HST 404-01 Special Topic: The Korean War, 50 Years After

Fall 2000 Class Room: AD 227
Time: 3:30-6:00pm

Instructor: Dr. Pingchao Zhu, History Department
Office: AD 315
Office Hour: Tue & Thur, 11:00-12:00 or by appointment
Office Phone; 885-7166, 885-6253
Email: pzhu@uidaho.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION
June 25, 2000 marked the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Between now
and July of the year 2003, a series of events and programs both in the United States, South Korea,
North Korea, as well as China will continue to memorize this war that still has significant impact
on countries across the Pacific. This course intends to introduce to our students major issues,
legacy, and the forthcoming solutions relating to the war and its aftermath. Discussions will be
devoted to various views from parties involved in the war, including those from the United
Nations, the United States and its allies, South Korea, North Korea, Communist China, and
former Soviet Union. The course will cover history of Korea, U.S. post-WWII East Asian policy,
military campaigns, civilian experience, POWs issue, the Korean War cease-fire negotiations,
scholarly debates, and the current South-North Korean summit talks. With the opening of
Russian and Chinese government archives, more information about the insight of this conflict has
been made available to scholarly research. Students will be able to learn war culture in both
South Korea and North Korea, China, as well as the United States. Throughout the entire course,
we will try to explore answers to these questions: Why is the Korean War known as the forgotten
war? What are the lessons of the war? What is the future for the Korean Peninsula?

TEXTBOOKS
Peter Lowe, The Korean War (Twentieth Century War), New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000.

S. L. A. Marshall, Pork Chop Hill, Berkley Pub Group, 2000

Wonmo Dong, ed., The Two Koreas and the United States : Issues of Peace, Security, and
       Economic Cooperation, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2000.

REQUIREMENTS
1. One mid-term examination 100 points
2. One final examination 100
3. One book review on Pork Chop Hill 100
4. One Comparative bibliographic essay 150
5. Attendance & participation 50

Examinations include identifications and short essay questions. They are not cumulative.

Book Review Students will review Marshall's Pork Chop Hill. The review should include
reviewer's discussion on the main story of the book, reviewer's responses and comments, and in
what way the book reflects the reality of the war itself. The review should be typed, double
spaced, and no less than 3 full pages in length.

Comparative Bibliographic Essay This course will introduce several important issues including
post WWII Korean Peninsular settlement, the U.S. policy in the early period of the war, the
change of the U.S. strategy during the war, China's entry into the war, human suffering in all
countries involved, war culture, background of the Armistice Talks, the POW issue, nuclear
coercion, post 1953 U.S. Korean relations, contemporary South and North Korean talks, etc.
Students can choose ONE topic/issue relevant to this course and write an essay on the
historiography using at least Three sources (they can be articles, primary sources, or books.
Articles from Wonmo Dong's book can be counted) in the essay. The essay should focus on
comparing and contrasting arguments from those sources over a particular issue or event. A
guideline will explain the details. Remember: this is not a research paper. The essay should be
no less than 7 pages, typed, double spaced, and with a bibliography. Graduate students will have
to use Four source and write a essay no less than 9 pages.

Attendance Since this class meets only once a week, attendance and participation are important.
Two absences without reasonable excuse will result in reduction of student's grade to the next
lower level by the end of the semester depending what letter grade he/she will be awarded based
on his/her performance. Three absences without excuse will fail you in the class. Please read
this policy carefully.

GRADE SCALE A=500-450 B=449=400 C=399-350 D=349-300 F-299 and below
 

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week 1 Aug. 29
Introduction to the course
History of Korea
Japanese occupation
Post WWII Settlement

Week 2 Sept. 5
The Cold War & the Korean Peninsular
ROK & the U.S.
KPDR & China & USSR
Reading: Lowe, chpt. 1

Week 3 Sept. 12
The War Broke out
The UN Resolutions
Asia in war
Reading: Lowe, chpt. 2

Week 4 Sept. 19
China's Crossed the Yalu River
MacArthur vs. Truman
Mao & Stalin
Reading: Lowe, chpt. 3

Week 5 Sept. 26
Major Campaigns
Pusan Perimeter
The 38th Parallel
Reading: Lowe, chpt. 4
Marshall, pp. 1-80

Week 6 Oct. 3
Early Diplomatic Moves
The United Nations
China & USSR
Reading: Lowe, chpt. 5
Marshall, pp. 81-146

Week 7 Oct. 10
The Armistice Talks
Kennan & Malik
From Kaesong to Panmunjom
Reading: Lowe, chpt. 6
Marshall, pp. 149-188

Week 8 Oct. 17
Midterm Examination
The White Stallion

Week 9 Oct. 24
Negotiating while Fighting, I
The stalemate
Chinese war movies
Reading: handouts
Marshall, pp. 189-232
Week 10 Oct. 31
Negotiating while Fighting
U.S. war propaganda
U.S. war movie
Reading: handouts
Book Review due in Class

Week 11 Nov. 7
The POW Issue
POW camps
Major controversies
Reading: handouts

Week 12 Nov. 14
The Price of Peace
Cease-fire Agreement
war culture
Reading: Lowe, chpts. 7 & 8

Week 13 Nov. 20-24
Fall Recess, NO CLASS

Week 14 Nov. 28
Unification Issue
South Korea
North Korea
Reading: Dong, chpts. 2, 4, & 5

Week 15 Dec. 5
The Future of the Korean Peninsular, I
Current South & North Korean talks
Reading: Dong, chpts. 6, 9-10, 14, 16
Review Essay Due in Class

Week 16 Dec. 12
The Future of the Korean Peninsular, II
Reading: Dong: chapts. 1, 3, 7-8, 11-13, 15, 17

Week 17 Dec. 22 Friday, Final Examination at 3:30-5:30pm

The instructor reserves rights to change this course schedule when necessary.