An inquiry into the link between ethics and the formation of American foreign policy is most effectively begun by looking at specific historical cases familiar to the student, and/or at historic events actually taking place during the current semester. Three such cases of special urgency for Americans will be analyzed: (1) The still controversial decision by Harry Truman to use a largely unknown but ominous new weapon, the atom bomb, against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945; (2) The American war in Vietnam, especially between 1961 and 1968, the Kennedy and Johnson years; and (3) The ongoing war in Iraq, undertaken three years ago by the United States, even though members of the United Nations Security Council had proposed a resolution to initiate a four-month intensive, countrywide, armed inspection for weapons of mass destruction. The course will use the literature of criticism, historical debate, and ethical analysis to examine these issues. Undergraduates who have completed less than 51 credits must have the permission of the assistant dean for BALS to register.