Cedars, January 2018

January 2018 7 CAMPUS Students Tour War Sites In Europe by Zach Krauss I n December, a group of students along with professors from the Department of History and Government at Cedarville University traveled to Europe as part of a class called Total War. During the fall of 2017, students met each Monday evening for the class, which encompassed World War I and World War II. The class is a topics elective taught by Dr. Thomas Mach and Dr. Mark Smith. The class was discus- sion-based and the students were encouraged to learn to- gether through group presentations. At the end of the class, students took a trip around Eu- rope to sightsee many of the places where war events took place. Some students opted to just take the Total War trip, which counted as a one-credit topics course in history. The class was not simply for history and government students. It consisted of students from many academic ma- jors and years. About 40 people attended the trip, and a lit- tle more than 30 of the attendees were students. The title Total War was inspired by the fact that the world wars were the first wars to truly affect every aspect of society. It affected media and the way people lived at home, and it affected jobs and production. Smith, chair of histo- ry and government, said he thinks the class was extremely important for students if only so they’ll understand the true cost and effect of war. Smith said his favorite part about the trip was getting to know the students. The trip lasted about nine days, in- cluding two days for travel, and there were a few days off for the students on the trip to do whatever they wanted. “We understand that many of the students in our class will go on to be future leaders,” Smith said. “They need to understand how important war is and how much it can af- fect the world.” The world wars completely shifted the way our modern world looks today, and Smith said he wanted his students to understand that as they go into the world. He said that when he was younger, it was more common for people to understand those wars because of proximity in the timeline. There were many more veterans who were still alive, while today, the numbers of those who can tell their stories first- hand are dwindling. Because of this, Smith said he believes people are often uninformed about not only what happened in the wars, but what they truly meant for the rest of human history. Jim Leightenheimer, associate professor of broadcast- ing at Cedarville, also took the trip. He said one of his per- sonal highlights was being able to see his two sons who are living in Europe. Leightenheimer said that it was a great experience to be able to attach locations and images to the history many of those on the trip had never seen in person. “It is one thing to read about the events of June 6, 1944 on Omaha Beach,” Leightenheimer said, “and quite another to see the immense scope of the challenges that the terrain presented to the soldiers trying to establish a foothold in France.” Stanley Schwartz, a senior economics and history ma- jor, said the class was a great tool in being able to under- stand what he was seeing in each city. Schwartz said the readings and topics fostered an understanding of war in its historical, cultural, and technological elements that was key for examining the people, buildings, and weapons that were important in the influential struggles of the last century. In addition to the knowledge gained from the class, Schwartz said the learning continued as the trip did. “Whether weaving through German bunkers in Pointe du Hoc or pausing before American graves in the Ardennes, we always experienced powerful moments of emotion and learning as we traveled and tread across the ancient soil of Northern Europe,” Schwartz said. Students who attended said the trip was a great balance of free time and educational experiences. Christina Capo, a junior pharmacy major, said part of her initial interest in the class and trip came from the fact that both of her grand- fathers fought in wars that greatly impacted history. “It was so much fun being able to spend free time see- ing the beauty and art of the cities and shopping for souve- nirs,” Capo said, “but seeing the actual places that the sol- diers fought, died, and were buried was amazing.” Josie Grooms, junior linguistics major, said seeing the beautiful cathedrals and marvelous landmarks she’d only seen on Google and on television before was incredible. “We got to have time of intense awe, like on Omaha Beach where American soldiers sacrificed their lives, and a time of revere at American cemeteries at France and Bel- gium,” Grooms said. “It was unforgettable to see history come alive.” Zach Krauss is a junior pharmacy/music double major from central Texas and campus reporter for Cedars. He loves music, theatre, biology, community, and meeting new people. Photo provided by Christina Capo Wall art found in the shore town of Arromanches, France, which served as a fake harbor for the D-Day landings