World War II: A Global History

Course Description

The largest and deadliest conflict in human history, World War II dramatically transformed the modern world in ways that continue to impact us today. Yet for decades, the focus of many historians has been on generals and battles, or solely on the U.S. and UK, ignoring vast areas of the globe in which millions of people experienced the war and contributed to its outcome.

This course will look at the war from the bottom up, exploring the experiences of ordinary people from North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. In particular, the opportunities and challenges the war presented to members of marginalized groups—including women and racial and religious minorities—in uniform, on the home front, and in occupied territory constitute the focus of this course.

Students will analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources through class discussion and short papers, drawing conclusions about the agency of these individuals as well as the social, cultural, and political legacies of the war.

Prerequisites: Students should possess a basic understanding of 20th century world history; coursework like AP U.S. History or AP European History would be helpful but is not required.