Bachelor of Arts in Military History

The purpose of this course is to prepare the student for upper-division course work, research, and writing based on historical methodologies such as quantification or paleography. It is designed to familiarize the student with what historians do and how they do it, and affords the student the opportunity to develop their own skills as a historian by interpreting and evaluating primary and secondary source material and presenting their findings in a written, properly referenced format.

This course is a survey of the changing patterns of warfare within Western civilization, to include analyses of principal military thinkers and the evolving relationship among Western societies, warfare, and their military institutions.

This course is a study of the American military institution from the colonial period to the current environment in the 21st century. Students will examine military traditions and employment of forces during war and peace as well as the relationships between the military and society. Recommended prerequisites are two lower level survey courses in U.S. or World History.

This course is a survey and discussion of warfighting during ancient times through to the beginning of the 17th century with emphasis on technological advances in the military arts and sciences and their short term and long term effects on strategy and tactics.

This course is a survey and discussion of warfighting from end of the 17th century until now, to include military arts and science as well as combined arms employment. Emphasizes the innovations and changes in strategy, tactics, organization and technology engendered by the decisions of the great captains of each age.

This course is a study of military leadership of ancient to present day commanders through selected readings. Emphasis will be on the burden of command and the various solutions that military leaders employed in the prosecution of war. Ancient and modern leadership will be examined, but the primary focus will be on the modern era. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is a study of basic concepts in military strategy and tactics viewed through the prism of the selected readings from well-known military philosophers. Both ancient and modern philosophers will be studied. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is a comprehensive survey of ancient and classical warfare (prehistory to c. AD 500) in Western Civilization from the origins of warfare in the Paleolithic period to the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century. The millennia under study in this course were a dynamic period in warfare, full of important discoveries and innovations in martial technologies, strategy, organization and combined-arms tactics, fortification, siege craft, and naval warfare. Students will read and analyze a wide variety of sources on ancient and classical warfare in Mesopotamia and the Near East (Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Hittite, Assyrian and Persian), Egypt (Old, Middle and New Kingdom), Greece (Mycenaean, Archaic, Hellenic and Hellenistic) and Rome (Republican and Imperial) in order to develop an appreciation of the important contributions of these civilizations to the continuity of warfighting in the Western world. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course covers the history of warfare from the Spanish Armada in 1588 to the dawn of the French Revolutionary wars in the 1790s. The 17th and 18th centuries were an era in world history abound in continuous warfare. The militaries of Europe in particular were still primarily composed of mercenaries, politically and often militarily unreliable. Warfare in this era was not confined to the plains of Europe; the world’s oceans also played host to their own form of combat. The 17th and 18th centuries at sea began with Great Britain on the verge of invasion from the Spanish Armada to Great Britain becoming the unquestioned master of the ocean. Thus, the 17th and 18th centuries began in an aura of indecisiveness and closed awash in the destruction of “world” war. The evolution of warfare from the inconclusive to the decisive battle is explored in depth. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is a comprehensive study of European post-classical warfare from the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century to the integration of reliable gunpowder technologies at the beginning of the sixteenth century (c. 450 to c.1500 AD). Students will read and analyze a wide variety of sources on medieval warfare in order to develop an appreciation of the important contributions of the European Middle Ages to the continuity of warfighting in Western civilization. Contrary to popular belief, the millennium under study in this course was a dynamic period in warfare, full of important rediscoveries and innovations in fortification, siegecraft and combined-arms technology, organization and tactics, all of which allowed Europe to become the preeminent military power in the period after 1500 AD. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course examines the theory and practice of warfare in Europe from 1785 to 1870. It will emphasize the rise of Napoleon as a military leader, as a practitioner of the operational art, but will also examine his political, economic and legal impact on Europe as a whole. This course will focus on the wars of the French Revolution, Napoleon's northern Italian campaigns, his expedition to Egypt, his battles while leading the Grand Army at Austerlitz and Jena, and his march to Moscow where he led the largest army in European history to date. It will also cover the 1813 and 1814 campaigns, the reactions of Napoleon's enemies to his innovations in warfare, and his final defeat at Waterloo. The course then looks at the status of Europe in 1815 and the conditions which set the terms for the “Long Peace”. The course ends prior to the start of the wars of 1870 and the lessons learned. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is a comprehensive international study of the struggles between and among states, beginning with ancient times and ending with the Congress of Vienna, and of the relationship between diplomacy and war in pursuing national objectives. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is a comprehensive international study of the struggles between and among states, beginning with the restructuring of Europe after the Congress of Vienna and ending with the fall of the Berlin Wall, and of the relationship between diplomacy and war in pursuing national objectives. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course examines the overall evolution and functioning of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) during the Cold War period. Emphasis is on the significance of individual peacekeeping missions, including their background, functioning, military operations, and end result. The origins and evolution of UN peacekeeping are explained in military, diplomatic, and political terms. This course describes how superpower conflicts shaped both the direction and scope of UN PKOs. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only). Completion of this course will make students eligible to obtain a certificate of completion from the United Nation's Peace Operations Training Institute. It is up to the student to go to the POTI website to find how to obtain the POTI certificate.

This course examines the strategy, operations, evolution, and functions of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) from the end of the Cold War to the present. Emphasis is on the significance of individual peacekeeping missions, including their background, functioning, military operations, and end result. While the United Nations peacekeeping operations are studied in detail, other forms of peacekeeping are presented as well. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only). Completion of this course will make students eligible to obtain a certificate of completion from the United Nation's Peace Operations Training Institute. It is up to the student to go to the POTI website to find how to obtain the POTI certificate.

This course studies the origins, conduct, and aftermath of the War of 1898 and the subsequent Philippine Insurrection. Shifting from domestic manifest destiny to foreign interventionism, the nation grows up and enters the world of international politics and imperialism. From its origins in the early 1890s until the outbreak of war, these conflicts thrust the US into world power. While lasting only a few years, these clashes changed the direction of US expansion from conquering a continent to becoming a superpower rivaling Great Britain. Trying to protect overseas territories and its economic interests, the US commitment alters American foreign policies from Washington's warning against the mischief of foreign intrigue to Hay's Open Door Policy. These changes were driven by several dominant Americans: Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, Alfred Mahan, William Randolph Hearst, William Jennings Bryan, John Hay, and Elihu Root. In the study of these men and events, this course concludes with lessons learned that guided American foreign policy and military actions during the 20th century and beyond. Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only.

This course analyzes World War I, from the political unrest in Europe in 1914 and the outbreak of war to the Armistice in November 1918 to the treaty of Versailles in 1919 and the official end of the war. Global in scope, the themes highlight the origins of the conflict, Entente and Central Powers strategies, plus the major military campaigns, power diplomacy, life on the home front and America’s entry and effect to the Entente (Allied) war effort her entry had on the outcome of the conflict. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is a global examination of the Second World War with an emphasis on the origins of the conflict, Axis and Allied strategies, major military campaigns, great power diplomacy, life on the home front, and the Holocaust. The experience of combat, social and political changes that resulted from the conflict and the scientific consequences of the war will be continual themes addressed by the course material. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course provides a history of the Korean War from pre-hostilities to post-ceasefire. The course mainly concentrates on the U.S. and South Korean conflict against North Korean and Chinese forces, but other UN participants are covered throughout the course. All three levels of conflict, from tactical to strategic are discussed. The increase in technology, the usage of modern weapons, POWs, and the continued presence of U.S. forces in the Republic of South Korea are also covered. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course examines the origins of the conflict in Indochina, American intervention and commitment, the ground wars, Vietnamization, trouble at home, the US withdrawal, and the war's effect on American society. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course begins with the reforms instituted at the conclusion of the Vietnam war and ends with a survey of the political decisions and military events leading up to the climactic 100 hour battle that routed Iraqi forces from Kuwait and marked the successful completion of the coalition forces led by the United States. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course analyzes one of the most turbulent areas in the world, emphasizing the political, ethnic, religious and military issues confronting the Balkans. The course reviews events from the 18th century through the world wars and civil wars to the present NATO/UN interventions. Students will learn how political independence movements, fueled by ethnic and religious enmities shaped the world as we know it today. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course examines the national security challenges for the United States. It will encompass the internal security framework, organizations and stakeholders as well as the concept of ''power'' in relation to national security decision making and our national interests. Students will review the changing security environment include Russia, East Asia, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Europe. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

WINTER 2011 TOPIC: HISTORY OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WARFARE: This course orients students to an unthinkable dimension — one in which the use of chemical and biological weapons is a given. The potential threat from hostile countries and terrorist organizations is examined with a view toward recognition and a range of countermeasures (including quarantine). Discussed within the course are the nature of chemical and biological agents, historical uses of chemical and biological weapons, how biological diseases (and which ones) have been or could be used as weapons, current issues concerning the use of chemical and biological weapons, and why these types of weapons are often called the “poor man’s nuclear weapon”. This course is a one-time offering on an area of special interest and may be applied to fulfill major course requirements or electives. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

An opportunity for Military History students to pursue an independent research project or examine a specific area of history under the mentorship of a single professor. Course is open to Military History majors only. The course will typically involve a major research paper; there will be no examination. Students will submit a proposal prior to the start of the project, and a rough draft of the paper, both of which will count toward the final grade. To be eligible for an independent study, students must be enrolled in a bachelors degree program, must have completed 24 hours at APUS toward their current degree program, and should have already contacted a professor and gained approval for the independent study topic. Once these conditions are met the student should contact his/her academic advisor. Once the course is open the student must complete an official online registration for the course. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course addresses the inseparable connection between warfighting and society. It examines societal advances that have significantly influenced the military strategy and tactics as well as political, economic, and technological changes during wartime. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is a study of major themes and ideas regarding the future of warfare. Emphasis is on historical trends and departures that might provide clues into wars of the future. Students evaluate and analyze contemporary assessments and explore military analysis and recent military historical trends to forecast the nature of future war. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

The Gilded Age, 1877-1900 examines the rise of the United States as an industrial and world power with particular stress on the changing patterns within American society. Through a study of the primary and secondary literature of American history this course surveys the individuals and groups who influenced the American experience, as well as the cultural, political, and socio-economic movements that shaped the nation. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course examines the changes in American society at the end of the 19th century as it confronted the issues of industrialization, immigration, and urbanization. It explores the open conflict between the advocates of isolationism and collective security and examines the impact of World War I. It also examines the changing values of the 1920’s, the stock market crash of 1929, the Great Depression that followed, and the prelude to the second world war. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

The United States: WW II to the Present is a study of the political, economic, social, and cultural development of the United States from World War II to the Present. Topics include social and cultural changes in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and the first decade of the 21st Century; the United States foreign policy from the post-WWII "Cold War," to Korea, Vietnam, and other global confrontations between the United States and the communist world from Somalia, Grenada, and the First Gulf War to the most recent "War on Terrorism"; and the technological changes and their impact on the social and economical development of the United States. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

The Cold War developed between capitalist and communist nations—primarily between the United States and Russia—shortly after World War II and lasted until the early 1990s. Although the conflict is technically considered over, its impact is still felt in society, politics and economics even today. The Cold War often threatened to transform into a hot war, and actually did so periodically, such as in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. This course focuses on the development of the ideological conflict and its effects on politics, economics, technology, society and culture in both the East and the West. Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only

This course is a study of air power and the third dimension that accelerated the deepening and widening of war. Topics include a comprehensive examination of American air warfare history, strategy, operations, tactics and doctrine, focused on the creation of the airplane by the Wright brothers and the beginnings of airpower experience during the age of total warfare in World War I, the maturing of airpower during the World War II, through the limited warfare of Korea and Vietnam and warfare of the 21st Century. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

Warfare is inherently spatial in nature. People strive for the control of places using military art and science. The geographer’s study of the location and distribution of features on the Earth’s surface is central to this endeavor. These features are both natural and man-made, both physically and culturally determined. The effects of geographic factors on the planning, preparation, and conduct of military operations are the focus of this course.

This course is a study of the role of naval warfare in the development of the art of war at sea. It starts with the age of galley warfare and continues through the age of sail. The topics include the impact of propulsion improvements and technological advances in weapon systems and ends with the impact of nuclear power and missiles on naval warfare. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course explores the origins of modern maneuver warfare theory, teaches its fundamental tenets, and examines the ramifications on military unit tactics, training, organization, doctrine, and command philosophy. Students practice application of maneuver warfare in ground, air, and naval "Tactical Decision Games" and analyze historical conflicts from a maneuver warfare perspective. The course finishes with discussions of current maneuver warfare controversies. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course addresses the contemporary special operations strategy and tactics used in U.S. and foreign special operations units. Students address the implementation of foreign/national security policy objectives and learn specific strategies and tactics to achieve national objectives. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course examines the strategic, operational, and tactical aspects of asymmetric warfare throughout history. Defined as a form of warfare that differs significantly from traditional conflict, asymmetric warfare is a tool of weaker and less resourced non state actors who seek parity with state's military power. Non state actors resort to asymmetric warfare to offset their obvious lack of conventional military power base and capacity. Moreover, signs and methods of asymmetric warfare are found in all facets of unconventional warfare - terrorism, insurgency, revolution, guerilla war, and irregular war - throughout history. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).

This course is designed to provide a solid foundation for undergraduate study in the online environment. Students will be introduced to learning theory, the tools available in the online classroom and campus, and online research. Identification of personal learning style allows students to improve their study/learning techniques and prepares them to succeed in college level courses. Students will be introduced to formatting and citation styles. APUS policy and procedure is addressed. There is an emphasis on written communication to assist students in the transition to the online environment.

The Senior Seminar in Military History is designed to integrate the student's past work in their major field of study and to review as well as strengthen their understanding of their focus area in military history. After a review of the student’s academic experience, the student and professor will design a course of study to complete the student’s preparation for research and writing a major paper in their field of interest. This is a capstone course to be taken after all other Military History courses have been satisfactorily completed. Student must have SENIOR standing to register. (Prerequisite - HIST300/HS334 for History and Military History majors only).