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Upper School Curriculum

  • 450 Level: Advanced (ADV)
  • History
HIST 450 • ADV Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia: The Cold War and Its Legacy in East and Southeast Asia
Grades: 11, 12
Fall
PREREQ: Starting with the Class of 2028, completion of both History 200 courses and one 300-level History course

While the Cold War was an intense political rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, its effects on the entire world were profound. This course looks closely at conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia that deeply affected international politics as well as the lives of millions of ordinary people after World War II. We will consider how the modern trajectories of these three states developed and diverged from the devastating wars in which they were engulfed and also how they continue to shape geopolitics in the 21st century. Emphasis will be on the critical study of primary and secondary sources, including monographs and memoirs. Major assessments will include presentations and analytical essays. Drawing on scholars and resources from local universities as well as immigrants and industries in the Triangle, students will undertake a formal research project — based on their interests — that explores a topic related to a specific legacy of the Cold War in Asia. Some may choose to conduct fieldwork in the local area, while others may raise questions of historical interest related to new developments in scholarly research associated with East and Southeast Asia. Whatever route they take, students will develop a thoughtful, complex and original research project.

  • Grade 11
  • Grade 12