LLT 180.997 Hero & Quest: Heroics in
War
11:00 TTH, 201 Madison
Instructor: J. A.
Johnson
Office Hours: 9:00 am – noon Monday, 8:45 am-9:15 am &
12:15-1:45 TTH
Office 105
Siceluff
and by appointment
Campus telephone: 836-5122
Email checked daily – AM & PM
Email: juliejohnson@missouristate.edu
Required Texts (hard copy, available used at Amazon and elsewhere):
Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat by James McDonough (Praesidio Press)
Remembering Korea 1950: A Boy Soldier’s Story by H. K. Shin
(University of Nevada Press)
Online Texts:
The Iliad by Homer at http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/iliad_title.htm
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane at http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/CRANE/badge.html
My Guadalcanal by Genjirou Inui at http://www.nettally.com/jrube/Genjirou/cover.htm
Tentative Schedule
Class
Reading/Writing Assignments
Wk 1 Introduction: Heroes and
Course
Homer, Books 1-4
(Jan 11/13) Ancient Greek warriors –
Values?
Journal #1
YouTube presentation
on Homer, Book 1 YouTube -
Greek reading
Homeric Warfare
Trojan
War Basics Iliad 1-4
Wk 2 Greek domestic side & Rules in
War
Homer, Books 6-9
(Jan 18/20) Iliad 6-9 Hector & Andromache Update on
the scene
Journal # 2
Wk 3 Culmination of the clash – Who
wins?
Homer, Books 19-22
(Jan 25/27) Iliad 19-22 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf4IoxEUmHM
Journal #3
Wk 4 1st- Journals 1-3 due. Ranks & Units Source for
life of Ordinary Soldier
Crane, Chapt I-VI
(Feb 1/3)
Journal #4
Go to the following YouTube link and listen to a Union soldier's letter to his
wife. This letter became prominent from its use by Ken Burns in his Civil War
series. Compare officer Ballou's sentiments with
those of Henry, a much younger and lower ranked soldier:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60yDUN0JTfc&feature=related
Wk 5 Gettysburg Confederate
Song
Union Song Crane,
Chapt VII-XV
(Feb 8/10)
Journal #5
8th- Dr. Bill Piston, Professor of
History, 201 Madison
Hall
Battle of
Little Round Top 1 LRT 2
LRT 3
Joshua Chamberlain
CMoH
Wk 6 17th-Captain Koch,
USMC Crane,
Chapt XVI-XXIV
(Feb 15/17) 15th- Civil War games, 204 Meyer Library Journal
#6
Wk 7 22rd-Journals 4-6 due. Genjirou
Inui, Part I
(Feb 22/24) Background
WWII
Journal #7
Media: Cartoon
#2 Japanese
WWII
US Documentary on Japanese
US
Doc. #2
Wk 8 Background for Battle of
Stalingrad 3rd-Professor Trobisch
Genjirou Inui, Part II
(Mar 1/3) 1st- Bob Brose and Veterans History
Project
Journal #8
Veterans History Project Sledge’s
Interview
----------------------------------------Spring
Break-------------------------------------------------
Wk 9 Discussion – Japanese &
Germans Genjirou
Inui, Part III
(Mar 15/17) Film: Stalingrad Stalingrad-Documentary
Stalingrad-Doc.
#2 Journal #9
Stalingrad-Doc.
#3
Wk 10 22nd- Journals 7-9 due Images
of Japan
Shin, pp 1-45
(Mar 22/24) Background Korean War
Journal #10
Documentary on Korea- Part
8 Part 9
Part
10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14
Wk 11 Tae Guk Gi Shin, pp 1-80
(Mar 29/31) 29th-Denzil Batson, Bob Brose, Doyle
Cox, KW veterans
Journal #11
Wk 12
Discussion
Shin, pp 81-163
(Apr 5/7) April 7- 225 Siceluff
with Prof.
Shin Journal
#12
Wk 13 12- Journals 10-12 due Background
on Vietnam McDonough, Chapts 1-6
(Apr 12/14) April 14 11:10 India
Journal
#13
Wk 14 From
Camera to DVD
McDonough, Chapts 7-12
(Apr 19) Presentations Journal
#14
11:10
Madison/Stephanie/Canaan
11:25 Caitlin
11:40 Matt
--------------------------------------Spring Holiday------------------------------------------------
Wk 15 Presentations
McDonough, Chapts 13-17
(Apr 26/28) Presentations
Journal #15
26th-
11:10 Tim
11:25 Lisa
11:40 Tyler R.
11:55 Panagiota
28th-
11:10 Ricky
11:25 Taylor/Alex
11:40 Allison
11:55 Kelly
Wk 16 3rd Journals 13-15 due
McDonough, Chapts 18-end
(May 3/5) Presentations
May 3rd- Siceluff
225 with Jim McDonough
5th- 11:10 Katy
11:25 Julia
11:40 Kelsey
11:55 Tyler O.
Final Exam – Tuesday, May 10, 11:00
Course:
This course fulfills 3 hours of General Education requirements under the area
of inquiry "Self-Understanding, Humanities Perspective". As such, it
aims at the General Education Goals under both Part One: Intellectual Abilities
and Dispositions and Part Two, C. Self-Understanding. The details of these
goals are laid out at the following web site and factor into the specific
sectional course objectives:
http://www.missouristate.edu/GeneralEducation/Faculty_Senate_Approved_GenEd.htm
LLT 180 also connects to the MSU Public Affairs mission by addressing two of
the main themes of Public Affairs: (1) Ethical Leadership (in the consideration
of Congressional Medal of Honor winners and military leadership from several cultures)
and (2) Cultural Competency (in understanding military and human values from a
variety of cultural perspectives).
LLT 180 is designed to examine conceptions of the hero from diverse
perspectives and to prompt explorations into our own value systems and their
foundations. This particular section will deal with heroes and heroics in the
context of war drawing from a multicultural and multi-temporal sources,
including fiction, non-fiction, and film. The course aims both
to understand non-US points of view and to illuminate, expound, and
refine our own. In consequence, the course will be participatory. You are
expected, as Dewey, the great American educator urged, to ‘learn by doing’. We
will cover war literature and films from ancient Greece, 19th century America,
20th century America, Japan, Germany, and Korea. Since this is an honors
section, as a term project you will interview war veterans on their experiences
in the service and learn firsthand their views on heroism.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
• To enhance your understanding of the unique context of combat and its effects
on individuals and groups and the staying power of those effects
• To help you acquire some basic knowledge about military terminology and
organization, with special attention to issues of leadership within a military
context
• To encourage your investigation into different concepts of military heroes
from the viewpoints of many times and of several different cultures
• To aid you in articulating your own value system and your judgment of heroic
behavior in war, sorting out connecting concepts of human courage, cowardice,
fear, and the like as they arise in war (and also in civilian events)
• To allow you to note and reflect upon the connections among different peoples
and times--both differences and similarities--in their responses to extreme
situations such as war and in their assessments of 'heroics'
• To introduce you to classics of military writing and to autobiographical
military narrative.
Class: Class time will be spent in discussion of the sources,
in conversations with frontline veterans, and in viewing a number of films that
present combat from various viewpoints (Japanese, German, Korean, Greek, American). I will provide background materials as needed.
This is not a lecture course; it is hands-on and predominantly interactive.
There will be invited speakers, films, presentations, and term activities. All
students are expected to participate in all class conversations. Always come
prepared to respond to the week’s assigned reading. Engagement with class
activities will be weighed in your course achievement as the “participation”
grade.
Attendance Policy: It is policy that students should attend class. Attendance
is necessary, but not sufficient for a grade of “C” or above in
‘Participation’. In extraordinary circumstances (e.g., accident, or sickness)
notify Ms. Miriam Burlison , 836-5122 and your instructor via email as soon as
possible.
Cautionary: Some of the assigned texts and the planned films
contain language and images that some may construe as offensive and disturbing.
Psychic distance should be applied. Should these matters become a difficulty
for you, please discuss it with me.
Weather Advisory. Let rationality and
prudence be your guides: if the roads are bad, stay home. Whenever a question
arises about whether class might be/has been cancelled due to hazardous road
conditions, you can check the course web page and/or check your email and/or
call the MCL department secretary at 836-5122 for the latest information.
Graded Assignments/Activities:
I. Journal of Weekly Readings/Classes/Thoughts –
100 points (20 points each unit)
II. Veteran Interview Project – 100 points (55
project/25 presentation/20 project reflection)
III. Final Exam - 40 points
IV. Participation – 25 points Total: 265
Journal of Weekly Readings/Classes/Thoughts
Weekly one page journal: Because experience shows that there is benefit from
keeping a regular record of readings, activities, and reactions, and because
writing both clarifies ones own thinking and creates a record for future
reviews, each student will maintain a weekly journal. Each page of the journal
will cover one week and will be organized into three parts:
I. a short, neutral synopsis of the week’s
reading assignment,
II. a short, neutral
synopsis of class activities for the week, and
III. your own, thoughtful
evaluation of the readings and the classes (e.g. Did the writer deal with
matters that are significant or interesting to you? If so,
what? If not, why not? did you learn anything
from the classes or films or videos? If so, what? If
not, why not?)
Grading will be based on coherence, clarity, grammar, and punctuation, as well
as thoughtfulness. Incomplete journals can receive no higher grade than ‘C’. In
order to receive an ‘A’ a journal must be complete, free of grammar or spelling
errors, and must display original thinking as necessary elements.
N.B.: Each weekly entry should be produced on a word processor
or typewriter and should be no more than one sheet of paper (2-sided printing
is permissible). Shrink the font or widen margins as you please. These entries
will be collected for grading at five times during the semester. A fouled
printer is NOT AN EXCUSE for failure to turn in journal entries on time. Have
work ready in advance and avoid last minute SNAFUs. I do not accept
electronically transmitted assignments unless I have agreed to it in advance.
These will be collected at five times during the semester as scheduled.
Term/Individual Project: Veterans History Project
Students may organize into 2 or 3-member teams in order to undertake the term
project. If so organized, each member is expected to contribute to the team
effort, and presumptively each member of the team will receive the grade given
to the team project.
Tasks: (1) Undertake a Veterans History Project interview with
one area war veteran to be completed
and turned in during the last three weeks of the semester and (2) prepare a
presentation to the
class on your veteran’s experience (including whatever is pertinent for the
class to
understand his/her specific story) and (3) write up a two page reflection on
the process of interviewing
a veteran and what you learned from it. [Items 1 and 2 can be undertaken by
team; item 3 must be
an individual effort.] Your VHP materials and two-page reflection are due on
the day that you present.
VHP Project
The Veterans History Project was authorized by Congressional legislation on
October 27, 2000 and is housed in the American Folklife
Center of the Library of Congress. The Project undertakes to capture and
preserve the oral histories of American war veterans, (along with documentary
materials such as letters, diaries, maps, photographs, etc.), as well as those
of civilians who supported war efforts. For this purpose the VHP serves as an
organizing agent for a grass-roots effort to tape individual memories and
collect them in public archives. Full guidelines and forms for participation in
the VHP are available at http://www.loc.gov/vets
. Your task is to produce a set of tapes or DVDs (with full paperwork) that can
be submitted to the Library of Congress for permanent housing in its VHP
archives, copies of which will also be housed in the Missouri State Meyer
Library archive as a local resource.
Organization: You will be responsible for contacting a war
veteran, researching his or her military background and context, arranging the
interview, securing the proper paperwork (releases, biography, etc.), checking
out and returning equipment (whether borrowed from your instructor, from ETC,
or elsewhere), getting 3 VHS or DVD copies made, and returning one copy
immediately to your veteran. Meyer Library’s Center for Teaching and Learning,
Technology division can assist with technical questions.
Order of procedure:
1. Familiarize with VHP aims and requirements (www.loc.gov/vets).
2. Settle on a veteran and secure his/her agreement to be interviewed and
videotaped for the Library of Congress
and for the Meyer Library archive.
3. Get biographical details and begin research on his/her unit, job, area of
service, weapons used, etc., etc.
4. Settle on questions using the VHP ‘suggested questions’ as a starting point
and your own research for details.
5. Meet with veteran, fill out all other release forms, and discuss how the
interview will be conducted.
6. Videotape interview.
7. Dub interview onto 3 DVD or 3 VHS copies and fill out the tape log form
COMPLETELY.
8. Return one copy of the videotape on VHS or DVD to your veteran.
9. Organize presentation to teach the class about your veteran and his/her
combat experience.
Contacts with veterans can be made through local veterans’ organizations or
through family, personal, or business contacts.
Product: The following must be turned in on the day of your
presentation:
1. VHP paperwork fully completed (veteran release, interviewer release(s),
biographical data sheet, tape log)
2. MSU paperwork fully completed (veteran, interviewer(s), and cameraman releases
available on course page)
3. Original master tape (whether mini-dv or VHS or other disk or tape format)
4. VHS or DVD copy for Library of Congress
5. VHS or DVD copy for Missouri State library
6. Any other materials a veteran wishes to donate with appropriate VHP
paperwork (photos or manuscripts)
The product will be graded on the basis of competence and consistency in
completing the work according to the VHP protocols, NOT on the basis of artful
editing or liveliness of the interview subject. Please remember that this
project is for collection of primary data via an oral history. All information
is worth preservation. Your instructor can supply MINI-DVs, blank DVDs, and VHS
tapes as needed.
NB: I am open to suggestions for improvements to this activity
plan. Please keep me apprised of any difficulties.
Presentation:
In the last two weeks of class, you or your team will make a 10 minute
presentation to the rest of the class on your veteran and his/her experience,
including entry into the service, training, where and when he/she participated,
how he/she participated, what part he/she played in the war as a whole, etc.,
providing whatever background information that would be helpful to the rest of
the class. The presentation will be assessed on the basis of clarity, accuracy,
and interest.
The Project materials for the Library of Congress and the 2-page reflections
are both due on the day each of you present.
Final Exam
There will be a 40 point exam over all of the five units (Greek, Civil War,
WWII, Korean War, Vietnam) using any of the following:
essay, short answer, identification, matching, ordering, and multiple choice
questions. Study guides for each book will be posted on the internet and linked
to the course page.
Participation Learning is not a spectator sport (Cf. John
Dewey, Democracy and Education). You learn not only from books, films, and
speakers, but also from each other. Turn up. Speak up. Engage the material.
Make suggestions. Always come with a short list of questions, puzzles, topics
of interest, or other material that you want to present for class
consideration. Failure to do so can substantially impact your participation
grade.
Note well: Should you find it necessary to miss a class, you are nonetheless
responsible for the material covered.
Grade Calculation: At the end of term all points from graded
assignments will be totaled and a course grade will be assigned based on the
percentage achieved out of the total possible points (370) based on the
following scale: 100-90% = A; 89-80% = B; 79-70% = C; 69-60% = D; 59-0% = F.
If you feel that I have misjudged your performance on any point, please arrange
a conference with me and make your case. (Note the Procedures below.)
Procedures for Grade Inquiries: To raise an enquiry about course
formalisms (grades, procedures, progress) you should consult your instructor in
the first instance. Should we be unable to resolve the matter, I shall then
refer you to Professor Madeleine Hooper, Head of Modern & Classical
Languages, as the next step in the process. All inquiries about individual
grading during the term should be made within one week of the date on which the
quiz/exam/paper in question was returned to the class. Questions about final
course grades should be raised within one semester.
Courtesies: Please attend to ordinary courtesies and show due
respect to other members of the class, to the instructor, and to all guests.
(For example, it is dismaying for a speaker to observe students doing homework,
leafing through books or notes, napping, etc.) Class guests are veterans who
served with honor and picked up the tab for all of us. Treat them accordingly.
Further, as late arrivals to and early departures from class can be both rude
and disruptive to the entire group, do not come late or leave prematurely
except under extreme duress. If special circumstances pertain (e.g., a 50-mile
drive coming in), please let me know at the start of term.
Integrity: I presume at the outset that everyone is of the
highest moral character and probity. However, in a case of suspected cheating
or plagiarism (‘Plagiarism’ means the theft of intellectual property, stealing
the ideas or words of another and passing them off as one’s own.), I shall
return the assignment without a grade, and the student must see me immediately.
If good faith has been restored, a grade will be given. In the case of
unquestioned dishonesty, the test or written material will be given an
automatic zero; and the student must still see me immediately. In the latter
instance, the student will be counseled to drop the course and the Academic
Integrity Council may be notified.
Missouri State University is a community of scholars committed to developing
educated persons who accept the responsibility to practice personal and
academic integrity. You are responsible for knowing and following the
university’s Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures, available at www.missouristate.edu/policy/academicintegritystudents.htm
. You are also responsible for understanding and following any additional
academic integrity policies specific to this class (as outlined by the
instructor). Any student participating in any form of academic dishonesty will
be subject to sanctions as described in this policy. If you are accused of
violating this policy and are in the appeals process, you should continue
participating in the class.
Accommodations: To request academic accommodations for a
disability, contact the Director of the Disability Resource Center, Plaster
Student Union, Suite 405, (417) 836-4192 or (417) 836-6792 (TTY), www.missouristate.edu/disability
. Students are required to provide documentation of disability to the
Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations. The Disability
Resource Center refers some types of accommodation requests to the Learning
Diagnostic Clinic, which also provides diagnostic testing for learning and
psychological disabilities. For information about testing, contact the Director
of the Learning Diagnostic Clinic, (417) 836-4787, http://psychology.missouristate.edu/ldc
.
Nondiscrimination: Missouri State University is an equal
opportunity/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure
available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against.
At all times, it is your right to address inquiries or concerns about possible discrimination
to the Office for Equity and Diversity, Park Central Office Building, 117 Park
Central Square, Suite 111, (417) 836-4252. Other types of concerns (i.e.,
concerns of an academic nature) should be discussed directly with your
instructor and can also be brought to the attention of your instructor’s
Department Head, of Professor Madeleine Hooper, Head, Department of Modern
& Classical Languages, 223 Siceluff Hall.
Please visit the OED website at www.missouristate.edu/equity/
.
Emergency Response (required by Provost’s office)
Students who require assistance during an emergency evacuation must discuss
their needs with their professors and Disability Services. If you have
emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special
arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment
with me as soon as possible.
For additional information students should contact the
Disability Resource Center http://www.missouristate.edu/disability/
, 836-4192 (PSU 405), or Larry Combs, Interim Assistant Director of Public
Safety and Transportation at 836-6576.
For further information on Missouri
State University’s Emergency Response Plan, please refer to the following web
site: http://www.missouristate.edu/safetran/erp.htm
Cell Phone Policy (required by Provost’s office): As a member
of the learning community, each student has a responsibility to other students
who are members of the community. When cell phones or pagers ring and students
respond in class or leave class to respond, it disrupts the class. Therefore,
the Office of the Provost prohibits the use by students of cell phones, pagers,
PDAs, or similar communication devices during scheduled classes. All such
devices must be turned off or put in a silent (vibrate) mode and ordinarily
should not be taken out during class. Given the fact that these same
communication devices are an integral part of the University’s emergency
notification system, an exception to this policy would occur when numerous
devices activate simultaneously. When this occurs, students may consult their
devices to determine if a university emergency exists. If that is not the case,
the devices should be immediately returned to silent mode and put away. Other
exceptions to this policy may be granted at the discretion of the instructor.
Dropping a Class: It is your responsibility to understand the
University’s procedure for dropping a class. If you stop attending this class
but do not follow proper procedure for dropping the class, you will receive a
failing grade and will also be financially obligated to pay for the class. For
information about dropping a class or withdrawing from the university, contact
the Office of the Registrar at 836-5520. See Academic Calendars
(http://calendar.missouristate.edu/academic.aspx ) for
deadlines.
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