Should the United States Intervene in the Holy Land?

It is the 4^th of July, 1975, and President Gerald Ford has problems. The price of oil is stable, but may rise if oil-producing countries decide to clamp down again, as they did two years earlier. The PLO, led by Yasir Arafat, threatens to continue terrorist attacks with the stated goal of destroying the nation of Israel. The UN has declared that Israel must leave territories in captured in 1967, just as the PLO demands. Many small nations cite the US support of Israel as a major diplomatic irritant. The president needs to know what policy to adopt to these two nations.

           

            Members of the panel have been asked to convene to discuss options with the president and with each other. At that time, each of you must submit a 2-3 page policy recommendation, based on “your” experiences and expertise (that of your “character.”) During the panel, each participant will deliver a 4 to 5 minute speech introducing his or her position, and then will engage in an extended dialogue about which position has the best chance of success. (All of this will be “in role.)

     Those not on the panel will submit their opinions on the matter, in the form of single-paragraph responses in class.

            Policy recommendations ought to be carefully argued and thoroughly supported. They ought to demonstrate clear understanding of the political and foreign policy implications of their position, and ought to be consistent with the character and politics of the assigned role. It is expected that students will research their positions using all the resources at their disposal: on-line sources, databases, and the library collection. Papers submitted without footnotes (or endnotes) and a bibliography in the proper format will receive no credit, and may not be re-written.

Roles

Henry Kissinger: 

Israeli Prime Minster Menachem Begin:  

PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat: 

William Rogers: 

The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb

Should the United States have dropped the atomic bombs on Japan in August of 1945?

It is August 1, 1945. The United States has been at war with Japan for almost four full years, and is now contemplating the necessity of invading the main island of Japan in order to complete its victory. President Truman has been informed that the top-secret Manhattan Project had successfully built an atomic weapon, potentially capable of destroying an entire city with one detonation. The question before him is weather he ought to do so.

Members of the panel have been asked to convene on to discuss options with the president and with each other. At that time, each of you must submit a 2-3 page policy recommendation, based on “your” experiences and expertise (that of your “character.”) During the panel, each participant will deliver a 3 to 4 minute speech introducing his or her position, and then will engage in an extended dialogue about which position has the best chance of success. (All of this will be “in role.”)

Policy recommendations ought to be carefully argued and thoroughly supported. They ought to demonstrate clear understanding of the political and foreign policy implications of their position, and ought to be consistent with the character and politics of the assigned role. It is expected that students will research their positions using all the resources at their disposal: on-line sources, databases, and the library collection. Papers submitted without footnotes (or endnotes) in the proper format will receive no credit, and may not be re-written.

Roles

James Franck: 

James F. Byrnes: 

Douglas MacArthur:

Winston Churchill: