HH4032 World War III: A History?

In 1949 Albert Einstein told his friend, journalist Alfred Werner, 'I don't know [what weapons will be used in World War III], but I can tell you what they'll use in the fourth - rocks!' A core aim of this course is to explore the weapons of WWIII, weapons that convinced Einstein and others that WWIII would be a civilization-as-we-know-it ending event. Another core aim is to examine the policy decisions behind their production and deployment. Through this course, seminar

participants will gain a better understanding of those weapons and the technologies behind them. How, where and why were they developed, tested, deployed, used, stolen and reproduced? Why were these weapons almost used in 1962 and 1983 and what kept humanity from crossing the Rubicon of annihilation then, and at other times? When has the limitation of such weapons proven effective or failed and why? How can our experiences in the past help us make better choices today as we enter a new nuclear arms race? Seminar participants will explore these questions as well as examine the history of post-nuclear apocalypse imaginary as expressed through literature, film, and other texts to better understand how technological developments and more accurate assessments of 'the end' and 'the aftermath' shaped

popular culture and society over the long twentieth century. Students interested in 20th century history, politics, science and technology, diplomacy, and strategy will find this course rewarding.