Week 1

Questions

Communist Manifesto

1. What is Karl Marx's view of society?

2. According to Marx, what class is currently ruling society?

3. What does Marx mean by the following statement? "The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations."

4. What does Marx mean by this statement? "What else does the history of ideas prove, than that intellectual production changes its character in proportion as material production is changed? The ruling ideas of each age have ever (14) been the ideas of its ruling class. (15)"

5. Who are the Communists?

Russian Revolution/Stalin/Petrograd

1. What is the difference between a "menshevik" and a "bolshevik?"

2. What were some of the particular characteristics of "Stalinism?" What are the three main tenets of the doctrine? Do you think Stalinism followed the principles of Communism as established by Marx? Lenin?

"Petrograd"

1. What are the sources of disillusionment in Emma Goldman's "Petrograd?"

2. What was the meaning behind Zorin's comments to Emma Goldman: "Free speech is a bourgeois superstition," he said; "during a revolutionary period there can be no free speech."

Week 2

Rosenberg, "Gender"

1. According to Emily Rosenberg, what are the four approaches that historians can use when studying the history of women and foreign relations?

2. What are the pitfalls or disadvantages of each type?

3. What does Rosenberg mean in the following statement: "Studying gender ideology will not only provide appropriate background for the study of specific women in history; it will also illuminate the symbolic systems that underlie power relationships in specific historical period," and "Discourse related to gender may provide deeper understanding of the cultural assumptions from which foreign policies spring." p. 119

4. Using approach #3, think of some examples of "gendered imagery" in current foreign policy.

5. Describe the "world systems" (aka WID) approach. How does this approach affect our understanding of historical narratives?

6. According to Rosenberg, why is the WID approach so important?

7. Why does Rosenberg believe that feminist theory is so important to historians of foreign policy? How does she define "postmodernism"?

Nielsen, chs. 1-3

1. Generally, what is Nielsen's thesis? More specifically, what does she recognize as antifeminists' primary concerns?

2. What "approach" (in the terms of Emily Rosenberg) does Nielsen take in her study of Antifeminists?

3. What is the thesis of chapter 1? How does Nielsen explain the gendered nature of patriotism?

4. What were the different "types" of heroes in the 1920s? What kind of people most likely fit these categories? What kind of characteristics described those who were seen as anti-patriot? Who (individuals or groups) perpetuated these categories? Why? What is your assessment of these categories?

5. Do gendered images of patriotism persist today? Do you see any parallels in post-WWI patriotism and post-Sept. 11 patriotism? Any disjunctures?

6. What is the thesis of chapter 2? How does Nielsen connect Bolshevism and contemporary views of women?

7. How did Americans characterize Russian women? A related question, what problems did they attribute to Bolshevism?

8. According to antifeminists, how did women's citizenship differ from men's citizenship? How did antifeminists define feminism? p. 43-44, 45

9. What were the key motivations in antifeminists' attacks on feminism?

Documents 7-9 and 21 at Binghamton

10. What was Margaret C. Robinson's vision of civilization? How did she use gender to construct her vision of society? 62-68 To Robinson, what was the role of the state?

11. Do you see any internal contradictions in Robinson's views? Conversely, does her vision have any historical validity? Explain.

12. What was the "spider web chart," who produced it, and why was it so controversial?

13. What threat did Jane Addams present to the antiradical network? How did the antiradical organizations legitimate and spread their convictions about Addams and others?

14. What is the thesis of chapter 5? Why were antiradical organizations so opposed to the Children's Bureau, the Sheppard-Towner act, and the Child Labor Amendment?

15. Was there any validity to the antiradicals' claims?

16. Explain the following statement (p. 116) "the manifpulation of U.S. women by the radical leaders of progressive women's organizations was one of the dire consequences of female suffrage"

17. How do the cartoons presented in Nielsen's book relate to her thesis? Are cartoons an appropriate historical source? If so, how should we "read" them?

Week 3

Bennett

What is Todd Bennett’s thesis?
What were FDR’s concerns about the Soviet Union?
Why was Mission to Moscow such a good way to address these concerns?
Explain the following statement (p. 5): “The United States intervention in World War II helped coalesce Hollywood’s client-patron relationship with Washington, forming a corporatist arrangement with international overtones that had a direct bearing on Mission to Moscow.”
How did filmmakers portray the Soviet Union? What facts did it “alter”? Does society entrust Hollywood to fulfill certain, if limited, duties when producing a film based upon historical facts? Did the filmmakers violate any of these duties in Mission to Moscow?
Did Americans “buy” the movie? Explain.
Why did FDR send the movie to Stalin? What was happening in Europe?
What was Stalin’s response to the film? How did the Soviet people respond?
Would you describe the film as a “success?” Explain.

Costigliola

Explain Frank Costigliola’s thesis.
Explain the following phrase: “the discourse of psychological pathology.” What does this have to do with George Kennan’s LT?
How did George Kennan envision his relationship with the Soviet Union?
Explain Washington’s perception of the Soviet Union before the appearance of Kennan’s LT.
How does Kennan change that perception?
How did Kennan’s personal experience at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow shape his perceptions about the Soviet Union? About the United States?
Explain the following statement (p. 10): “In his 1938 vision for America, Kennan assigned to his disinterested elite the further task of reshaping the United States government into a benevolent but “authoritarian” regime. He justified such drastic change by claiming the ‘disintegration of the body politic’.”
In the LT, what kind of relationship did Kennan propose for the two superpowers? Why?
What did Kennan mean by “containment?”

Schrecker

How does Schrecker define “Communism” and “Communists?” What was the extent of the Communist threat?
What laws were Communists allegedly breaking? Do you think these laws were constitutional?
Explain the statements on p. 120 (last paragraph) and p. 121 (first two paragraphs). Does Foster speak the truth?
What reasons did ordinary people have for joining the Communist party? Do you think the Communists were a legitimate threat?
According to James F. O’Neil, what is the problem with Communism in the United States?
How does O’Neil purport to “root-out” Communism? Do his tactics threaten any fundamental constitutional rights?

Week 4

1. Why are Cold War anti-Communist activities associated with the word “McCarthyism?”

2. How did “McCarthyism” get its start? What was the role of the Truman administration in the advance of anti-communism?

3. Who was Alger Hiss? On what charges was he convicted? Do you think he lied? .

4. How was the Attorney General’s list compiled? Who was on this list? How does this list compare to AG John Ashcroft’s list of Islamic charitable associations that allegedly support Hamas/Al Queda?

5. What was the Smith Act? When was it passed? How was it used? How did Eugene Dennis defend himself in the face of these accusations? Had he committed a criminal act?

6. What was the federal loyalty-security program (passed by Truman as Executive Order 9835, March 1947)? Was this a legitimate program? Was it used legitimately? Do you think that today it is reasonable to fire a federal employee who possesses reading material relating to Islam? Material relating to Islamic jihad?

7. Which do you think was more important (or, perhaps, more damaging), the Smith Act or the McCarran Act?

8. What was the controversy surrounding witnesses’ claims to their constitutional rights? What claims did witnesses make? How did the U.S. Supreme Court respond to witnesses’ grievances?

9. According to Sidney Hook, what is the difference between heresy and conspiracy (answer this question in the context of the Communist threat)?

10. What kind of difficulties did HUAC witnesses face?

11. What do you think is/are the fundamental causes of anti-communists’ fears in the “McCarthy Era”?

Week 5

1. What is the thesis of Homeward Bound?

2. Define "domestic containment." How does this phrase fit into ETM's thesis?

3. What single primary source does this book depend upon most heavily? Explain the nature of this primary source. What kind of data does it contain? Do you think ETM provides convincing analysis of this primary source?

4. What was the significance of the American family home in the 1950's? How does Nixon articulate its importance?

5. How did the Great Depression and World War II influence white middle-class Americans' views of the family in the 1950's?

6. How were single women portrayed in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s?

7. Would you argue that WWII had a "liberating" effect on women? Explain.

8. How did experts characterize women who were neglectful/overbearing mothers?

9. What is the thesis of chapter 4? What was the "problem" behind sexual deviancy, the single life, and homosexuality?

10. What was the connection between a "happy homemaker" and "national security"?

11. How did suburban families view premarital sex, birth control, consumerism, and family discord? How did women's views of family discord differ from men's?

Week 6

Rotter

What is Andrew Rotter’s thesis?
How does Rotter explain the term “orientalism?” How did Westerners apply “orientalism” in foreign policy? Do you think “orientalism” is still a factor in foreign relations today?
What images informed Cold War-era politicians’ views of India?
Who was the Goddess Kali and what effect did she have on U.S. and Indian gender relations?
How did Truman/Eisenhower/Kennedy view PM Nehru? How did their assumptions about Nehru (and other leaders, including Mohandas Gandhi and Indira Gandhi) affect U.S. foreign policy? What were the U.S. leaders’ views of Pakistan and the Soviet Union?
What was India’s “position” in the Cold War? Were American policy makers willing to accept this?
In the terms of Rosenberg’s article, “Gender,” what methodology does Rotter employ here?

Rosenberg

What is Rosenberg’s thesis?
What does Rosenberg mean by the following statement (p. 2): “In short, the idea that the spread of American culture would improve the lives of foreign women comprised a consistent trope of American exceptionalism.”
How did American advertisers construct the image of the “new woman?” In ads, what did she represent?
To Rosenberg, what was the significance of the Moscow 1959 “kitchen debate”? How would you explain the meaning behind Khrushchev’s comment to Nixon, “these are merely gadgets”?
How did some Europeans interpret “Americanization?” What were the criticisms?
Explain the following statement (p.8):”[certain American] attributes tended to be expressed as the product of feminization or, at least, of emasculization.

What insights does this article provide us towards understanding certain Islamicists’ hatred of America?

McEnaney

What is McEnaney’s theis?
How does McEnaney support the following statement (41): “A family-centered shelter policy would neither overburden the state nor divert resources from active defense, but it would still ensure that citizens would permanently share the burdens of militarization.”
Described the tier system as outlined in the Blue Book?
What was the effect of the Federal Civil Defense Act?
What kind of response to a nuclear attack did Eisenhower envision? How did his plan differ from other plans?
What was “Operation Alert”?
What was Chet Holifield’s proposal?
What was the significance behind Ike’s National Shelter Policy of 1958?
Explain the symbolic politics of shelter preparedness.

Week 7

Corber

What is Corber’s thesis? P. 28-29.
Why is Corber interested in film noir?
What is the relationship of his argument to “the organization man?”
What criticisms does he have of C. Wright Mills’ text White Collar? P. 30-31
What is the “personality market”? p. 34
Explain the following statement (p. 35): Mills “associated commodity culture in general with a feminization of male subjectivity.”
According to Corber, what is the significance of Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman?
How does Norman Mailer depict black men?
What does all of this have to do with homosexuality in the cold war era?

Dr. Strangelove

What is General Turginson proposing to the President? How is Turginson portrayed?
Who appears to be the “voice of reason?” Why?
How does General Jack Ripper explain the Communist conspiracy?
What is the Doomsday machine and what is its effect on deterrence theory?
How does this film employ images of sexuality? Masculinity and femininity?
What does the film suggest about Elaine Tyler May’s thesis of “domestic containment?” What are Dr. Strangelove’s views about family and sexuality?
What is the larger significance behind this film?

Gays in Government

What stereotypes are presented in this speech? How do the stereotypes presented here contribute to the idea that “homosexuals were a national security risk”?
What would Corber have to say in response to this speech?

Donna Penn

What is Penn’s thesis?
How does she employ Elaine Tyler May’s argument in her article?
What are prewar visions of lesbians?
How do these definitions of lesbianism change after the war?
How do lesbians respond to the new stereotypes?

Do you think Corber would find Penn’s analysis persuasive? Remember how he (and TW and JB) views homosexuality and “identity.”

Week 8

Feldstein

What is Feldstein’s thesis? P. 265, 266
How is the concept of “motherhood” political?
How does Feldstein employ the thesis of Elaine Tyler May? Paragraph on p. 269
Explain the following statement (270): “Bradley needed to confirm her role as a respectable mother in order for her son to be cast as an “innocent victim,” but she needed to do so along multiple valences: to emerge as protective to Emmett, yet not emasculating; fashionable and well-groomed, yet not ostentatious and luxury-laden; hardworking, yet not ambitious; and “universal” enough to attract the sympathy of whites without distancing herself from the black community.”
Explain the following statement (275): “Opening the casket, then, represented a challenge to false though enduring dichotomies between political, public (and masculine) subject and emotional, private (and feminine) nonsubject.”
How does Feldstein connect citizenship to concepts of motherhood, in this case? P. 289
Was Bradley’s use of images of motherhood to protest conditions for African Americans a radical or conservative approach? Explain.

Kunzel

What is Regina G. Kunzel’s thesis?
How does Kunzel explain the shifts in Americans’ perceptions of welfare mothers?
Why do Americans begin to describe white middle-class single mothers as “neurotic”? p. 312
Describe the shift in American perceptions of black teenage mothers.
How does the perception of white teenage mothers compare to Americans’ perceptions of black teenage mothers?
What was the political significance behind the perceptions of American teenage mothers during the Cold War?

Dudziak

What is Dudziak’s thesis? (543)
What is the significance behind Josephine Baker’s U.S. and international performances? What does it have to do with Civil Rights in the U.S.? Communism in the U.S.?
How did her situation compare with that of others such as W.E.B. DuBois?
In what ways did the U.S. government respond to Baker?
Does Dudziak adequately explain her thesis? Does this article leave the reader with any additional questions about Cold War politics?

Week 9

Dean, chapters 1-5

What is Robert Dean’s thesis? P. 4
Define the term “ideology of masculinity.” P. 5
What kind of masculinity did foreign policy makers construct from 1945-1963? How did they define femininity?
Who were part of the imperial brotherhood? Who were their political enemies?
Why did conservatives attack the imperial brotherhood? How?
Were these conservatives effective in attacking the imperial brotherhood? Who were the most likely targets? Why? How did foreign policy factor into the disputes?
How does this book compare/differ to Schrecker’s The Age of McCarthyism?

Explain the “ideology of masculinity.”
How does Dean’s description of JFK compare to Costigliola’s view of George Kennan? P. 170
Explain the following statement: (p. 171) “The problem of virtue, the central term of republican discourse, lay at the heart of the new jeremiads.”
What was the effect of the 1958 novel, The Ugly American?
Explain the statement on p. 179. What was the significance of the Peace Corps and the Green Berets?
How does Dean explain the tragedy of Vietnam? Why did Johnson escalate the crisis?
Explain the statement at the bottom of page 217.
What alternatives were presented to LBJ? P. 239