict
Escalates, The Jewel in the Crown, The Empire Rallies to the
Cause, The First World War, Episode 3, Chapters 1-3; Jihad 19141916, The First World War, Episode 4, Chapters 1-4.
Journal Articles: Horne, John, and Alan Kramer. German Atrocities and FrancoGerman Opinion, 1914: The Evidence of German Soldiers Diaries.
Journal of Modern History 66, no. 1 (1994): 1-33; Philippa Levine,
Battle Colors: Race, Sex, and Colonial Soldiery in World War I,
Journal of Womens History 9, no. 4 (1998): 104-130.
Module 3 (3-23 February): Stalemate: The First World War in 1916.
Required Readings: Beckett, Ch. 5-6.
Suggested Documents: Grayzel, Docs. 14-16, 20-22.
Film Segment: Stalemate, and Live and Let Live, The First World War, Episode 6,
Chapters 1-2; The Coming of the Tank, The First World War, Episode
6, Chapter 4; Pursuing the War, The First World War, Episode 6,
Chapter 3.
Journal Articles: A.E. Ashworth, The Sociology of Trench Warfare, British Journal
of Sociology 19, no. 4 (1968): 407-423; Stevenson, David. The Failure
of Peace by Negotiation. Historical Journal 34, no. 1 (1991): 65-86.
Module 4 (24 Feb. - 9 Mar.): Total War and the Making of Modern Society.
*** DOCUMENT ANALYSIS DUE AT THE END OF MODULE 4 ***
Required Readings: Beckett, Ch. 7-8.
Suggested Documents: Grayzel, Docs. 9-12, 26-27, 33-35.
Film Segments: The Dominions Join Europes War, The First World War, Episode 3,
Chapter 4, Fanning the Flames of Home Rule, The First World War,
Episode 8, Chapter 4; Submarines and Wireless, and Secrets of
Room 40, The First World War, Episode 7, Chapters 1-2.
Journal Articles: Nicoletta F. Gullace, White Feathers and Wounded Men: Female
Patriotism and the Memory of the Great War, Journal of British Studies
36, no. 2 (1997): 178-206. Alice Goldfarb Marquis, Words as

Weapons: Propaganda in Britain and Germany during the First World

War, Journal of Contemporary History 13, no. 3 (July 1978): 467-498.
Module 5 (10-23 March): The Breaking Point: Collapsing Home Fronts and Front Lines in
1917.
Required Readings: Beckett, Ch. 9-10.
Suggested Documents: Grayzel, Docs. 23, 28-32, 36-40.
Film Segments: The Collapse of the Romanov Dynasty, and The French Mutiny,
The First World War, Episode 8, Chapters 1-2; Inciting an Arab
Revolt, The First World War, Episode 6, Chapter 3.
Journal Articles: Susan R. Grayzel, The Outward and Visible Sign of Her Patriotism:
Women, Uniforms, and National Service During the First World War,
Twentieth Century British History 8, no. 2 (1997): 145-164; Leonard V.
Smith, War and Politics: The French Army Mutinies of 1917, War in
History 2, no. 2 (1995): 180-201.
Module 6 (24 Mar. - 4 Apr.): This is the way wars end: 1918 and Its Consequences.
*** COMPARATIVE REVIEWS DUE AT THE END OF MODULE 6 ***
Required Readings: Beckett, Ch. 11-12.
Suggested Documents: Grayzel, Docs. 41-52.
Film Segments: Germanys Last Gamble, The First World War, Episode 9, Chapters
1-4; Black Day of the German Army, The First World War, Episode
10, Chapter 1; Germany Seeks an Armistice, The Soldiers Return,
and Aftermath, The First World War, Episode 10, Chapters 2-4.
Journal Articles: Wilhelm Deist, The Military Collapse of the German Empire: The
Reality Behind the Stab-in-the-Back Myth, War in History 3, no. 2
(1996): 186-207; Bernd Hppauf, Langemarck, Verdun and the Myth
of a New Man in Germany After the First World War, War & Society
6, no. 2 (1988): 70-103.