World War II

In this course we will examine major leaders, ideologies, campaigns, and events of the Second World War. We will generally proceed chronologically and cover the following topics: the rise of totalitarian regimes; the causes of the war; the conquest of France and the Battle of Britain; the major campaigns in Eastern Europe and Asia; the Holocaust; D-Day; the atomic bomb; and the immediate post-war world. Sources will include primary materials housed in Middlebury College’s Special Collections, works of literature, histories, and films. Evaluation will be based on essays, presentations, and class participation.