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Final Syllabus
Battlefield Europe: Military History of World War II
Spring 2017
Copenhagen
3 Credits
Study Tour: Budapest
Disciplines: History, Political Science
Instructor: Torben Jørgensen
Program Director: Neringa Vendelbo
Program Assistant: Alex Berlin
Mondays and Thursdays, 14:50-16:10
Room: V23-401
Description of course: On December 29, 1944, the city of Budapest was surrounded by the Red Army as
part of the Allies' quest to reach Berlin. The battle over Budapest was one of the bloodiest in WWII and a
major victory in the fight against Nazi-Germany. For thousands of years, battles like the battle of Verdun
and the battle of Somme have shaped European history. In this course we will study the basics of military
structure, the development of military hardware and doctrine during WW1 and the interwar years, and
finally focus on the military history of WW2 and the historians’ various interpretations of the period.
Finally, we will study in some detail a concrete WW2 battle (TBA), including its meaning in a modern,
European context and visit the battlefield.
Battlefield Europe: Military History of World War II | DIS |Disciplines: History, Political Science
This syllabus is subject to change.
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Final Syllabus
Lecturer: Torben Jørgensen
Cand. Mag (M.A.) in History, Copenhagen University; Danish Center for Holocaust and Genocide Research
(2000-2003); Danish Institute for International Studies, DIIS (2003-2005); Project Manager at the Danish
Jewish Museum (2007-2008). With DIS since 2008.
Objectives: By the end of this course students will be able to:

Navigate the basics of military history

Tell the difference between a squad and a division, etc.

Understand the connection between hardware and doctrine

Have a concrete knowledge and understanding of the developments in military thinking during the
interwar years and understand the impact of the Second World War on these developments.

Understand the trade and tools of modern military history, its development, results and challenges

“Read” a WW2 battlefield as it looks today
Required texts: The students will read texts by established military historians, i.e. J. Keegan. The students
will read texts by the military theoreticians of the time, e.g. Guderian, de Gaulle, J.F.C. Fuller, etc. They will
also read texts by privates and NCOs of the conflicting armies, not least of all German and Russian soldiers,
taken from various sources. Students will also acquaint themselves with the “history from below”
approach, for example through texts by C. Merridale. Finally, several texts will specifically apply to the
chosen example of a WW2 battle. DIS will supply all books.
Approach to Teaching: By nature, I am a storyteller and a lecturer. I put a premium on approachability.
Humor, trust and the sense of ownership of history is important to my teaching style. My ideal class takes
student questions as a point of departure for discussions.
Expectations of the students: I expect students to be truly interested in the subject and in learning. I expect
us all to appear in class well prepared, engaged and ready for discussion. Helping further the discussions,
asking questions and showing a certain level of independence and maturity all goes into being an engaged
student.
Field studies and/or study tour: The study tour to Budapest and field-studies to, for example, the Danish
Military Museum, will be important and integrated parts of the course. On the tour to Budapest, we will
witness first-hand the places of some of Europe’s bloodiest and most violent battles and reflect on the
impact these battles had on the people, the places, and how Europe understands itself.
Field Study:
Wed. 1 February (13.00.-15.00) TBA
Wed. 5 April (8.30-12.30) TBA
Study Tour: Budapest, Hungary: (23 March- 26 March)
Battlefield Europe: Military History of World War II | DIS |Disciplines: History, Political Science
This syllabus is subject to change.
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Final Syllabus
Exams, assignments and grading:
Attendance in all classes, field studies, and the study tour are mandatory. Students will show that they are
well prepared and have done their readings by participating in class discussions, raising questions, critically
reflecting on the topics we discuss, etc. The final grade will be based on the following evaluation:
Participation:
Final Research Paper (10 Pages):
Thesis statement
30%
50%
20%
To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work. Late papers are
deducted a third of a grade per day it's late.
Disability and resource statement: Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of
a disability should contact the Office of Academic Support ([email protected]) to coordinate this. In order
to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within
the first two weeks of classes.
Policies:
Attendance: You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled. If you miss multiple classes the
Director of Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will followup with you to make sure that all is well. Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS.
Allowances will be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a
doctor’s note.
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment
DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS
assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic
dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home
universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in
electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more
information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.
Electronic Devices in the Classroom: The use of electronic devises is restricted to note-taking during lectures
and field studies.
The syllabus is likely to change based on the needs of our class.
Battlefield Europe: Military History of World War II | DIS |Disciplines: History, Political Science
This syllabus is subject to change.
4
Final Syllabus
Course Schedule
Class 1, 19 Jan:
Welcome (no readings)
Class 2, 23 Jan:
The Basics of Military Organization (read Millet and Murray, preface + chap. 1)
Class 3, 26 Jan:
Hardware and Doctrine (read M&M, chap. 2, 3, 4)
Class 4, 30 Jan:
War in the West (M&M, chap. 5)
Class 5, 2 Feb:
War in the East (M&M, chap. 6)
CORE COURSE WEEK (Feb. 6 – Feb. 11)
Class 6, 13 Feb:
On War Crimes (no readings)
Class 7, 16 Feb:
Genocides of WWII (TBA)
Class 8, 20 Feb:
The Soldiers: Germany and Their Allies (read Bidermann all)
Class 9, 23 Feb:
The Soldiers: The Red Army (excerpts from Merridale, extent TBA)
Long Study Tour/Travel Break (Feb. 25-Feb. 5)
Class 10, 6 Mar:
Film (Sequence of Band of Brothers)
Class 11, 9 Mar:
The Minor Axis Powers; Aims, Decisions, Date (TBA)
Class 12, 13 Mar:
Stalin’s Policies in East-Central Europe (TBA)
Class 13, 16 Mar:
Hungary in WWII, 1941-44 (Ungváry, Preface and Introduction)
Study Tour to Budapest: 23 Mar-26 Mar
Battlefield Europe: Military History of World War II | DIS |Disciplines: History, Political Science
This syllabus is subject to change.
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Final Syllabus
Class 14, 27 Mar:
Pictures and Film as Source (no readings)
Class 15, 30 Mar:
Hungary in WWII, endgame (Ungváry , chap. 1, 2)
Class 16, 3 Apr:
Street Battles (Ungvary, chap. 3, 4, 5)
Class 17, 6 Apr:
Budapest (Ungváry, chap. 6, 7) + Study tour orientation
Class 18, 10 Apr:
Debriefing after traveling (no readings)
Optional Travel Break (12 Apr- 17 Apr)
Class 19, 20 Apr:
WWII in Collective Memory (TBA)
Class 20, 24 Apr:
Supervision
Class 21, 27 Apr:
Supervision
Class 22, 1 May:
Supervision
Class 23, 4 May:
Wrapping it all up
Literature
Williamson Murray and Allan R. Millet: A War to be Won.
Catherine Merridale: Ivans war. Life and Death in the Red Army. NY 2006
G.H. Bidermann: In Deadly Combat. A German Soldiers Memoir of the Eastern Front. NY 2007
Krisztian Ungváry: Battle for Budapest. 100 Days in WWII. NY 2006
Battlefield Europe: Military History of World War II | DIS |Disciplines: History, Political Science
This syllabus is subject to change.