The Vietnam War: American choices in conflict

Objectives:

·  Examine why the American government supported the French in trying to retain control over Indochina

·  Trace the events leading up to American support of the South Vietnamese government against Ho Chi Minh.

·  Discuss the relationship between the Eisenhower and Kennedy administration and the Diem administration from 1954-1963.

·  List the events that led to a full Americanization of the Vietnam war.

·  Debate whether the U.S should have Americanized the war, escalate forces slowly, or negotiate for withdrawal of troops.

·  Examine government response to protest in the Vietnam War

·  Describe the experiences of the soldiers during the war.

·  Analyze the role of American protest in shaping government policy in the Vietnam War.

KEY TERMS:

Cold War Tonkin Gulf Incident

Dienbienphu Ho Chi Minh Trail

Domino theory Americanization of conflict

Geneva Accords National Liberation Front

Ho Chi Minh Army of Republic of (South) Vietnam

Vietminh Vietcong

Ngo Dinh Diem My Lai Massacre

Bao Dai Tet Offensive

President Eisenhower “Body Count”

President Kennedy Secretary of Defense – Robert McNamara

President Johnson President Nixon

General William Westmoreland

Bombing of Cambodia

Kent State Massacre

Henry Kissinger

An Loc

Strategic Hamlet Program

Additional terms:

Readings – Take notes on the following readings – right side!

·  Kennedy Library background reading on Cold War

·  Packet on Vietnam War

Reflection assignment:

Howard Zinn chapter “The Impossible Victory”

Honors – You can choose to do one of your additional readings on Vietnam – I’ll have copies of another article available for you if interested.

_____Day 1 – Vietnam War . . . .War on Terror. . .is the rhetoric the same? Can we compare the two?

HW: Read handout on background to war (Kennedy Library reading).

_____Day 2 Setting the context for Vietnam -- What was happening in the world at the time. (time line/discussion)

HW: Read/notes chapter 1 and 2 in packet

______Day 3 Why did the Americans care about Vietnam?

HW: Read/notes chapter 3-5 in packet.

______Day 4 American policy in Vietnam from 1954-1964

document study

HW: read/notes chapter 6-8

______Day 5 Soldier’s experience abroad

excerpts for “Letters Home” and “Regret to Inform”

HW: Finish packet

_____Day 6 Public opinion at home –Forms of Protest

HW: Work on Reflection article – Zinn

____ Day 7 – Protest and debate assignment – time to work in class – Date to be announced.

_____Day 8 open response test on reading material and class notes