History

History

General Instructions
Your goal for this paper is to help me find good movies to use in this class.
Choose 2 movies from the list that have something in common (theme, period, event, etc.).
Your thesis should be an argument for which, if either, would make a good movie to use in class. You might also suggest one or more scenes from the movies rather than the entire movie.
The body of your paper should be an analysis of both movies’ themes, strengths, and weaknesses. The two key pieces to analyze are a) historical accuracy and b) relevance to US foreign policy.
Your paper should include a lot of details from history and from the movies.
Use at least two sources per movie. These should be scholarly sources. One source can be the textbook.
1500 words minimum.

Holistic Grading
Papers and Essays will be graded holistically, based on whether you:
• have a strong, analytical thesis (i.e. – do you discuss how and the why rather than just the who/what/when/where) that answers the prompt.
• support your thesis with plenty of detail
• demonstrate an understanding of the historical context
• organize your essay effectively
• use college level writing
• follow the instructions

Possible Movies
Indian Wars
Dances with Wolves
Little Big Man
The Searchers
Foreign Policy Before World War II
All Quiet on the Western Front
Sergeant York
The Grand Illusion
World War II Movies
Bridge on the River Kwai
Foreign Correspondent (Hitchcock)
Judgment at Nuremberg

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Letters from Iwo Jima
Notorious (1946 – Alfred Hitchcock)
Saving Private Ryan
Schindler’s List
The Dirty Dozen
The Thin Red Line
Tuskegee Airmen
Cold War Movies
1984
High Noon
13 Days
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1965)
Vietnam War Movies
Apocalypse Now
Born on the Fourth of July
Full Metal Jacket
Good Morning, Vietnam (Robin Williams)
Platoon
We Were Soldiers
America in the Middle East Movies
Argo
Charlie Wilson’s War
Jarhead
Syriana
The Hurt Locker
The Kingdom
Three Kings
Other
Black Hawk Down
Wag the Dog