The Secret's Out

During WW2, top secret programs and practices were, well, top secret. National Public Radio recently aired a 3-part program on a top secret POW "program" conducted just outside of Washington, D.C. The site is now run by the National Park Service, and the stories reflect one goal of this class--reconstructing the past.

Here's part of the report:
About two years ago, National Park Service employees stumbled upon a fascinating and largely untold piece of American history.

It involves a secret World War II interrogation camp at Fort Hunt, Va., not far from the Pentagon. During and right after the war, thousands of top German prisoners were questioned there about troop movements and scientific advances.

Soldiers at the site also prepared special "care packages" for American POWs that they sent overseas. They included maps, radios and other escape tools.

Many of the camp's records were destroyed right after the war, and those who worked there were sworn to secrecy. Many veterans never spoke about it, even to family and friends, although the operation has been gradually declassified over the past two decades.

The National Park Service, which now runs Fort Hunt Park, has been trying to piece together the story of the interrogation facility — code-named P.O. Box 1142 during the war.

Listen to Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

What are your thoughts on this story? What did you find most fascinating, and intriguing?

In the beginning......

As we seek to understand and strive to articulate that which we will cover in this class, tonight's assignment asks you to answer this question:

What is European history?


Think about 3 words, ideas, people, movements, places, etc. that, in your opinion, define European history. In other words, what comes to mind when you hear the words "European history"? In your answer explain why you chose the words, ideas, people, etc. you did to define European history. Be prepared to discuss your written answers in class.

The specs: 3 paragraphs (paragraph=5-6 sentences), 12-point font, 1" margins. DUE THURSDAY, AUGUST 21 in class.

Blogging (in) the Past

Thirsty for more? Hungry for history? Leave your feedback in the comments section.

1. What were your expectations about the class blog in August? Were those expectations met, exceeded, or unmet? Why?

2. What is the best thing about having a class blog? The worst? Why?

3. What was your favorite post and why?

4. What would you change about the blog? Why?

5. Additional thoughts?

Carson's Collection: On European History

Please welcome the second guest blogger for the week: Houston Christian history instructor, regular blogger, and historian Eddie Carson. I recently asked my friend and colleague to recommend 5 must read Euro history works. His thoughts appear below. Thanks to Eddie for sharing with us.

To my students: what is the most important and/or enlightening historical work (fiction or nonfiction) you've read? Why? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

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The following books are works that take a much more narrow path towards collective historical analysis vis-à-vis European studies; however, they can be extrapolated to address political, social, and economic matters during a particular periodization. Students tend to find the following works enjoyable to read. The following works at one point have been a part of my course syllabus.

1. The Burgermeister’s Daughter by Steve Ozment addresses a scandal of a rebellious teenage girl in 16th century Germany (of the German States). This is a work of both social and intellectual history as Ozment indirectly uses a popular narrative style of writing to address Reformation history.

2. The Cheese and the Worms by Carlo Ginzburg looks at elite and popular culture from the point of view of Menocchio, a miller who is fairly educated. Menocchio’s trial records illustrate the confusion by those of popular culture who struggled to understand the religious and social questions of the 16th centuries inquisition.

3. The Thirty Years War by Ronald Asch looks beyond the political game. This particular epoch was transformative in the early process of state building. Asch looks at the significance this conflict had on the feudal regions of Germany and the continual enforcement of the Augsburg Treaty (circa 1555).

4. A Daily Life in Rembrandt's Holland by Paul Zumthor is an excellent read; it is true that it reads more like a travel guide than a dense work of historical topicality; it is Zumthor’s use of adjectives that paints a region enriched by trade and advanced by liberal values (constitutionalism). Moreover, Zumthor’s work covers much of the more tested content elements in a fairly entertaining way; it is required reading at Houston Christian High School. I suggest reading it before or after you have read [or watched] The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.

5. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild address the evils of western modernity and imperialism, which is associated with the Berlin Conference. Both works are classics and highly entertaining. Furthermore, they raise a number of questions about fate and humanity, as well as matters of race and superiority. Conrad’s work is by far the more complex as he injects an emotional element into the structural make up of literary analysis.

Screening Luther

Per our class discussion, Nathan Barber's questions, and Marnie Hughes-Warrington's ideas about the utility of films and history from her book History Goes to the Movies (2007), analyze the following clips from two of the most popular movies about Martin Luther. One clip is from 1953, the other clip from 2003.

Your assessment should discuss the time period in which the movie appeared, directors, funding, cinematography, etc. In terms of the relationship between historians and historical filmmakers, you should refer to the previous post this year on Luther.


You also want to discuss whether or not, to use Hughes-Warrington's categories, either Luther film commits one (or any) of the "six filmic sins" (p. 18) and how.

Finally, here are some "reel" questions about cinematic history from an on-line project out of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania; pick which question you think is the most important and explain why.

Leave your answers in the comments section.

[Photo credit here.]

History & Hollywood: Strange Bedfellows?

Now that the AP exam is behind us, and with only days--perhaps merely hours--before final exams for some and graduation for others, I've invited a guest blogger to offer thoughts and perspectives about historical films. We've discussed point of view and social location quite a bit over the last nine months, and I'd like to continue this line of analysis in a new context.

Read the post below, and complete the questions at the end by leaving your answers in the comments section. We look forward to "watching" how this discussion takes shape.

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History and Hollywood – Strange Bedfellows?
By: Nathan Barber

Downfall. Glory. Schindler’s List. Gladiator. Gandhi. Joyeux Noel. Hotel Rwanda. Henry V. Forrest Gump. What do these movies have in common? All are among my favorite historical films. Forrest Gump is an historical film? Yes, Forrest Gump! If all these films are historical films then what is an historical film, anyway? Why are so many people fascinated by historical films and why do so many writers, directors and producers continue to create historical films? What separates a good historical film from a mediocre or bad one? And, finally, what good are historical films? None of these questions have clear-cut, indisputable answers but let’s take a look at each through the lens of one educator and historical film buff.

What is an historical film? Is it a sweeping war epic that graphically portrays the horrors of war? Is it a period piece filled with beautiful costumes and scenic settings? Is it slow-moving, stream-of-consciousness film created to portray the zeitgeist of a people or a nation at a critical juncture in its history? Is it a story about a single person who waltzes, without a care in the world, through the years making cameo appearances in pivotal historical moments and movements? For me, an historical film can be any or all of these. For me, an historical film can be an epic, a biopic or even a work of fiction set against an historical backdrop.

Why are so many people fascinated by historical films and why do so many writers, directors and producers continue to create historical films? Perhaps the answer to the second question is answered for us in the first. A cynical look at why Hollywood continues to produce historical films suggests simply that moviegoers continue to buy millions of tickets for historical movies. A more hopeful answer might be that writers still have much to say, many stories to tell and much to show us about the people that lived in other times and places. If so, then what about the first question? Generally, people who love history love the stories of history. Even those who don’t love history in an academic sense generally enjoy good stories and interesting characters. This is exactly what Hollywood does for moviegoers: Hollywood tells us stories with interesting characters. Essentially, history is an unending string of stories filled with interesting characters, isn’t it?

What separates a good historical film from a mediocre or bad one? There are as many answers to this question as there are moviegoers, history buffs and film buffs. Does the answer depend on accuracy and realism? If so, then what does “accurate” or “realistic” look like? Does the answer depend on an objective or subjective look at the film’s topic? Does the answer take into consideration the dialogue or cinematography? I’m tempted to say that a great historical film is one that accurately portrays people and events, vividly depicts costumes, architecture and settings, and gives an accurate (whatever that is) snapshot of some time and place I can otherwise only read about. If that’s the case, though, I should, with tears in my eyes, toss my Braveheart DVD immediately.

What good are historical films? Despite the runaround above, I believe historical films hold great value for moviegoers and especially for students and teachers. As long moviegoers remember the caveat that what is depicted on screen is seldom the way the events actually occurred, they are free to glean as much or as little from historical films as they care to. The same applies to students and educators. However, for those in education, historical films can mean countless opportunities to question, analyze and critique elements of the films including the accuracy of details and timelines, the depiction of characters’ personalities and motives, the authenticity of costumes, language and architecture, or the point of view or agenda of the writer, director or producer; in short, for those in education, historical films provide learning opportunities. Historical films can provide visualization of war, poverty, intrigue and even geography with which most 21st century students have no firsthand experience. Furthermore, an historical movie can provide a powerful glimpse into the experiences of others that simply cannot be conveyed with the printed word. This graphic clip from Amistad is a perfect example.

At the end of the day, an historical film can have little value other than entertainment value (i.e. Pearl Harbor) or it can bring into focus for millions of viewers historical images that are both shocking and poignant (i.e. Schindler’s List or Saving Private Ryan). I propose to you that every historical film has some value for a student of history: The average viewer says, “That was a good movie,” while a student of history says, “That’s interesting. I wonder…” and then checks the “facts” for himself.

Choose one of the questions from the beginning of the entry and respond to that question. Additionally, provide a brief list of your favorite historical films. Finally, feel free to comment on anything in this blog entry.

Back to the Future: Religion in Europe

As the topic of religion has been a consistent theme in this course, both in terms of course material and current events discussions, I want to remind you about an important (relatively) new book sure to prompt important discussion, analysis, and conversation--and extra credit.

Philip Jenkins's lastest work, God's Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe's Religious Crisis (Oxford University Press, 2007), covers important ground and offers interesting and provocative claims. Read an exerpt here.



God's Continent is the third installment in Jenkins's appraisal of contemporary religion in a global context, preceded by The Next Christendom (2003; rev. ed. 2007) and The New Faces of Christianity (2006).




DUE May 19, this extra credit assignment is worth one exam grade. You will write an analytical review of the book, identifying the book's thesis, taking an inventory of Jenkins's primary source material, and evaluating his arguments. In addition, you will want to consider Jenkins's topic of religion in contemporary Europe in light of the religion/religious trends we've discussed in AP European history since last August. In other words, what does Europe's religious history suggest about the future of religious history in Europe? How do students and scholars understand and evaluate this history in light of globalization? If you could ask Jenkins one question about his book, what would it be?


Format is to follow the customary 12-point font, Times New Roman, 1" margins, and your review should be at least 5 pages long. There will also be a discussion/oral evaluation component to this assignment. Details to follow.